Key to Thalassaphorura species of the world

1. Neither anal spines nor spiniform chaetae present on Abd. VI (Fig. 51)........................................... 2

- Anal spines or spiniform chaetae present on Abd. VI (Figs 45–50).............................................. 10

2. AIIIO with four papillae (Figs 3, 33)...................................................................... 3

- AIIIO with five papillae (Figs 17, 26, 40)................................................................... 5

3. Th. tergum I with 2+2 pso, VT chaetae as 0+0/6+6/1+1 (see Sun et al. 2010), formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/33343, formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0100.... T. cryptopyga (Denis, 1931) sensu Najt & Weiner, 1997); Neotropics, Pacific islands, Indonesia

- Th. tergum I with 1+1 or without pso, VT chaetae as 1+1/6+6/2+2............................................... 4

4. Formula of dorsal pso: 32/021/33343 (Fig. 31), Abd sterna I–IV without pso (Fig. 37), formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 0,4 l,3 l,4 l,0,0 (Fig. 37)............................................... T. stepensis sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

- Formula of dorsal pso: 32/122/33343 (Fig. 1), Abd. sterna I–IV with 0 110 pso respectively (Fig. 8), formula of modified chae- tae of MVO: 0,4 l,3 l,2 l,0,0 (Fig. 8)..................................... T. aspinata sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

5. Th. tergum I without pso or with 1+1 pso................................................................... 6

- Th. tergum I with 2+2 or 3+3 pso......................................................................... 8

6. Formula of dorsal pso: 32/122/33343 (Fig. 38), subcoxa 1 of legs I–III with 2, 2 and 2 pso respectively, MVO present, formula of modified chaetae: 0,4l,4l,0,0,2–4l (Fig. 44)............................. T. weineri sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

- Formula of dorsal pso: 32/022/33343 (Figs 9, 16), subcoxa 1 of legs I–III with 1, 1 and 1 pso respectively, MVO absent.... 7

7. Pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0 111 (Fig. 23), subcoxae 1 of first pair of legs with 3 chaetae (Fig. 16).................................................................................. T. sibirica sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

- Pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0 110 (Fig. 15), subcoxae 1 of first pair of legs with 2 chaetae (Fig. 9)................................................................................... T. sayana sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

8. Th. tergum I with 3+3 pso (formula of dorsal pso: 42/333/33332), VT with 4+4 distal chaetae...................................................................................... T. hoguei (Palacios-Vargas & Diaz, 1996); Mexico

- Th. tergum I with 2+2 pso (formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/33343), VT with 6+6 distal chaetae......................... 9

9. Pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0 112, subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 4, 4, 4 chaetae respectively, MVO absent.............................................................................. T. franzi (Stach, 1946); Austria, Italy

- Pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0 111 (Fig. 30), subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 3, 3, 3 chaetae respectively (Fig. 24), MVO present, formula of modified chaetae: 0,4 l,4 l,0,0,4 l (Fig. 30).......... T. stebaevae sp. nov.; Russia: Southern Siberia

10. Spiniform chaetae present on Abd VI (Figs 49, 50), pseudocellar formula dorsally: 32/233/33343 and ventrally: 11/000/0112, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 2, 2, 2 pso respectively................................................................................................ T. tovtrensis (Kaprus’ & Weiner, 1994); Ukraine, European part of Russia

- Anal spines present on Abd VI (Figs 45–48)............................................................... 11

11. AIIIO with four papillae............................................................................... 12

- AIIIO with five papillae............................................................................... 15

12. Th. tergum I without pso, posterior cephalic pso 3+3 (pso formula dorsally: 33/033/333(4)43 and ventrally without pso), sub- coxae 1 of legs I, II and III without pso............................... T. biquaternata Sun & Li, 2015 (2015b); China

- Th. tergum I with pso, posterior cephalic pso 2+2........................................................... 13

13. Th. tergum I with 2+2 pso, Abd. tergum IV with 4+4 pso (pso formula dorsally: 32/233/33343, pso formula ventrally: 11/000/ 0112), Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0........................ T. xihuensis Sun & Li, 2015 (2015a); China

- Th. tergum I with 1+1 pso, Abd. tergum IV with 3+3 pso..................................................... 14

14. Formula of dorsal pso: 32/122/22332, ventrally on head 1+1 pso present in anteromedial position, Th. tergum I with 5+5 chae- tae................................................................. T. butrosi (Christiansen, 1956); Lebanon

- Formula of dorsal pso: 32/11(3)1(2)/22(3)2(3)2(3)3, ventrally on head 2+2 pso present, Th. tergum I with 6+6 chaetae......................................................... T. moniezi (Bagnall, 1935) sensu (Salmon 1959); Great Britain

15. Antennal base with four pso............................................................................ 16

- Antennal base with three pso........................................................................... 17

16. Formula of dorsal pso: 43(4)/233/44454 and ventral pso: 11/000/1112, subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 2,2,2 pso respec- tively............................................... T. halophila (Bagnall, 1937) sensu Fjellberg 1998; Palearctic

- Formula of dorsal pso: 42/233/33333 and ventral pso: 10/000/0112, subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 1,1,1 pso respectively....................................................................... T. tamurai (Yue & Yin, 2000); China

17. Posterior cephalic pso 3+3 (formula of dorsal pso: 33/022/33343), PAO with 32 vesicles, size of body 1.7– 2 mm,........................................................ T. alborufescens (Vogler, 1895) sensu Gisin (1957); Western Europe

- Posterior cephalic pso 2+2............................................................................. 18

18. Th. tergum I without pso............................................................................... 19

- Th. tergum I with pso................................................................................. 22

19. Th. terga II and III without pso (formula of dorsal pso: 32/000/32332), unguiculus equals 0.5 inner edge of unguis, Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0............................ T. lagunensis (Palacios-Vargas & Diaz, 1995); Mexico

- Th. terga II and III with 3+3 or 2+2 pso each, unguiculus at least as long as inner edge of unguis, Abd. VI with median chaetae m0................................................................................................ 20

20. Th. terga II and III with 3+3 pso (formula of dorsal pso: 32/033/33333), formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0001, distal tibiotarsal whorl with 7 chaetae, VT chaetae as 0+0/5–6+5–6/0+0................................... T. lolae Arbea, 2017; Spain

- Th. terga II and III with 2+2 pso each..................................................................... 21

21. Formula of dorsal pso: 32/022/33332, PAO with 30–38 vesicles.............. T. kirgisica (Martynova, 1971); Kyrghyzstan

- Formula of dorsal pso: 32/022/22223, PAO with 20–22 vesicles................. T. bagnalli (Salmon, 1959); Great Britain

22. Th. tergum I with 1+1 pso.............................................................................. 23

- Th. tergum I with 2+2 pso.............................................................................. 32

23. Th. terga II and III with 2+2 pso each (pso formula on Abd. terga I–V: 33343).................................... 24

- Th. terga II and III with 3+3 pso each..................................................................... 26

24. Subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 1,1,1 pso respectively, VT with 1+1 anterior chaetae; Abd. ventral pso formula 11/000/ 0 100......................................................... T. reducta Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 2, 2, 2 pso respectively, VT without anterior chaetae, Abd. ventral pso formula another. 25

25. Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0, 3+3 axial chaetae on Abd. terga I–III, 3+3 chaetae between posterior inner pso on head, unguiculus equals 0.4 inner edge of unguis and with inner basal lamella................................................................................................... T. bapen Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Abd. VI with one median chaetae m0, 2+2 axial chaetae on Abd. terga I–III, 4+4 chaetae between posterior pso on head, basal chaetae on ventral tube as 2+2, unguiculus equals 0.7 inner edge of unguis and without inner basal lamella............................................................................ T. guangdongensis Sun & Li, 2015 (2015a); China

26. Chaetae d0 absent on head............................................................................. 27

- Chaetae d0 present on head............................................................................. 28

27. Abd. sternum IV with 2+2 pso (pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0112), pso formula on Abd. terga I–V: 33334, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 1,1,1 pso respectively........................ T. jailolonis (Yoshii & Suhardjono, 1992); Indonesia

- Abd. sternum IV without pso or 1+1 pso (pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0001), pso formula on Abd. terga I–V: 33343, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 2,2,2 pso respectively............. T. problematica Sun, Deharveng & Wu, 2013; China

28. Distal tibiotarsal whorl with 7 chaetae, pso formula ventrally: 10/000/0112, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 1,1,1 pso respectively....................................... T. petaloides (Rusek, 1981); Irak, New Caledonia, Hawaii, China

- Distal tibiotarsal whorl with 9 chaetae, ventral pso formula another............................................. 29

29. Subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 2, 2, 2 pso respectively, VT without anterior chaetae, pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 0 111.......................................................... T. grandis Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 1, 1, 1 pso respectively, VT with 1+1 anterior chaetae, pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV another............................................................................................. 30

30. Abd. sternum IV without pso (ventral pso formula: 11/000/0000), labial papillae of AC type....................................................................... T. thalassophila (Bagnall,1937) after Sun et al., 2010; Northern Europe

- Abd. sternum IV with 1+1 or 2+2 pso.................................................................... 31

31. Formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0001, pso formula on Abd. terga I–V: 33343, Abd. VI with one median chaetae a0, unguiculus reduced to small blunt process..................................... T. brevisetosa Sun, Gao & Potapov, 2014; China

- Formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0001(2), pso formula on Abd. terga I–V: 3,3–4,3,4–6,3–4, Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0, unguiculus equals 0.5 inner edge of unguis.......................................................................................... T. debilis (Moniez, 1890) after Sun et al., 2010, (form a); Western and northern Europe

32. Abd. tergum IV with 3+3 pso (formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/33333)............................................ 33

- Abd. tergum IV with more than 3+3 pso................................................................... 37

33. PAO with about 45 vesicles, Abd. tergum I with 9+9 chaetae, AS equals 0.4 unguis, formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 14 s,0,0,0,0,0................................................................ T. ishikawai (Yosii, 1956); Japan

- PAO with not more than 30 vesicles, Abd tergum I with less chaetae, AS more than 0.7 length of unguis............... 34

34. Unguiculus with basal lamella, approximately as long as inner edge of unguis, VT chaetae as 1+1/6+6/1+1..................................................................................... T. guineaensis (Salmon, 1965); Guinea

- Unguiculus without basal lamella, approximately equals 0.7 of inner edge of unguis................................ 35

35. Abd. sternum IV without pso (formula of ventral pso: 11/000/1120), Th. tergum I with 7+7 chaetae, VT chaetae as 1+1/6+6/ 2+2............................................................... T. yodai (Yosii, 1966); Nepal, China, Japan

- Abd. sternum IV with 2+2 pso, Th. tergum I with less chaetae................................................. 36

36. Formula of ventral pso: 10/000/1112, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 2,2,2 pso respectively, chaetae on VT as 0+0/6+6/2+2...................................................................... T. yolandae (Izarra, 1971); Venezuella

- Formula of ventral pso: 10/000/0112, subcoxae1 of legs I, II and III with 1,2,2 pso respectively, VT chaetae as 1+1/5+5/2– 3+2–3................................................................. T. tamdaona (Nguyen, 1995); Vietnam

37. Abd. tergum V with 2+2 pso,........................................................................... 38

- Abd. tergum V with 3+3 or 4+4 pso...................................................................... 39

38. Formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0001, formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/3333(4)2, AS equals 0.5 unguis............................................................................................... H. orientalis (Stach, 1964); China

- Formula of ventral pso: 10/111/0000, formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/33342, AS equals 0.7 unguis................................................................................................ T. ghatensis (Prabhoo, 1971); India

39. Subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 1,1,1 pso respectively, formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/3,3–4,3,4–6,3–4, formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0111(2)......................... T. debilis (Moniez, 1890) after Sun et al., 2010, (form b); Northern Europe

- Subcoxae 1 of legs I, II and III with 2(1),2,2 pso respectively, formula of dorsal pso: 32/233/33343.................... 40

40. Abd. sternum IV with 1+1 pso.......................................................................... 41

- Abd. sternum IV with 2+2 pso.......................................................................... 43

41. Formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0001, Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0, unguiculus equals 0.3 of inner edge of unguis....................................... T. sensilata (Thibaud & Massoud, 1979); Caribbean Islands, Mexico

- Formula of ventral pso: 11/000/0111..................................................................... 42

42. Th. tergum I with 5+5 chaetae, Abd. VI with one median chaetae a0, chaetae on VT as 1+1/6+6/1+1, AS equals 0.2 unguis.............................................................. T. pomorskii Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Th. tergum I with 7–8+7–8 chaetae, Abd. VI with one median chaetae m0, chaetae on VT as 1+1/6–8+6–8/2+2, AS equals 0.7 unguis..................... T. duplopunctata (Strenzke, 1954) after Sun et al. (2013); Holarctic (arctic and boreal areas)

43. Ventrally on head 1+1 pso present, ungiuculus less than 0.2 of inner edge of unguis, AS equals 0.9 unguis................................................................................... T. thaibinhensis (Nguyen, 2001); Vietnam

- Ventrally on head 2+2 pso present, ungiuculus equals or bigger than 0.5 of inner edge of unguis...................... 44

44. Distal tibiotarsal whorl with 7 chaetae, ungiuculus equal 0.5 of inner edge of unguis, with basal lamella, AS equals 0.7 unguis.......................................................... T. tibiotarsalis Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Distal tibiotarsal whorl with 9 chaetae.................................................................... 45

45. Abd. sternum I with 1+1 pso (pso formula on Abd. sterna I–IV: 1112), Th. tergum I with 7+7 chaetae, ungiuculus equals 0.7 of inner edge of unguis, without basal lamella, Abd. VI with one median chaetae m0... T. kwona (Thibaud & Lee, 1994); Korea

- Abd. sternum I without pso............................................................................. 46

46. Dorsally on head 3+3 chaetae between two posterior inner pso (Fig. 1).......................................... 47

- Dorsally on head 4+4 chaetae between two posterior inner pso................................................. 56

47. Th. tergum I with 5+5 chaetae........................................................................... 48

- Th. tergum I with more than 5+5 chaetae.................................................................. 51

48. Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0............................................................... 49

- Abd. VI with one median chaetae a0..................................................................... 50

49. Ungiuculus with inner basal lamella, AS equals unguis on distinct papillae, S-chaetae differentiated, their formula dorsally: 11/ 0 1 1/ 221120...................................................... T. tiani Sun, Chen & Deharveng, 2010; China

- Unguiculus without inner basal lamella, AS equals 0.6 unguis on indistinct papillae, S-chaetae not differentiated............................................................................ T. linzhiensis Sun & Li, 2015 (2015a); China

50. AS equals 0.7 unguis, S-chaetae on body not differentiated, size of body 0.9–1.4 mm.......................................................................... T. zschokkei (Handschin, 1919) sensu Pomorski, 1998; Europe, Israel, Iran

- AS equals 0.3 unguis, S-chaetae on body differentiated, size of body 0.6–0.8 mm................................................................................................... T. hainamica Sun, Gao & Potapov, 2014; China

51. Abd. VI with two median chaetae a0 and m0............................................................... 52

- Abd. VI with one median chaetae a0 or m0................................................................ 55

52. Th. tergum I with 6+6 chaetae........................................................................... 53

- Th. tergum I with 7(8)+7(8) chaetae...................................................................... 54

53. Chaetae on VT as 0+0/6–7+6–7/0+0, 7 labial proximal chaetae present, inner basal lamella on unguiculus absent, body size 1.2–1.7, formula of modified chaetae of: 0,6–12 l,7–10 l,0,0,0.................. T. qixiaensis Yan, Shi & Chen, 2006; China

- Chaetae on VT as 1+1/7+7/2+2, 6 labial proximal chaetae present, inner basal lamella on unguiculus present, body size 0.6– 0.85, formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 2 ih,0,0,0,0,0.............................. T. petiti Sun & Wu, 2013; China

54. Labial type AC, inner basal lamella on unguiculus absent, Abd. tergum IV without median chaetae, S-chaetae on body differentiated, formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 2 ih,0,0,0,0,0......................... T. bisetosa Sun & Wu, 2013; China

- Labial type A, inner basal lamella on unguiculus present, Abd. tergum IV with median chaetae m0, S-chaetae on body not differentiated, males unknown (parthenogenetic species)...... T. encarpata (Denis, 1931) sensu Fjellberg, 1998; Cosmopolitan

55. AS equals 0.4 unguis, VT with 5+5 distal chaetae, Abd. VI with one median chaetae a0, MVO absent.................. T............................................................... tenuis Babenko, 2007; Russia (Middle Siberia)

- AS equals 1.1 unguis, VT with 6+6 distal chaetae, Abd. VI with one median chaetae m0, formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 5 st,0,0,0,0,0...................................... T. macrospinata Sun & Wu, 2012; China, Russia (Far East)

56. Th. tergum I with 5+5 chaetae, chaetae on VT as 1+1/6+6/2+2, AS equals 0.5 unguis, MVO absent....................................................................... T. lifouensis (Thibaud & Weiner, 1997); New Caledonia, China

- Th. tergum I with 7(8)+7(8) chaetae, chaetae on VT as 1+1/7+7/2+2, AS equals 0.9–1.0 unguis, formula of modified chaetae of MVO: 2 ih,0,0,0,0,0................................................... T. qinlingensis Sun & Wu, 2013; China