Fantastic beasts: ‘giant’ springtails (Collembola) highlight convergent evolution and major changes in the superfamily Neanuroidea

Abstract Collembola are often regarded as inconspicuous fauna inhabiting, but not restricted to, leaf litter, soils, and rotting wood. Within rotting wood, there are numerous species that play an important role as saproxylic decomposers in forest ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling, and some are amongst the largest Collembola known. In this study, we compared specimens across the superfamily Neanuroidea (Neanuridae and Brachystomellidae) and outgroup representatives using five genes (mitochondrial DNA COI, 12S, 16S, 18S ribosomal DNA, and D1–D5 of 28S ribosomal DNA). Our primary focus was on resolving the phylogenetic relationships of these saproxylic ‘giant’ Collembola that belong to the subfamily Uchidanurinae. Interspecific variability in gross morphological characters is high among Uchidanurinae, resulting in confusion for >100 years regarding their taxonomic placement within the family Neanuridae. Given that the genera and species relationships within Uchidanurinae do not form a natural group, the subfamily is hereby dissolved. We discuss the placement of the genera involved, propose new family and subfamily assignments for both Neanuridae and Brachystomellidae, and create two new subfamilies: Acanthanurinae subfam. nov. and Platanuridinae subfam. nov.