A new species of Dicranocentroides (Collembola: Paronellidae) from India

Material and Methods Specimens were collected by an aspirator and preserved in 70% alcohol. They were cleared in Marc Andre 1 medium. Dark specimens were placed in potassium hydroxide (KOH) to soften the chitin. Softening the chitin is required for 10–15 minutes depending upon the intensity of the pigment. Hoyer’s mounting medium was used for slide-mounting of the specimens. Identification of specimens was with a phase contrast compound microscope following Christiansen & A new species of Dicranocentroides (Collembola: Paronellidae) from India


Description
Colour pattern: Ground colour of the body deep yellow in alcohol. Ant. I distally with dark pigment rings, rest devoid of pigment. Ant. II entirely with dark pigment, region of subdivision of each segment of antennae non-pigmented (Images 1-2), Ant.I and Ant. II polychaetoic and with brush-like setae (Figs. 1-2), Ant. II covered with more dense setae in comparison to Ant. I, dorsal margin of Ant. III and Ant. IV light blue pigment, tip of Ant. IV with dark pigment apically. Tibiotarsi with bluish violet pigment, inner margin of each femur with longitudinal dark pigment. Th. II centrally devoid of colour pigment, medially and distally with two blue black patches, both patches fused laterally and forming arrow head like-band one on each side, Th. III with two discontinuous patches on each side, medial patches wider and darker, lateral patches with light pigment.
Abd.I small dot-like sub-medial blue black pigment on both sides (Fig. 3), Abd. II devoid of any colourpatch, Abd. IV with lateral pigment extended to ventro-laterally with the Abd. III, Abd. IV dorso-medially with vertical dark bluish pigment patches one on each side medially diffused with the large lateral patches and extended posteriorly, bluish terminal end of the Abd. IV with dark bluish patches which extend laterally of Abd.V and base of the manubrium, Abd. VI devoid of any pigment. Characteristic head pigmentation as in Fig. 4.
Clothing: Body clothed with dark brown scales and setae.

Ecology
The species was found in large numbers, generally in shady semi-decomposed moist leaf litter in forested regions. It is an active species on the ground in leaf litter of Dudwa Tiger Reserve. The species is abundant in this tropical semi-evergreen forest of upper gangetic alluvial plains. The protection of this habitat will help to conserve the collembolan species.

Etymology
The species is named after the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh locally known as Dudua, which is the type locality.

Discussion
The new species is similar to Dicranocentroides gisini Mitra in having pigment on Th.II and without medial pigment on Abd. III, IV and V but differs from D. gisini in the characteristics given in Table 1. The Thai species, Dicranocentroides orientalis Kim, Park, Rojanavongse & Lee, 1999, also has the brush like setae in Ant. I & II but clearly differs from D. duduaensis by absence of colour pigment on Th.II, III; Abd.I, III, IV, V and inner margin of unguis without paired medial teeth.