1 Topic by stevemcbill

  • stevemcbill
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Topic: Collembola Checklist Query

Dear Chris,

I am hoping you can shed some light on this for me.

I have just taken up an interest in Collembola as Merseyside BioBank are running a project to map the species in VC-59.  I have noticed (last evening) that Entomobrya intermedia has been sunk to synonym status under Entomobrya muscorum within the Dictionary.

Can I ask where you obtained the Checklist for Collembola as Peter Shaw (National Recorder) seems puzzled by this change.  His email to me this morning shows the following "Entomobrya muscorum as defined by South has a quite different pattern on abd 4, not proven in the UK yet AFAIK. Our SYNTAX DNA work showed E. intermedia was a good clade in the UK.". He has asked Frans Janssens if the sinking of E.intermedia is recognised outside of the NBN in the UK.

Any light you can throw on this would be of great assistance.

Many thanks.
Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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2 Reply by stevemcbill

  • stevemcbill
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Re: Collembola Checklist Query

Had the following from Frans Janssens:

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I was not aware of such a synonymy, sorry.   Do you have a paper that claims this synonymy ?
In collembola.org we accept the syn of E. intermedia var. elongata Brook 1884:275 with muscorum, and consider E. intermedia of Handschin of 1924 as a misidentification of muscorum.

In Fauna Europaea, intermedia appears twice.
Once as good species:
https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/tax … 9b1bf8dbfb
And once as synonym of muscorum... :
https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/tax … eccc8c52f9
So it is a mess...

E. muscorum is a very variable/messy species with several vars and forms.  So now they made it even more messy...
In Jordana's bible on the chaetotaxy of the Entomobryini of 2012, intermedia is considered as a good species.  Jordana thinks that it is endemic to the British Isles.   But I found in the USA, in Canada, in Belgium.   Possibly it is widespread and easily overlooked or considered as a kind of nivalis.   Or often recorded as muscorum.  ;-)

Kind regards,
Frans
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Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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3 Reply by ChrisR

  • ChrisR
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Re: Collembola Checklist Query

Hi Steve

I am not sure how intermedia became synonymised here - I'm going back through my emails but it is hard going. But I have a note that last time I investigated that synonymy the reply (from Peter) was that the synonymy is up for debate and that his view that it was distinct was going against some other workers, so I am guessing we chose to leave it as-is. That said, I'd be happy to split it if Peter would prefer it that way - we do try to represent the British opinions on taxonomy here :)

I think I'll follow Peter and split it. :)

Best wishes,
Chris R.

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

4 Reply by stevemcbill (edited by stevemcbill 09-02-2018 14:59:05)

  • stevemcbill
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Re: Collembola Checklist Query

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for that.

Yes, I think splitting E.intermedia out as a separate species would be the way to go.  Peter may contact you, I have provided him with your email addres at the NHM.

Cheers and thanks again.
Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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