Macroxenus caingangensis ( Schubart, 1944 )

Duy-Jacquemin, Monique Nguyen, 2009, Revision of the genera of Polyxenidae bearing pseudoarticulated gnathochilarial sensilla (Diplopoda, Polyxenida, Polyxenidae), with the description of two new species, Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 829-848 : 844

Macroxenus caingangensis ( Schubart, 1944)

Monographis caingangensis Schubart, 1944: 331 , 332, figs 4, 5.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Brazil. Oriental part of plateau de São Paulo, Mun. Pirassununga, Mogi-guassú, Sta. Rita, Pôrto Ferreira, syntypes (number of syntypes not mentionned in the original description) ( Musée de Zoologie de São Paulo; after Condé 1971).

This species has been redescribed by Condé & Massoud (1974) based on the following material: Brazil. Rio de Janeiro Prov., Restinga de Jacarapagua, 2 ad. ♂, 5 ad. ♀♀, 1 juvenile with 10 pairs of legs.

The species M. rubromarginatus , from North Africa, and M. caingangensis , from South America, are very similar. The following material was examined to determine the morphological characters allowing their separation.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Macroxenus rubromarginatus : Maroc, Ifrane (alt. 1650 m), 2 ad. ♂♂ ( MNHN) ( Condé 1954). New material: Malte. Gozo, Kantura, 15.II.1992, leg. D. Mifsud, 1 ad. ♂ ( ZMUC). — Portugal, Praia de Lourenço, Val de Parra, west of Albufeira, Algarve, coastal cliffs, 29.V.2004, A. P. Fowles coll., D. Kime leg., 1 ad. ♀ ( MNHN).

Macroxenus caingangensi s: Brazil. Rio Janeiro Province, Restinga de Jacarapagua, 13.V.1959, 1 ad. ♀, 1 ad. ♂ ( MNHN).

New material: Brazil. Serra of triunfo, Nova Olinda, Cearà, 25.I.2004, P. Selden leg., 1 ad. ♀, 1 ad. ♂ ( MNHN).

Venezuela. Carácas, Rio Naùacho, 13.VII.1891, Meinert, 1 ♀ with 12 pl. ( MNHN).

REMARKS

Macroxenus rubromarginatus and M. caingangensis are very similar. Nevertheless, they differ in the shape of the antennal basiconica sensilla ( Fig. 10 ): these sensilla are thicker in M. rubromarginatus ( Fig. 10 A-E) than in M. caingangensis ( Fig. 10 F-H), i.e. the ratio length/diameter is higher in M. caingangensis .

Figures

FIG. 10.— Antennal sensilla of Macroxenus caincangensis (Schubart,1944) (A-E) and M.rubromarginatus (Lucas,1846) (F-H);A, B, sensilla on right antennal articles VI and VII of adult male, Gozo; C, D, sensilla on right antennal articles VI and VII of adult male no. 2, Ifrane; E, sensilla on left antennal article VI of adult male no.2,Ifrane;F, G, sensilla on right antennal articles VII and VI of adult male from Triunfo; H, sensilla on right antennal article VI of adult male from Restinga de Jacarapu. Scale bars: 25 μm.