Species of Mesaphorura are very small (typically 0.7 mm in length) soil-dwelling Collembola. Until relatively recently, most Mesaphorura have been recorded under the name Mesaphorura krausbaueri but following work by Rusek and others, it is clear that there are several species 'hiding' under this name. Mesaphorura hylophila was found by Bruce et al. (1999) (mixed with Mesaphorura macrochaeta) in agricultural plots, to which sewage sludge had been applied, at Auchincruive, Scotland. The identification was by Arne Fjellberg and this is currently the only record of Mesaphorura hylophila from the UK. I have now been able to examine two specimens (both females of 0.5 mm in length) and agree with Arne that they are definitely Mesaphorura hylophila. This tiny species is bound to turn up in other sites throughout the UK.
     The pseudocelli formula of
Mesaphorura hylophila is 11/011/10011. Other diagnostic characters include five setae in tibiotarsal 'B' ring, seta a2 absent on th3 (Fig. 3), distance between p1 setae on abd4 shorter than the distance between the p2 setae, seta m0 on abd4 absent, only 2+2 short setae on abd5 between the long a4 setae, and anal setae l2' absent.

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Fig. 1 (above): Composite photograph of Mesaphorura hylophila of 0.5 mm in length collected from Auchincruive, Lanark, Scotland in January 1995 by Lorna Bruce.

Fig. 2 (above): Post-antennal organ of the same specimen of Mesaphorura hylophila shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 (above): Dorsal side of second (th2) and third (th3) thoracic segments and first (abd1) abdominal segment of the same specimen of Mesaphorura hylophila shown in Fig. 1. Seta a2 is absent from th3.