The millipede genus Julus Linnaeus, 1758 in the Caucasus (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae)
Author
Evsyukov, Aleksandr
Author
Golovatch, Sergei
Author
Reip, Hans S.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-08-20
4461
1
89
117
journal article
28990
10.11646/zootaxa.4461.1.7
1fbcced0-ec5a-4afe-bcb1-496990e850c9
1175-5326
1459872
3FACE488-20DC-46A4-A511-026B7F2DBEA2
Julus alexandrae
Evsyukov, 2016
Figs 1A
,
2A
,
3A
,
4A
,
8A–B
,
14A
,
15A
,
16A
,
17A
, Map 1
Julus alexandrae
Evsyukov, 2016a
: 243
(D).
Diagnosis.
Differs from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters. Promere (
pr
) with a lamella (
la
) in middle part, rounded and apically gently angular (
Fig. 8A
). Distal part of opisthomere (
op
) with small lamellae (
Fig. 8B
). Metazonae with rough and deep striations (
Fig. 16A
). Ampullae of female vulvae (
am1
and
am2
) subequal; female leg-pair 2 (
l2
) without coxal processes (
Fig. 17A
).
Descriptive notes.
See
Evsyukov (2016a)
and
Figs 1A
,
2A
,
3A
,
4A
,
8A–B
,
14A
,
15A
,
16A
,
17A
.
Length of adults
17–19 mm
, width
1.4–1.6 mm
. Number of segments in adults from 48+1+T to 50+1+T. Body dark brown, more intensely pigmented dorsally, lighter on ventral side; legs brownish yellow; antennae and anal valves reddish brown. Eye patches composed of
ca
45 ocelli. Metazonae with rough and deep striae (
Fig. 16A
).
Antennae long and slender,
in situ
reaching back to body segment 4. Antennomere 5 with a corolla of 8 bacilliform sensilla (
Fig. 1A
). Stipites of gnathochilarium with a paramedian pair of 3–4 setae per group parabasally, below mentum (
Fig. 2A
).
Male leg-pair 1 small, subtriangular (
Fig. 3A
), suture between coxa (
cx
) and a 1-segmented telopodite remnant (
te
) weakly expressed;
cx
without lateral process;
te
with several thin setae. Male leg-pair 2 with two coxal processes (
Fig. 4A
): anterolateral process (
alp
) short and slender; main process (
mp
) long, both the latter slightly diverging. Penes short, moderately bifurcated apically.
All three parts of each gonopod (
Fig. 8B
) forming a tight block. Promere (
pr
) higher than opisthomere (
op
), flagella (
fl
) well-developed, thick and somewhat ribbon-shaped;
op
with a basal, long, spike-like projection caudally and a thin, twisted and curved outgrowth (
lo
) laterally;
pr
without telopodite remnant, narrowed basally, with a lamella (
la
) laterally, rounded and gently angular apically (
Fig. 8A
). Mesomere (
ms
) simple, short, rounded at apex. Lateral outgrowth (
lo
) of
op
higher than both
ms
and remaining
op
(
Fig. 14A
).
Ventral edge of male segment 7 with small curved lamellae bordering the gonopodal aperture (
Fig. 15A
).
Female vulvae (
vu
) densely setose (
Fig. 17A
). Operculum (
op
) M-shaped in apical part, bursa (
bu
) rounded at upper edges, ampullae (
am1
and
am2
) subequal. Female leg-pair 2 (
l2
) without coxal processes.
Remarks.
The species was described, based on material from two localities in the Rostov-on-Don Region, southern
Russia
(
Evsyukov 2016a
). This species is very similar to the European
J. scanicus
Lohmander, 1925
and
J. terrestris
Linnaeus, 1758
(cf.
Schubart 1934
), both in
Julus
s. str.
(
Lohmander 1936
), and thus it clearly represents a European element in the fauna of northern Ciscaucasia.
The above shortened description and accompanying illustrations repeat information contained in
Evsyukov (2016a)
, because no new material has been found since. Even though strictly speaking this is a European congener, its provenance from so close to the Caucasus proper warrants its incorporation into the present overview at least for comparative purposes.