Riding a wave of interest in biodiversity patterns in surface-dwelling communities, in 2000, Culver and Sket

Since the 1980s, with the widespread use of the phrase biodiversity

Based on 225 samples taken from different biotopes in the Edough Massif (northeastern Algeria) from 1998 to 2018, we compiled a list of 91 collembolan species names from the literature, of which 72 can be considered valid records. Fourteen of them are only known from this massif in Algeria, and eight are endemic of northeastern Algeria. These 72 species are spread over 14 families and 49 genera. The family Neanuridae is the most diverse with 18 species, including six species of the genus Friesea. The monotypic genus Edoughnura (Neanurinae) is endemic to the Edough and Collo massifs. Several of the listed species do not fully match the diagnosis of the species to which they have been assigned and may represent undescribed taxa. Entomobryidac as well as several habitats (epigean, deep soil, littoral) remain unsampled or undersampled in Edough, and are likely to host many more species than those listed in this paper.

We redefine the genus Yuukianura Yosii, 1955, and we give an updated list of its nine species. Four of these species initially described in other genera are transferred to Yuukianura: Lobella (Lobella) yasudai Yosii, 1966, Lobella pacifica Yosii, 1971, Protanura Bellinger & Christiansen, 1974, and Pseudocolonavis rosea Kim & Lee, 2000. Two species described as Yuukianura (Yuukianura cavicola Yosii, 1956 and Y. nomurai Yosii, 1956) are considered as Lobellini incertae sedis. A new species, Yuukianura judithae n. sp., is described from Santo Island in Vanuatu, Melanesia. It differs from other species of the genus by a combination of characters including total lack of eyes, two chaetae on the ocular tubercle (Ocp absent), (5 + 5) dorsal chaetae on Th. I, (3 + S) chaetae in chaetal group DL of Th. II–III, two chaetae in group Di of Abd. I–IV (Di3 absent) and untoothed claw. The species also shows three characters unusual for Neanurinae Boerner, 1901: a strong reduction of tibiotarsal chaetotaxy, the absence of macrochaeta De1 on Abd. I–IV and the presence of conspicuous buttonhole structures dorsally on head, Abd. I and Abd. IV. The new species occurs in both forest and cave habitats, not in mangrove or seashore habitats, in contrast to most members of the genus. In caves, it often lives in large number on guano piles of bats or swiftlets, and is the first record of a Neanuridae Yosii, 1956 in such an habitat. Liste des espèces de Yuukianura Yosii, 1955 du monde (Collembola: Neanuridae: Neanurinae: Lobellini), avec la description d'une nouvelle espèce de l'île de Santo (Vanuatu) à l'écologie inhabituelle. Nous redéfinissons le genre Yuukianura Yosii, 1955, et nous donnons une liste mise à jour de ses neuf espèces. Quatre de ces espèces initialement décrites dans d'autres genres sont transférées dans Yuukianura: Lobella (Lobella) yasudai Yosii, 1966, Lobella pacifica Yosii, 1971, Protanura hawaiiensis Bellinger & Christiansen, 1974, et Pseudocolonavis rosea Kim & Lee, 2000. Deux autres espèces décrites comme Yuukianura (Yuukianura cavicola Yosii, 1956 et Y. nomurai Yosii, 1956) sont considérées comme des Lobellini incertae sedis. Une nouvelle espèce, Yuukianura judithae n. sp., est décrite de l'île de Santo au Vanuatu, Mélanésie. Elle diffère des autres espèces du genre par la combinaison de caractères suivante : yeux complètement absents, deux soies sur le tubercule oculaire (Ocp absent), (5 + 5) soies dorsales sur Th. I, (3 + S) soies dans le groupe DL de Th. II–III, deux soies dans le groupe Di d'Abd. I–IV (Di3 absent) et une griffe inerme. L'espèce possède en outre trois caractères inhabituels pour un Neanurinae Boerner, 1901 : une forte réduction de la chétotaxie tibiotarsale, l'absence du macrochète De1 sur Abd. I–IV et la présence de structures en boutonnières bien visibles dorsalement sur la tête, Abd. I et Abd. IV. La nouvelle espèce se rencontre à la fois en sols forestiers et en grottes, mais pas en mangroves ni en habitats littoraux, contrairement à la plupart des espèces du genre. En grotte, elle est souvent très abondante sur les accumulations de guano de chauves-souris ou de salanganes, et représente la seule citation d'un Neanuridae Yosii, 1956 dans un tel habitat.

The Towakkalak System located in the Maros karst of South Sulawesi is currently the richest of Southeast Asia in obligate subterranean species. It comprises several caves and shafts that give access to the subterranean Towakkalak river as well as many unconnected fossil caves, stream sinks, and springs located within its footprint. The total length of the caves linked to the active system is 24,319 m and comprises two of the longest caves of Indonesia, Gua Salukkan Kallang and Gua Tanette. Studies of its fauna began in 1985. There are 10 stygobionts and 26 troglobionts that are known from the system. The smaller adjacent system of Saripa has 6 stygobionts and 18 troglobionts, of which 1 and 3, respectively, are absent from Towakkalak. Like all tropical cave inventories, our dataset has limits due to identification uncertainties, gaps in habitat (waters, guano) and taxonomic coverage (micro-crustaceans, mites), sampling methods (pitfall trapping, Karaman–Chappuis), and problems of ecological assignment. A number of additional species are therefore expected to be found in the future. The Towakkalak and Saripa cave systems are included in the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park and are under efficient protection, but parts of the Maros karst outside the park are under serious threat, mainly from quarrying.

Located in the core zone of Mulun National Nature Reserve in northern Guangxi, the limestone cave Ganxiao Dong harbours the richest cave fauna currently known in China. In total, 26 species of cave invertebrates have been recognized so far, in spite of limited sampling efforts. Of them, 20 are troglobionts or stygobionts, including one snail, four millipedes, three spiders, one harvestman, three isopods, two springtails, two crickets, one non-glowing sticky worm, and three trechine beetles. Six other species are troglophiles. The most remarkable characteristic of this fauna is its high number of troglomorphic species, especially among millipedes, crickets and beetles.