An overview of the extant genera and subgenera of the order Scolopendromorpha (Chilopoda): a new identification key and updated diagnoses
Author
Schileyko, Arkady A.
schileyko1965@gmail.com
Author
Vahtera, Varpu
varpu.vahtera@gmail.com
Author
Edgecombe, Gregory D.
0000-0002-9591-8011
schileyko1965@gmail.com
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-08-10
4825
1
1
64
journal article
8703
10.11646/zootaxa.4825.1.1
5ab5f5c8-481e-4d1a-8643-21e72c367278
1175-5326
4402145
F230F199-1C94-4E2E-9CE4-5F56212C015F
(!)
Otostigmus
(
Parotostigmus
) Pocock, 1896
Figs 97–100
Synonyms.
Androtostigmus
Verhoeff, 1937
,
Ecuadopleurus
Verhoeff, 1937
,
Congobius
Dobroruka, 1968
.
Type
species.
Branchiostoma scabricauda
Humbert & Saussure, 1870
(by subsequent designation of
Attems 1928
).
Diagnosis.
Median tooth of labrum well developed. Second article of telopodite of maxilla 2 with or without dorsal distal spur; pretarsus with (
Fig. 100
) or without accessory spines (see Remarks below). Forcipular tooth-plates present (
Fig. 100
), trochantero-prefemur with well-developed process (as in nominate subgenus; figs
55, 58 in
Schileyko 2014
). Tergites with longitudinal keels in some species (figs
49–51 in
Schileyko 2014
). Sternites without (in some species with poorly-developed incomplete) paramedian sutures, in most species with median and lateral depressions (fig.
55 in
Schileyko 2014
) developed to varying degrees. LBS 7 lacking spiracles, the latter with a deep atrium. In the overwhelming majority of species legs with tarsal spur(s). Posterior margin of ultimate tergite (
Fig. 98
) of the male without elongated projection. Coxopleural process very short and rounded apically, oriented caudad (with or without apical spines) or virtually lacking (
Figs 97, 99
), if so a few apical spines may be situated at its place. Prefemur of the ultimate leg (
Figs 97–99
) without both spines and corner spine. In a dozen of the known
Parotostigmus
species the interior surface of the male’s prefemur bears a digitiform process (
Figs 97–99
)—a cylindrical (in some species clavate) projection attached to the base of the prefemur (see also
Schileyko 2014: 177
). Ultimate pretarsus well-developed.
Number of species.
“More than 50 species” sensu
Edgecombe & Bonato (2011: 400)
, 53 (
Bonato
et al.
2016
).
Sexual dimorphism.
Present in
ca
20 species.
Remarks.
Treated as a subgenus in
Edgecombe & Bonato (2011: 402)
, Chagas-Jr (2012: 1, 2016: 36),
Vahtera (2012a: 13
,
2013: 594
),
Schileyko (2014: 177)
.
The presence of both spurs on the telopodite and/or accessory spine(s) of maxillae 2 (
Fig. 100
) may be subject to individual and/or intraspecific variability in
Parotostigmus
. For example an adult male of
O
.
(
P
.)
diringshofeni
Bücherl, 1969
(Rc
7870 in
ZMMU from
Peru
) has the right pretarsus with one accessory spine (the left one has none) and the left telopodite with usual dorso-distal spur on the second article (the right telopodite has no such spur). At the same time, an adult female of
O
. (
P
.)
pococki
Kraepelin, 1903
(Rc
7563 in
ZMMU from
Peru
) has maxillae 2 with both a pretarsal accessory spine and a telopodite spur. An adult male of
O
.
(
P
.)
scabricauda
(Humbert & Saussure, 1870)
(Rc
6346 in
ZMMU from
Peru
) has both these appendages with a well-developed telopodite spur but only one pretarsus is equipped with a recognizable accessory spine. We should note that accessory spine(s) are quite slim in many species, delicate and closely attached to the pretarsus, sometimes being so hardly visible that an inexperienced person may easily overlook them (see also
Lewis 2004
). Summing up, we do not consider these structures reliable for the taxonomy of
Parotostigmus
.
The presence of both tergal keels and tergal spinules may vary intraspecifically in this subgenus;
Schileyko (2014: 177)
wrote: “For example, in
O
.
(
P
.)
scabricauda
(Humbert & Saussure, 1870)
, the spinules may be arranged along the keel (“spinulated keels”) but it is sometimes difficult to decide whether a specimen has tergal keels or just rows of spinules”.