A New Species of Anelpistina (Nicoletiidae: Zygentoma: Insecta) from Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve in Mexico

Abstract.— Anelpistina tuxtlensis n. sp., from the tropical rain forest of the Biosphere Reserve of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, is described. Males have an assortment of characters similar to species from the Caribbean; the articulated submedian appendages on urosternum IV are similar to those found in A. arubana (Mendes 1986), while the genital area is similar to A. puertoricensis Espinasa and Baker Alpheis 2003 and A. acanthocrus Espinasa and Fisher 2006. Preliminary molecular data with the 16S rRNA also appears to support a closer relationship with Caribbean species over other Mexican species. Molecular and morphological data also show that Los Tuxtlas is inhabited by a second and as of yet undescribed species of Anelpistina. These species appear to be sympatric.