A survey on Entomobryomorpha (Collembola, Hexapoda) fauna in Northern Iran with an identification key

Members of order Entomobryomorpha (Collembola) are known by their elongate body and small, setae-less prothorax. In the course of the study the Collembola fauna in Mazandaran province, several soil samples were collected from forests, agricultural fields and gardens in 2011-2013 and the animals were extracted by Berlese funnels. A total of 21 species and 18 genera of order Entomobryomorpha were collected and identified. The family Paronellidae, two genera Cyphoderus Nicolet, 1842 and Sinella Brook, 1882 and the three species, C. albinus Nicolet, 1842 (Paronellidae), S. curviseta Brook, 1882 and Entomobrya lindbergi Stach, 1960 (Entomobryidae), are reported for the first time from Mazandaran province. We also provided an identification key for the collected families and genera which have been reported until now from this province is presented.