Himantariidae

Cabanillas, David, Serra, Antoni, López-Alonso, Ricardo, Carbonell, Rafael & Robla, Jairo, 2023, Morphological and ecological revision of Himantariella scutellaris Brolemann, 1926 (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Himantariidae), Zootaxa 5278 (1), pp. 143-154 : 151

Identification key for European Himantariidae with terminal pore-fields

An identification key is presented here for European Himantariidae with pore-fields up to the ultimate metasternites of the trunk. Some species which may occur in the extreme south-western Europe are also included. A few steps of the key require the dissection of labral and mandibular pieces. Figures on the morphology of these Himantariidae species can be found primarily in Iorio (2021) and complementarily in Chalande & Ribaut (1909), Brolemann (1926, 1930), Attems (1929), Căpuşe (1975) and Bonato et al. (2010).

1. Presence of principal paratergites........................................................................ 2

- Lack of principal paratergites........................................................................... 7

2. Mid-labral piece smooth or with several inconspicuous teeth. Mandibules with 4–7 projections on the pectinate lamellae and 9–13 teeth on the dentate lamellae. Ultimate coxae occupying most of the surface of the metasternite.................. 3

- Well-developed teeth on the mid-labral piece. Mandibules with 8–12 projections on the pectinate lamellae and 6–10 teeth on the dentate lamellae. Ultimate coxae not occupying most of the surface of the metasternite........................... 5

3. Mid-labral piece without teeth. Ultimate pretergite and metatergite with a mid-longitudinal groove.......................................................................................... Himantarium gabrielis ( Linné, 1767)

- Mid-labral piece with several inconspicuous teeth. Ultimate tergite without a mid-longitudinal groove................. 4

4. Ultimate leg pair not distinctly swollen. Pleuropretergite of the ultimate leg bearing segment divided by sutural sulci which separate pretergite from intercalary pleurites (*)................. Himantarium europaeum ( Chalande & Ribaut, 1909) (*) The division between pretergite and intercalary pleurites is poorly defined since sutural sulci are often imperceptible.

- Ultimate leg pair distinctly swollen. Pleuropretergite of the ultimate leg bearing segment entire, not divided by sutural sulci................................................................. Himantarium mediterraneum Meinert, 1870 Remarks: H. europaeum and H. mediterraneum are tentatively considered different species but further taxonomical revision is needed. H. mediterraneum has never been reported from Europe but it may occur in the Spanish provinces of Ceuta and Melilla (north-west of Africa).

5. 169 leg pairs (*) and 53 teeth on the labrum (**). Ultimate metasternite distinctly longer than broad............................................................................. Himantariella maroccana Chalande & Ribaut, 1909 (*) Number of leg pairs could vary since only one specimen is known to date. (**) Not specified in the original description but drawn in the accompanying figures. Even its true amplitude is not yet known, this number seems to be clearly higher than in the two other species below. Remarks: H. maroccana is only known from the type locality (Hadjeriin, Morocco) but it may occur in the Spanish provinces of Ceuta and Melilla (north-west of Africa).

- Always less than 169 leg pairs, usually 113 to 141. Labrum with 10–21 teeth. Ultimate metasternite about as long as broad.. ................................................................................................... 6 6. Leg pairs ranging from 113 to 121. Labrum with 10–19 teeth. North of the Iberian Peninsula and Pyrenees............................................................................... Himantariella scutellaris Brolemann, 1926

- Leg pairs ranging from 133 to 141. Labrum with 21 teeth (*). Balearic Islands ..... Himantariella balearica Căpuşe, 1975 (*) Number of labral teeth could vary since only two specimens are known to date.

7. Pores of the ultimate coxae inside dorsal pits. Less than 10 pores in the ventral side of coxae (coxal pores frequently absent). Virguliform fossae present in some sternites from the 34 th to the 54 th LBS........ Stigmatogaster gracilis ( Meinert, 1870)

- Many scattered pores in both the dorsal and the ventral side of the ultimate coxae. Lack of virguliform fossae on metasternites........................................................................................ 8

8. 87 leg pairs (*). Pore-fields from the second metasternite to the antepenultimate. Lack of lateral gutters................................................................................. Stigmatogaster neglecta ( Brolemann, 1926) (*) Number of leg pairs could vary since only two specimens are known to date. Remarks: S. neglecta is only known from the type locality (Mont-Louis, eastern Pyrenees). Nevertheless, another Stigmatogaster species with pore-fields up to the antepenultimate metasternite is present in the central Iberian Peninsula (see Cabanillas 2021). Stigmatogaster aff. neglecta has higher number of leg pairs (101–109) and lacks the mid-longitudinal groove on the ultimate metasternite.

- Leg pairs ranging from 89 to 165. Pore-fields from the second metasternite to the penultimate. Lateral gutters present..... 9

9. Pore-fields transversely elliptical, with their posterior margin clearly concave (i.e., kidney-shaped). The two central teeth of the mid-labral piece are joint by a median fissure. Lateral gutters present from the 57 th –58 th LBS to the 62 nd –64 th LBS. Ultimate metasternite about as broad as the penultimate in both sexes................... Stigmatogaster superba ( Meinert, 1870)

- Pore-fields circular or transversely oval. The two central teeth of the mid-labral piece are separated by a wide gap. Lateral gutters at least on the coxae of the 8–11 penultimate LBS. Ultimate metasternite distinctly small in females, always less than half of the breadth of the penultimate metasternite.................................. Stigmatogaster tufi Iorio, 2021 Remarks: S. tufi is only known from two type localities (Brando and Oletta, Haute-Corse, island of Corsica).