A new relictual and highly troglomorphic species of Tomoceridae (Collembola) from a deep Croatian cave

Abstract

Abstract

Tritomurus veles sp. n. ( Tomoceridae) is described from a Croatian cave. It is characterized by troglomorphic features (absence of eyes, reduced pigmentation, slender claw, pointed tibiotarsal tenent hairs) that only compare, among Tomoceridae, to the microendemic species Tritomurus falcifer from the Pyrénées. Tritomurus veles also shares with Tritomurus falcifer the absence of macrochaetae on head, a presumably non-adaptive character that within Tomoceridae is unique to these two species. Both species have no known epigean relatives in their respective distribution areas and can be considered as relictual.