First report of Lepidosira (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from China, with description of four new species under the aid of COI barcoding

Abstract

In this study, species of Lepidosira Schött, 1925, from China are studied based on molecular markers and morphological characters. Four new species, Lepidosira apigmenta sp. nov., Lepidosira similis sp. nov., Lepidosira wuxiensis sp. nov., and Lepidosira chongqingensis sp. nov., are described, and their COI barcodes are provided. This is the first report of the genus from China. Willowsia flava Zhou, Pan & Ma, 2021, is transferred to Lepidosira, and the replacement name Lepidosira baojiensis comb. et nom. nov. is proposed since the specific epithet is preoccupied by the senior homonym Lepidosira flava (Salmon, 1938). The transfer of Willowsia trifascia Zhou & Ma, 2022 to Lepidosira is also herein proposed. A key to the scaled genera of the subfamily Entomobryinae is provided.