A revision of dragon millipedes I: genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, with the description of eight new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)
Author
Srisonchai, Ruttapon
Author
Enghoff, Henrik
Author
Likhitrakarn, Natdanai
Author
Panha, Somsak
text
ZooKeys
2018
761
1
177
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.761.24214
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.761.24214
1313-2970-761-1
9165835900AE4319ACBCE9C544599C5B
9165835900AE4319ACBCE9C544599C5B
Desmoxytes perakensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha
sp. n.
Figs 61, 62, 63, 64, 65
Holotype.
Male (CUMZ), MALAYSIA, Perak, Ipoh, Ulu Kinta, near The Lost World Tambun Theme Park, limestone mountain,
4°37'45"N
,
101°09'21"E
, ca. 73 m a.s.l., 27 September 2007, leg. B. W. Ng, S. Panha and ASRU members.
Paratypes.
4 males (CUMZ), same data as holotype.
Diagnosis.
Differing from all other species, except
D. delfae
and
D. aurata
sp. n., by having a low degree of elevation of paraterga, femora 5 and 6 strongly humped ventrally in middle part, collum with a row of 3+3 anterior setae and metaterga 2-18 with rows of 2+2 anterior and 2+2 posterior small tubercles. Differs from
D. delfae
and
D. aurata
sp. n. by having paraterga wider than those species; lamina lateralis (ll) with two distinct furrows ventrolaterally; process (plm) of lamina medialis lamellar, tip blunt.
Etymology.
The name is a Latin adjective referring to the type locality.
Description.
SIZE: Length 24-26 mm (male), 27-29 mm (female); width of midbody metazona ca. 1.9 mm (male), 2.2 mm (female). Width of head <collum <body ring 2 = 3 <4 <5-16, thereafter body gradually tapering towards telson.
COLOUR: In life with bright orange. Colour in alcohol: after 10 years in alcohol pale yellow to whitish.
ANTENNAE (Fig. 61D): Moderately long and slender, reaching to body ring 6 (male) and 5 (female) when stretched dorsally.
Figure 61.
Desmoxytes perakensis
sp. n. (male paratype). A anterior body part B body rings 8-10 (op = ozopore) C posteriormost body rings and telson D head and antenna E paraterga of ring 10 (arrow = tiny denticle) F body ring 10.
COLLUM (Fig. 61A): With 1 transverse anterior row of 3+3 setae; paraterga of collum low, almost horizontal, directed caudolaterad, with two inconspicuous setiferous notches on lateral margin.
TEGUMENT: Slightly shining and smooth; collum, metaterga, sterna and epiproct smooth; prozona finely shagreened; surface below paraterga finely microgranulate.
METATERGA (Fig. 61
A-C
): With 2 transverse rows of small, inconspicuous setae and tubercles; metaterga 2-18 with 2+2 anterior and 2+2 posterior tubercles; metatergum 19 with 2+2 anterior and 2+2 posterior setae.
PARATERGA (Fig. 61E, F): Directed caudolaterad on body rings 2-17, elevated at ca. 25°-30° (male) 25° (female); directed increasingly caudad on body rings 18 and 19; anterior margin with 2 distinct notches, on lateral margin of body rings 9, 10, 12, 13, 15-18 with tiny denticle near the tip.
TELSON (Fig. 62
C-G
): Epiproct: tip truncate; lateral setiferous tubercles and apical tubercles inconspicuous. Hypoproct subtriangular; caudal margin round, with very small and inconspicuous setiferous tubercles.
Figure 62.
Desmoxytes perakensis
sp. n. (male paratype). A body rings 8-10 B sculpture of ring 10 C, E last ring and telson D hypoproct F, G epiproct H male leg 5 (right) I male leg 6 (right) J male leg 13 (right).
STERNA (Fig. 63): Cross-impressions shallow. Sternal lobe between male coxae 4 subtrapeziform, tip subtruncate, base slightly enlarged.
Figure 63.
Desmoxytes perakensis
sp. n. (male paratype) - sternal lobe between male coxae 4. A lateral view B ventral view C caudal view.
LEGS (Fig. 62
H-J
): Long and slender. Male femora 5 and 6 strongly humped ventrally in middle portion.
GONOPODS (Figs 64, 65): Coxa (cx) longer than prefemur. Cannula (ca) somewhat stout. Prefemur (pfe) ca. 2/3 as long as femur. Femur (fe) quite long and slender. Mesal sulcus (ms) and lateral sulcus (ls) conspicuous, very deep. Postfemur (pof) conspicuous, ventrally narrow and short. Solenophore (sph) well-developed: lamina lateralis (ll) swollen, quite thin, anterolaterally with two distinct furrows, dorsolaterally subsided, ventral ridge (vrl) conspicuous: lamina medialis (lm) well-developed; process (plm) short, lamellar, tip blunt; distal lobe (dlm) distally with two lamellae (mesal lamella smaller than lateral one); broad lobe (blm) dorsally somewhat thick, demarcated from distal lobe (dlm) by conspicuous indentation. Solenomere (sl) long.
Figure 64.
Desmoxytes perakensis
sp. n. (paratype) - right gonopod. A mesal view B submesal view (arrow = indentation) C ventral view D dorsal view E lateral view (arrows = furrows).
Figure 65.
Desmoxytes perakensis
sp. n. (paratype) - right gonopod. A lateral view B mesal view C ventral view D subdorsal view (arrow = indentation) E dorsal view F subdorsal view (arrows = furrows).
Distribution and habitat.
Known only from the type locality. Currently, the habitats at this site are being destroyed and disturbed by human activities, e.g. deforestation for tourist attractions. Our extensive surveys in 2007 allow us to consider this species to be endemic to Malaysia.
Remarks.
D. perakensis
sp. n. is morphologically similar to
D. delfae
and
D. aurata
sp. n.
Unfortunately, we did not photograph a living specimen during the field trip; however, one collector noticed orange colouration similar to
D. aurata
sp. n. and
D. delfae
.
Coexisting species.
None known.