Iulomorphid millipedes (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Iulomorphidae) of Tasmania, Australia
Author
Mesibov, Robert
text
ZooKeys
2017
652
1
36
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.652.12035
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.652.12035
1313-2970-652-1
0471F063053D424FBD82459A234865AB
0471F063053D424FBD82459A234865AB
Amastigogonus elephas
sp. n.
Fig. 6B
Holotype
.
Male, Mt Elephant, Tas, -41.6338 148.2421
+/-
25 m, 420 m a.s.l., 13 May 2016, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:54519.
Paratypes.
3 males, 3 females, details as for holotype, QVM 23:54520; 1 male, same locality but -41.6244 148.2425
+/-
250 m [label "FP 034 910" (= 55G 603400 5391000, AGD66)], 19 January 2002, R. Mesibov and T. Moule, QVM 23:54369.
Other material.
6 males from 5 unique localities; details in Suppl. material 1.
Diagnosis.
Like
Amastigogonus verreauxii
in having a telopodite with a subquadrate extension of the posterobasal margin and a posteriorly curving pseudoflagellum; distinguished from
Amastigogonus verreauxii
in the pseudoflagellum having a small, tooth-like, distally directed extension basal to the posterobasally directed tip.
Description.
Mature males observed with (47+3) rings, 3.2 mm midbody diameter to (69+0) rings, 3.6 mm. Cardo not deeper posteriorly. Leg 7 (only) with elongated coxa. Prefemoral pad ca 1/2 femur length. Striae on posterior metazonites reaching ca 3/4 of ozopore height.
Coxite process on anterior gonopod (Fig. 6B) with small portion of posterodistal margin extended as rounded tab (Fig. 6B; t), sharply folded over laterally; process nearly reaching level of telopodite apex. Telopodite with posterobasal surface produced posteriorly as subquadrate flange (Fig. 6B; fl) and with single row of prominent setae on posterior side of medial thickening. Pseudoflagellum with small rounded swelling adjoining base posteromedially; arising at 1/3-1/2 telopodite height, ca 2/3 width of telopodite at base, slightly curving posteriorly, slightly expanded posteriorly at 1/3-1/2 pseudoflagellum height, apically with small, rounded, distally directed, tooth-like extension, the prostatic groove opening on posterobasally directed pseudoflagellum tip.
Distribution.
Eucalypt forest at the eastern end of the Fingal Valley on the Tasmanian East Coast (Fig. 7C), to at least 700 m elevation. The small range of this species is home to other locally endemic invertebrates, including the millipede
Tasmaniosoma nicolaus
Mesibov, 2015 and the onychophoran
Tasmanipatus anophthalmus
Ruhberg,
Mesibov
, Briscoe & Tait, 1991.
Amastigogonus elephas
sp. n. may be parapatric with
Amastigogonus danpicola
sp. n. in the upper St Pauls River catchment.
Name.
Latin
elephas
, elephant; noun in apposition. For the type locality, Mt Elephant.
Remarks.
The anterior gonopod of
Amastigogonus elephas
sp. n. (Fig. 6B) is similar to that of
Amastigogonus verreauxii
(Fig. 8D). The wide disjunction in the species ranges (more than 100 km) and the remarkable consistency of form in the anterior gonopod of
Amastigogonus verreauxii
(across a linear range extent of ca 400 km) suggests that the two lineages have long been separated.
Figure 8. Right anterior gonopod, medial view of distal portion of telopodite (left) and lateral view of distal portion of coxite process (right); cxp = coxite process, fl = posterobasal flange on telopodite, pg = prostatic groove, ps = pseudoflagellum, t = folded-over tab on coxite process, te = telopodite. Scale bars = 1 mm; dotted line indicates course of prostatic groove. A
Amastigogonus orientalis
sp. n., paratype ex QVM 23:54401 B
Amastigogonus peninsulensis
sp. n., QVM 23:54474 C
Amastigogonus tasmanianus
Broelemann
, 1913, ex QVM 23:54469 D
Amastigogonus verreauxii
(Gervais, 1847), TMAG J5915.