A new species of bristletails of the genus Silvestrichilis (Archaeognatha: Machilidae) from the Krasnodar Province (Russia)

Silvestrichilis markotchiensis sp. nov. is described from the northwestern Caucasus (Markotkh Mountain Range). This species is characterised by the two-coloured compound eyes, which are gray with brown spots. Based on this character, it belongs to a group of species that includes S. caucasica Kaplin, 2015, S. golovatchi Kaplin, 1990, S. polinae Kaplin, 2018, S. stepposa Kaplin, 2022, and S. zazimkoi Kaplin, 2007. Members of this group display activity during the morning, evening, and twilight hours. Silvestrichilis markotchiensis sp. nov. is distinguished from other species in this group by the longest cerci, the narrowest paired ocelli, the ratio of lengths of the apical and preapical segments of the maxillary palps, the presence of numerous long, thin setae on the segments of the labial palps and on the fore and middle femora, the structure of the sensory field on the fore femur, and the ratio of the lengths of the urostyli and urocoxites VIII and IX in males.