Neelidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Neelidae | |
|---|---|
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| Megalothorax | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Collembola |
| Order: | Neelipleona |
| Family: | Neelidae |
Neelidae is a family of springtails in the order Neelipleona. There are at least 4 genera and more than 30 described species in Neelidae.[1][2][3]
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These four genera belong to the family Neelidae:
- Megalothorax Willem, 1900
- Neelides Caroli, 1912
- Neelus Folsom, 1896
- Zelandothorax Delamare Debouteville & Massoud, 1963
Description
Members of the family Neelidae are generally minute, averaging around 500 μm. They possess globular bodies superficially like that of the Symphypleona, with relatively long legs and a well-developed furca compared to other soil-dwelling springtails.[4]
Phylogeny
Neelidae was initially considered to have a close affinity with Symphypleona, based on morphological characteristics shared between the two groups such as a globular shape, neosminthuroid setae and others. However, molecular data places them as a basal group to all other Collembola.[5]
