Phylogenomic Insights of Mesentotoma Salmon, 1942 (Collembola: Entomobryidae: Entomobryinae): First Mitogenome and Phylogenetic Hypothesis, Taxonomic Notes, and Description of Two New Brazilian Species

We used whole-genome sequencing to assemble the first complete mitogenome from a Mesentotoma Salmon, 1942 species. Mesentotoma was included in phylogenetic analyses along with 21 mitogenomes of other Entomobryinae. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences yielded similar results; both analyses indicated that Mesentotoma is related to Willowsia jacobsoni and Entomobrya proxima. However, other genera of Entomobryinae, also lacking a mucronal spine (Desertia Tshelnokov, 1979 Calx Christiansen, 1958 and Isotobrya Womersley, 1934) need to be included in further analysis to verify their relationships, as well as other species of Mesentotoma. Furthermore, five species previously assigned to Entomobrya were transferred to Mesentotoma due to the absence of a mucronal spine. E. coeruleopicta Marlier, 1945 is a junior homonym of E. coeruleopicta Schött, 1917 and a replacement name is proposed: M. tranvercyana nom. nov., comb. nov. In addition, two new species of Mesentotoma from a Brazilian island are described and characterized by reduced macrochaetotaxy. This represents the first record of Mesentotoma in the Neotropical region, increasing its total number of valid species from eight to fifteen. We provided an identification key for the seven Mesentotoma species recorded in the Tropical zone.