Hanseniella unguiculata Hansen 1903

Hanseniella cf. unguiculata Hansen, 1903 Material studied. • 3 females, 2 males (CTNI 10308 a-e), Colombia: Santander, Lebrija, Vereda La Aguada de Ceferino, manual collection in pineapple farming, 975 m a. s. l., 7.1978, -73.1714, 15 - X- 2019, J. Montes-Rodríguez; • 1 female, 1 male, Colombia: Santander, Lebrija, Vereda La Aguada de Ceferino, manual collection in pineapple farming, 975 m a. s. l., 7.1978, -73.1714, 15 - X- 2019, J. Montes-Rodríguez, LELaAgu 01-9 (Field code); • 1 female, 1 male (CTNI 10410 a, d) Colombia: Santander, Girón, Vereda Chocoita, manual collection in pineapple farming, 850 m a. s. l., 6.9867, -73.1628, 15 - IX- 2020, J. Montes-Rodríguez; • 1 female, 1 male, (CTNI 10410 b, c) Colombia: Santander, Lebrija, Vereda la Puente, manual collection in pineapple farming, 1297 m a. s. l., 7.0790, -73.2033, 15 - XI- 2019, J. Montes-Rodríguez. Distribution. This species was collected in the municipalities of Villanueva, Girón, and Lebrija. It was the dominant species in pineapple crops in the department of Santander. The similarity of their sequences to those published by Salazar-Moncada et al. (2015) suggests that this species has a wide distribution in Colombia. Remarks. Specimens from Santander clearly exhibit the key diagnostic characters traditionally used to identify this species, namely the shape of the claw on leg 12 and macrochaetal pattern. However, Hansen’s (1903) original description of specimens from Venezuela is rather brief, and the accompanying illustrations are insufficient to confirm the identification with complete certainty. Edwards (1959) subsequently provided more detailed documentation, including measurements of tergites, lateral macrochaetae, and new illustrations, although based on material from England. The morphological ranges reported by Edwards (1959) generally overlap with those observed in the Santander specimens, and the illustrations are reasonably consistent with the new material. Nevertheless, in the absence of a modern redescription of the type specimens, we refrain from definitively assigning the Santander material to H. unguiculata. Despite this taxonomic uncertainty, the species appears strongly associated with pineapple cultivation in Santander, where it was the dominant symphylan in sampled crops. Records from Hawaii, where it was the only Hanseniella species reported in pineapple cultivation (Scheller 1961), further support a clear ecological relationship with this host plant. Its broad geographic distribution and occurrence across multiple continents have made it one of the most frequently cited symphylan species in the literature; however, its biogeographic origin and native or introduced status in Colombia and other parts of the world remain unresolved.