Vol. 93, No. 4, September & October 1982 109 NEW RECORDS OF CAVE COLLEMBOLA OF MEXICO 1 Jose' G. Palacios-Vargas^ ABSTRACT: Thirty-five species of Collembola are recorded from eleven Mexican caves, nest of Pappogeomys tylorhynus and the fur of Neotomodon sp. and Peromyscus alstoni. A brief discussion about their ecological classification is included. RESUMEN: 35 especies de Collembola son registrados de 1 1 cuevas mexicanas, nidos de Pappogeomys tylorhynus y ejemplares colectados sobre Neotomodon sp. y Peromyscus alstoni. Se hace una breve discusion sobre su clasificacion ecologica. Mexican caves have one of the most abundant and diverse cavernicole fauna of any region in the world (Reddell, 1981). This is due to the existence of huge cave systems, and to the geographic position and diversity of climates and vegetational communities. Although springtails are usually well represented in any Mexican cave, frequently being the most abundant food source for other arthropods, there are few papers dealing with cave Collembola in Mexico. The first reference dates from Mills (1938) who recorded seven species from Yucatan caves. Bonet (1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947), Bonet and Tellez (1947) described several species; Christiansen (1973) described and recorded five species of Pseudosinella; and Bonet (1953, 1971) discussed the cave fauna in Mexico and gave new records. The latest records are those of Reddell (1971, 1981), Hoffman et al (1980) and Palacios-Vargas (1980). A tentative classification of some cavernicole Collembola, based on ecological, morphological and geographical data was presented by Palacios-Vargas (1981). Apparently, there are two or three groups of cavernicole Collembola in Mexico. One group of Mexican troglomorph species are closely related to species inhabiting soil and litter in the same area. Another group represents taxa abundant in temperate North America both in caves and in soil, which have extended to the south; the third group represent Neotropical fauna that has moved to habitats in southern Mexican caves. Epigeomorphs and ambimorphs are interesting because some of them are probably relicts that survived in the caves thanks to the stability of these environments. 'Received February 19. 1982 *J ' ' ^Laboratorio de Acarologia. Departamento de Biologia. Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510 Me'xico, D.F. ENT. NEWS 93(4): 109-113
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