Troglomorphic adaptations on the northern European frontier: the phylogeny of the cave Pseudosinella (Hexapoda, Collembola) in the Western Carpathians

A phylogenetic analysis of the cave-dwelling springtail genus Pseudosinella in the Western Carpathians reveals two distinct species groups with allopatric distributions, one including the known P. aggtelekiensis and three undescribed species, while the other merges P. paclti populations and introduces a new species, Pseudosinellamuranensis, characterized by pronounced troglomorphic features. Molecular dating suggests that these lineages diverged during the Miocene, around 14.51 million years ago, coinciding with the uplift of Triassic limestones and early cave formation in the region. This study underscores the Western Carpathians as a significant speciation center for obligate cave fauna in Europe.

Kováč, Ĺ., Žurovcová, M., Raschmanová, N., Jureková, N., Papáč, V., & Parimuchová, A. (2023). Troglomorphic adaptations on the northern European frontier: the phylogeny of the cave Pseudosinella (Hexapoda, Collembola) in the Western Carpathians. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1169911