Leptherpum Attems, 1931

Bouzan, Rodrigo S., Means, Jackson C., Ivanov, Kaloyan, Almeida, Thaís Melo de, Brescovit, Antonio Domingos & Iniesta, Luiz Felipe M., 2022, Three new species of the Amazonian millipede genus Leptherpum (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae), Zoologia (e 22020) 39, pp. 1-18 : 2

Leptherpum Attems, 1931

Leptherpum Attems, 1931: 48 . Type species: Leptodesmus carinovatus Attems, 1898 , by original designation; Attems, 1938: 90; Schubart, 1958: 205; Jeekel, 1963: 119; Hoffman, 1966: 542; Jeekel, 1971: 269; Hoffman, 1978: 550; Hoffman, 1980: 153; Hoffman, 1997: 6; Golovatch and Hoffman, 2004: 50; Hoffman, 2005: 69.

Diagnosis. Males of Leptherpum differ from those of other Chondrodesmini by the following combination of characters: gonopodal prefemoral process large, concave, with an elongated and slender secondary process ( Figs 15, 17 ); solenomere falcate and not branching ( Figs 15–18 , 26–28 , 32–34 , 38–40 , 44–46 ); presence of marginal projections on the caudal edge of the paranota (= posterior margin of paranota with acute projections; Figs 11 , 23–25 , 35–37 , 41–43 ), except in L. capiberibei .

Taxonomic notes. Leptherpum species have characteristically shaped paranota, related to the size and position of the peritrematic swelling ( Jeekel 1963, Hoffman 1966). The large, prominent marginal projection (or “tooth”) of the caudal edge of the paranota forms a caudolateral angle by displacing the peritremata to an anterior position ( Jeekel 1963: fig. 33, Hoffman 1966: fig. 3). In L. loomisi , the peritremata are elongated, extending directly caudad, forming a small and weakly developed projection along the caudolateral corner of the paranota, as typical for Chelodesmidae ( Jeekel 1963: fig. 34).

Distribution. Widespread in the Amazon Rainforest region of Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Composition. Now composed of twelve species: Leptherpum battirolai sp. nov.; Leptherpum buenovillegasi sp. nov.; Leptherpum californicum ( Daday, 1891) ; Leptherpum capiberibei Golovatch and Hoffman, 2004 ; Leptherpum carinovatum ( Attems, 1898) ; Leptherpum geijskesi Jeekel, 1963 ; Leptherpum huebneri Attems, 1901 ; Leptherpum jeekeli Hoffman, 1966 ; Leptherpum loomisi Jeekel, 1963 ; Leptherpum schomburgkii ( Erichson, 1848) ; Leptherpum staheli Jeekel, 1950 ; Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov.

Figures

Figures 15−18. Gonopodal features of Leptherpum Attems, 1931. (15) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, right gonopod, mesal view; (16) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, left gonopod, ectal view; (17) L. tialaura sp. nov. (IBSP 7952), male, left gonopod, mesal view; (18) L. tialaura sp. nov. (IBSP 7952), male, right gonopod, ectal view. The arrow refers to the spiniform process. Scale bars: 15−18 = 500 µm.

Figures 23−28. Leptherpum carinovatum (Attems, 1898), male syntype (ZMH). (23) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (24) midbody rings, dorsal view; (25) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (26), (27) left gonopod, mesal view, different gonopod tilt degrees; (28) left gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 23−24 = 5 mm; 25 = 2.5 mm; 26−28 = 100 µm.

Figures 29−34. Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov., male holotype (IBSP 7972). (29) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (30) midbody rings, dorsal view; (31) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (32) right gonopod, mesal view; (33) right gonopod, ventral view; (34) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 29−34 = 1 mm.

Figures 35−40. Leptherpum buenovillegasi sp. nov., male holotype (INPA 396). (35) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (36) midbody rings, dorsal view; (37) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (38) right gonopod, mesal view; (39) right gonopod, ventral view; (40) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 35−37 = 2 mm; 38−40 = 500 µm.

Figures 41−46. Leptherpum battirolai sp. nov., male holotype (INPA 397). (41) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (42) midbody rings, dorsal view; (43) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (44) right gonopod, mesal view; (45) right gonopod, ventral view; (46) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 41−43 = 2 mm; 44−46 = 500 µm.

Figures 9−14. General somatic features of Leptherpum Attems, 1931. (9), (11), (13) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, metazonites, dorsal view. (9) body ring 8; (11) body ring 9; (13) detail of tubercles of body ring 9; (10), (12), (14) Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov. (male holotype, IBSP 7972), metazonites, dorsal view; (10) body ring 8; (12) body ring 9; (14) detail of tubercles of body ring 9. Scale bars: 9−11 = 1 mm; 12 = 2 mm; 13 = 100 µm; 14 = 200 µm.