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The genus Bagnallella Salmon is restored and given a diagnosis. It takes an intermediate position between Proisotoma Börner and Cryptopygus Willem complexes and is characterized by the separation of the two last abdominal segments (like in Proisotoma) and 3 and 5 s-chaetae on the fourth and fifth abdominal segments (like in Cryptopygus and its allies). A list of and key to species belonging to Bagnallella is given. Bagnallella biseta comb. nov., B. dubia comb. nov., B. sedecimoculata comb. nov., and B. tenella comb. nov. are commented and redescribed. Morphology of Bagnallella davidi (Barra), comb. nov. is described from the specimens from South Africa. So far B. davidi appears to be a complex of forms differing in size of the furca and macrochaetae. Two types of strongly modified males were found and described. Antennae, ventral side of abdomen, posterior edge of abdominal tergites, and mandibles are affected with epitoky. The nature of the discovered strong polymorphism is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific trait–environment interactions have led to globally unusual botanical radiations in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Yet it is unclear whether such interactions have similarly resulted in the diversification of the fauna independently of associations with plants.We explore this question for the Collembola genus Seira, which includes 89 species in the CFR, and appears to have diversified substantially into warm, dry fynbos shrublands—habitats atypical of those usually occupied by Collembola. Specifically, we determine whether thermal tolerance is higher for members of the genus in these shrublands compared with congeners in cooler, moister Afrotemperate Forests in the region, and with Collembola globally.Fynbos‐inhabiting Seira species have remarkable critical thermal maxima (CTmax) of on average 43°C, 5–6°C higher than congeners occupying the Southern Afrotemperate Forests, and Collembola globally, even when taking CTmax variation associated with regional climate into consideration.Thermal tolerance trait variation among the Seira species from different habitats is likely the consequence of variation in habitat temperature: fynbos shrublands are on average ~17°C warmer than Afrotemperate Forests. Moreover, periodic fires in the fynbos have a large effect on microhabitat temperatures, increasing them substantially (by ~7.5°C) in the year after fire, which may be especially relevant in selecting for higher thermal tolerance in species from this habitat.These results suggest that the remarkable richness of Seira in the CFR may in part be due to the evolution of very high CTmax values which have enabled them to take advantage of a hot, dry habitat that is unusual for Collembola. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the genera of the Cryptopygus complex in South Africa are morphologically revised. Five new species of the genus Cryptopygus Willem, 1902 s. s. and one new species of the genus Isotominella Delamare Deboutteville, 1948 are described. Cryptopygus abulbus sp. nov. and C. bulbus sp. nov. have only one chaeta on the anterior side of dens and no chaetae on the anterior side of manubrium, the latter species being characterized by the presence of a bulb at apex of antennae; C. inflatus sp. nov. shows a rare combination of eight ocelli on each side of the head with a tridentate mucro; C. longisensillus sp. nov. has five long s-chaetae on the fifth abdominal segment; C. postantennalis sp. nov. is unique by having a very long and slender postantennal organ with strong inner denticles; Isotominella laterochaeta sp. nov. is the second member of the genus and differs from the type species by many more anterior chaetae on the manubrium and the presence of chaetae on ventral side of metathorax. The genera are discussed and a key to all species of the Cryptopygus complex recorded in South Africa is given. The focus is on the Western Cape Province where the complex is the most diverse and sampling more complete than in other provinces of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The extraordinary diversity of plants across the Cape Floristic Region is characterized by considerable species turnover among sites. Phytophagous insects show similarly high turnover, but their patterns are closely coupled to those of their hosts. If the mechanisms underlying high plant turnover are not unique to plants, similar patterns of turnover should also be seen in non‐herbivorous arthropod groups. We tested this hypothesis using new data for the Collembola fauna of the Fynbos biome. Location: The south‐western Cape, South Africa. Taxon: Springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola). Methods: We sampled springtails from six sites over two seasons. Species richness was compared with expected values from other studies worldwide given the environmental characteristics of the sites sampled. Nestedness and turnover components of beta diversity were calculated and compared against beta diversity patterns of springtails across Europe. Results: A total of 114 morphospecies from 14 families was collected. Species richness of Fynbos sites ranged from 14 to 31 species, which was not significantly different to that previously reported for non‐Fynbos locations and generally within expectations given the temperature, rainfall and productive energy of each site. Beta diversity was high across all pairwise comparisons of Fynbos sites and dominated by species replacement rather than assemblage nestedness. Relative to the distance between sites, Fynbos assemblages, with a median inter‐site distance of 140 km, showed beta diversity substantially higher than in European assemblages, which had a median inter‐site distance of 1,270 km. Main conclusions: Alpha diversity of Fynbos Collembola assemblages is in keeping with species richness expectations. By contrast, beta diversity is high given the small distances among sites and is characterized predominantly by species turnover. These patterns of unremarkable alpha diversity, but high turnover among sites are comparable to many Fynbos plant groups. The mechanisms giving rise to high beta diversity of the plants may also have led to high diversity in other taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils are integral to agricultural productivity, biodiversity, and the maintenance of ecosystem services. However, soil ecosystem research depends on foundational biological knowledge that is often missing. In this review, we present a comprehensive, cross-taxa overview of the soil biota of South Africa. We discuss the literature and sampling methods used to assess soil biota, the available taxonomic expertise and main collections within South Africa, the availability of identification guides and online resources, and the status and distribution of described species. We include species lists for all South African soil biota and, for groups with sufficient distribution records, species richness maps. Despite South Africa being only 0.8% of the earth’s terrestrial area, it contains nearly 1.8% of the world’s described soil species (mean per taxon 3.64%, range 0.17–15%; n = 36 groups), with nematodes and earthworms showing a remarkable (6.4 and 7.7%) proportion of globally described diversity. Endemism is high for most groups, ranging from 33–92%. However, major knowledge gaps exist for most soil biota groups. While sampling has been relatively comprehensive in some areas for a few groups (particularly those with direct socioeconomic impacts), the Nama-Karoo, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape are poorly sampled. Natural soils in biodiversity hotspots, such as the Fynbos Biome, are also understudied. We argue that a more integrative approach to acquiring foundational knowledge in soil biodiversity is needed if applied soil research is to be effective in ensuring sustainable soil health. Considerable investment will be required to bring our understanding of the soil biodiversity in this megadiverse region to a level where the Millennium Development Goals can be reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Equally high alpha-and beta-diversity in plantations compared to natural vegetation. • Beta-diversity driven by species replacement rather than nestedness. • Plantations did not contribute to biotic homogenization. • Arthropod assemblage composition differed between plantations and natural areas. • Conservation corridors maintain regional soil biodiversity. Landscape transformation for agriculture threatens global biodiversity through simplification of ecosystems. We determine whether large-scale timber plantations contribute to biotic homogenization of soil biodiversity relative to remnant natural vegetation. We examined ant and springtail alpha- and beta-diversity, and assemblage composition, among biotopes in two different climatic and soil regions in a subtropical area of South Africa. Surprisingly, we observed equally high levels of alpha- and beta-diversity in plantations (Eucalyptus and Pinus) as in natural biotopes (indigenous forest and grassland) for both taxa in both regions, except in the inland sites where ant species richness was highest in grassland. Furthermore, beta-diversity in all biotopes was mainly due to species replacement rather than nestedness. The high diversity in plantations is likely due to high environmental variation among plantation sites, likely providing diverse niche opportunities across plantations. A possible mechanism for the large proportion of shared species between natural areas and plantations is colonization of arthropods from natural areas into plantations and/or source populations surviving harvesting and tree planting and then their populations growing during long periods of tree maturation. Plantations and natural areas supported complementary assemblages, which builds on the idea that remnant natural vegetation in production landscapes is essential for conserving not only unique aboveground biodiversity, but also unique belowground biodiversity. Furthermore, timber plantations do not homogenize soil arthropod taxonomic diversity as expected. This contrasts with global trends on biodiversity response to land-use change and emphasizes that conservation principles for soil biodiversity may differ from those aimed at aboveground biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species, Parisotoma ruseki sp. nov., P. yehlathi sp. nov., and Folsomotoma amyliuae sp. nov. are described from South Africa. Parisotoma ruseki sp. nov. is characterized by four posterior s-chaetae on each side of the three first abdominal segments and seven posterior chaetae on dens, Parisotoma yehlathi sp. nov. by five s-chaetae and eight chaetae on dens, respectively. All s-chaetae on the body of Folsomotoma amyliuae sp. nov. are short, unlike its congeners. The genera Folsomotoma and Halisotoma are recorded for the first time in South Africa.

A new species of Setanodosa, S. jacquesi sp. nov. is described from the Western Cape (South Africa). It differs from other species of the genus by its unique shocking red pigmentation, the number of vesicles in the post antennal organ, and the number of clavate tenent hairs on the tibiotarsi. A comparative table of the world Setanodosa and a key of Brachystomellidae species known from South Africa are provided. DNA barcoding results are provided for several Brachystomellidae species from South Africa, Australia and the sub-Antarctic to support our findings. It shows that a species provisionally identified as Brachystomella cf. platensis is unambiguously present in both South Africa and Australia.