Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Entomology (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Entomology

Advisor/Mentor

Dowling, Ashley

Committee Member

Clay, Natalie

Second Committee Member

Joshi, Neelendra

Keywords

Arkansas; Buffalo National River; Collembola; Malaise trap; Ptenothrix vittata; Survey

Abstract

Collembola are a neglected and understudied class with few recent U.S surveys. The aim of this thesis was to survey the Buffalo National River for Collembola and create a catalogue of all known species in the state of Arkansas, USA. Leaf litter, mosses, rotting wood, fungi and malaise trap samples were taken from 13 locations within the Buffalo National River park. In total, 14 families, 34 genera and 59 species were identified from 22,028 collected specimens. Of those, 31 species represent new state records. This survey also validates malaise traps as useful tools for Collembola sampling. The malaise trap samples, which are not traditionally used for Collembola sampling, caught thousands of collembolan specimens. They have demonstrated that some species that were thought to be rare are much more common than previously thought. Major examples include Entomobrya clitellaria and Polykatianna radicula. These species, which are likely living in the shrub layer and understory, are found much more abundantly in malaise trap samples than leaf litter. This also may indicate that larger populations of Collembola are living above the leaf litter layer than was previously thought. Ptenothrix vittata was also found in the malaise trap samples, marking its first sighting in the U.S since it was seen in Maryland in 1934. This survey provides northwest Arkansas with a record that can be used in the future to determine what species have historically existed here. It provides a point of comparison to help determine which species may be endemic, and which are new to the state.

Download

Included in

Entomology Commons

Share

COinS