Ceratophysella communis (Folsom, 1897)

Salimi, Maryam, Shayanmehr, Masoumeh, Yoosefi Lafooraki, Elham, Mohammadi Sharif, Mahmoud & Arbea, Javier, 2025, A contribution to the knowledge of the genus Ceratophysella Bӧrner, 1932 (Collembola, Hypogastruridae) of Iran, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 11 (2), pp. 351-361 : 353-354

Ceratophysella communis (Folsom, 1897)

Material examined. 8 / ♂ ♀, Iran, Isfahan Province, Isfahan, Nazhvan Forest Park, 32°38'14" N, 51°37'3" E, 1577 m, 16-XII-2021, Maryam Salimi leg.

Redescription (based on the specimens from Iran). Body length up to 1.8 mm. Colour dark greyish brown to black. Cuticular granulation fairly fine and even on body; 20–24 cuticular granules between p1 chaetae on Abd. V. Differentiation of dorsal chaetae into meso- and macrochaetae distinct ( Fig. 1). Body chaetae long (ratio p1 mesochaetae and p2 macrochaetae on Th. II /inner edge of claws III = 0.6–0.7 and 1.6–1.8, respectively), fairly thin, tapering and pointed, macrochaetae distinctly longer, thicker and finely serrated (central macrochaetae blunt); arrangement of chaetae on head typical for the genus, spine-like chaetae absent; Thoracic terga II – III with m6 chaetae present and m3 chaetae absent; Abd. IV with p2 chaetae developed as macrochaetae, p1 as mesochaetae (dorsal chaetotaxy of type A), p3 chaetae present; p1 <p2 on Th. II to Abd. IV; Abd. I – III with 4 + 4, Abd. IV with 3 + 3, and Abd. V with two mesochaetae between median macrochaetae p2; a′2 chaeta on Abd. I – III present; body S chaetae relatively long (ratio S p4 and m7 on Th. II /inner edge of claws III = 1.2–1.4 and 1.0–1.2, respectively; ratio a1 mesochaeta and p1 macrochaeta/S chaeta on Abd. V = 0.5–0.6 and 1.3–1.4, respectively), thin and smooth; S chaeta on Th. II, III p4 and m7, Abd I –IV p5 and Abd V p3; S microchaeta (ms) on Th. II present; subcoxae I, II, III with 1, 3, 3 chaetae, respectively .

Antennal segment IV with bilobed apical vesicle, subapical organite (or), microsensillum (ms), seven (2 lateral, 5 dorsal) cylindrical S chaetae that are extremely curved and fairly thick and about 10 short, apically oblique chaetae in ventral field. Ant. III organ normal with the five S chaetae. Eversible sac between antennal segments III and IV present. Antennal segment I with seven chaetae. Ocelli: 8 + 8. PAO about twice width of anterior ocellus, with four tubercles, two anterior distinctly larger than the posterior vesicles, and one lateral accessory tubercle. Labrum with 5, 5, 4 chaetae; 4 prelabrals present. Labial palp with 6 proximal chaetae. Maxillary palp simple with one sublobal hair. Tibiotarsi I, II, III with 19, 19, 18 chaetae, respectively; one longer pointed tenent hair on each leg. Claw with mid-inner tooth. Empodial appendage with broad basal lamella, reaching inner tooth or slightly beyond; ratio empodial appendage/inner edge of claws = 0.5–0.6. Ventral tube with 4 + 4 chaetae. Furca well developed. Ratio dens + mucro/inner edge of claw III = 2.7–2.9, ratio dens/mucro = 1.8–2.1. Dens with uniform fine granules and seven thin dorsal chaetae. Mucro wide at tip, boat-like, with large outer lamella. Retinaculum with 4 + 4 teeth. Anal spines long and curved, clearly longer than claws, on high papillae (ratio anal spines: papilla = 2.0–2.2; ratio anal spines/inner edge of claw III = 1.2–1.4.

Distribution. Widely distributed in East Asia, it has also been recorded in Canada, Japan, South America and Australia ( Thibaud et al., 2004). This species has been recorded for the first time from Iran.