The First Cavernicolous Nicoletiidae (Insecta: Zygentoma) from the United Arab Emirates

2 Abstract: Lepidospora mazyadi, n. sp., is described and differentiated from all the other known Lepidospora s.s. The new species was collected from a cave in Jebel Hafeet in the United Arab Emirates. Morphology and preliminary analyses of 16S rRNA DNA sequences are described. The new species is unique because, unlike other species in the genus, it lacks sexually dimorphic terminal filaments. It is also the first nicoletiid reported from the United Arab Emirates and the second cave-adapted species from Arabia.