The millipede genus Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania and Victoria, with descriptions of a new genus and 24 new species
Author
Mesibov, Robert
text
Memoirs of Museum Victoria
2005
2005-12-31
62
2
103
146
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/collections-research/journals/memoirs-of-museum-victoria/volume-62-issue-2-2005/pages-103-146/
journal article
53801
10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.4
7c43d20c-c0a8-47ad-896a-fc9a1619e294
1447-2554
8064747
F70083BA-29DD-4E6E-AEF3-19C31465A5A7
Lissodesmus anas
sp. nov.
Figures 4C
,
5C
,
15
,
16
,
69
ana, 70ana, 71ana, 74 (map)
Lissodesmus
sp.
W1.—
Mesibov, 1993: 31
.
Material examined.
Holotype
.
Male
,
Australia
,
Tasmania
.
Duck Creek
,
CP
408763 (
41°44'56''S
145°05'06''E
),
160 m
,
6.iii.1999
,
R. Mesibov
,
QVM 23
:45823 (ex
QVM 23
:40749).
Paratypes
.
2 males
, north of
Pieman Head
,
CP261860
(
41°39'31''S
144°54'41''E
),
10 m
,
1.vi.1993
,
R. Mesibov
,
QVM 23
:17656
;
2 males
, details as for
holotype
,
AM
KS91166
(ex
QVM 23
:40749)
;
2 males
, details as for
holotype
,
QVM 23
:40749, dissected
;
5 females
, details as for
holotype
,
QVM 23
:40748.
Other material.
5 males
,
9 females
and
15 juveniles
from Balfour, Heemskirk Road, Mt Frankland, Newdegate Creek, Pieman Head, Piney Creek, Roger River West, Savage River and Wild Wave River (see “
Lissodesmus
supplement” for details).
Description
. Male c.
16 mm
long,
H
= 1.5 mm. In alcohol, well-coloured specimens under low magnification with pale brown body colour, slightly darker brown near posterior metatergal margins. Antenna long, slender (
Fig. 69
ana).
Paranota
reduced with markedly oblique anterior shoulders,
R
= 1.3 (
Fig. 70
ana); posterior corners strongly turned up (
Fig. 4C
), no marginal setae. Legs fairly slender, tarsus about as long as femur, tibia with slight ventral distal swelling (
Fig. 71
ana). Spiracles apparently typical for genus but with a “foxtail” of hair-like structures arising just anterior and ventral to anterior spiracle, curving dorsally and posteriorly to obscure anterior spiracle and terminating near posterior spiracle; a small clump of hair-like structures arising just posterior and ventral to posterior spiracle (
Fig. 5C
). Telopodite (
Figs 15
,
16
) more or less uniform in width, slightly curved posteriorly, reaching leg 5 when retracted, with unusually long, sparse setae. Solenomere arising at about half the telopodite height, directed distally before curving slightly posteriorly and laterally at about half its length, terminating with small subapical projection at about half the prefemoral process height. Tibiotarsus more or less cylindrical, about half the solenomere diameter and directed at almost a right angle to telopodite axis, the tip turned distally and pointed with a small, blunt, subapical projection on the anteromesal surface. Femoral process arising proximal to level of solenomere origin, directed distally, closely pressed to prefemoral process, blade-like with a blunt, wide posterior projection at about half the process length, terminating at about half the solenomere length.
Prefemoral process about two-thirds the width of telopodite base at origin, narrowing and bending sharply laterally at about half its length before expanding to very wide, flattened tip curving postero-mesally and aligned parallel to the telopodite axis, terminating in a comb with 20–30 long, posteriorly directed teeth.
Uncus prominent, arising at about half the length of prefemoral process (just proximal to solenomere tip), with a few small, blunt teeth subapically on proximal edge.
Distribution and habitat.
Known from c.
1300 km
2
in
north-west
Tasmania
, from Roger River West south to Piney Creek (north of Zeehan) (
Fig. 74
), and from sea level to
450 m
.
L. anas
is an uncommon species and is likely to have been overlooked outside its known range. It has mainly been found in wet eucalypt forest and cool temperate rainforest, but two of the
paratypes
are from partly wooded heathland near the coast at Pieman Head. One specimen was taken from a cave near Savage River.
Etymology
. Latin
anas
(“duck”), noun in apposition, referring to the
type
locality, Duck Creek.