Boreohesperus psittacinus, Car & Harvey, 2017

Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2017, New species of Boreohesperus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae) from north-western Australia, European Journal of Taxonomy 320 (320), pp. 1-11 : 6-7

Boreohesperus psittacinus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4E2A401B-20E9-4958-8E12-56C743E7F64F

Figs 3 , 5

Diagnosis

This species can be easily separated from the southern described species because it is much larger and the male has a much more robust gonopod with a long broad femorite. It is readily distinguished from B. alcyonis sp. nov. by gonopodal characters: the presence of a small process at the solenomere tip and a short process on the non-seminiferous branch: these processes are absent in B. alcyonis sp. nov. The gonopodal femorite and non-seminiferous branch together form a smooth upright flame-shaped structure, gradually narrowing when viewed laterally: in contrast, the gonopodal femorite of B. vascellus sp. nov. is noticeably narrow at its base laterally and, again, the non-seminiferous branch is narrower at its base than at its midpoint.

Etymology

This species is named for the island on which it was found, Cockatoo Island (from the Latin ‘ psittacinus ’, of parrots).

Type material

Holotype

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: ♂, Cockatoo Island , 16º05′03″ S, 123º35′15″ E, site ref. GHDLN0350, hand foraging, hummock grassland, 8 Feb. 2014, G. Owen leg. ( WAM T132609 ).

Paratypes

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 2 ♂♂, details as for holotype, but site ref. GHDLN 0342, 12 Feb. 2014 ( WAM T 132608).

Other material examined

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1 juvenile, details as for paratypes, but site ref. GHDLN 0371 ( WAM T 132611); 1 ♂, details as for paratypes, but site ref. GHDLN 0394, 14 Feb. 2014 ( WAM T 132613); 1 ♂, details as for paratypes, but site ref. GHDLN 0396, 14 Feb.2014 ( WAM T 132614); also from Cockatoo Island: 1 juvenile, 16º05′28″ S, 123º36′03″ E, site ref. GHDLN 0382, pitfall trap in eucalyptus woodland, 7–12 Feb. 2014, G. Owen leg. ( WAM T 132612).

Description

Male (holotype)

Body approximately 20 mm long; mid-body approximately 1.5 mm wide dorsally with distinct waist between prozonite and metazonite; legs of moderate length, approximately equal to length of 1–2 midbody rings. Colour uniform dark brown. Paranota absent. Sternites, other than those of the fifth body ring, with no noticeable features. Sternal lamella, broad and square, anterior edge with a slightly raised mid-point, extending to the posterior edge of ring 4. Anterior spiracles at mid-body small, flat ovoid. Antennae not obviously clavate, sixth antennomere only slightly wider than proximal ones, short, not extending to body ring 2, antennomeres moderately slender ( Fig. 3A ). Gonopod ( Fig. 3 C–D, F) extending to posterior edge of fifth body ring; coxa (C) robust and approximately 2× as long as broad; prefemur (PF) short, sub-globose; femorite (F) half the length of acropodite, slightly narrower at base, then broadening noticeably; non-seminiferous branch (NSB) extending almost to solenomere tip as an upright, broad, flame-shaped process; process on medial surface of NSB (nsbp) short and pointed, arising approximately midway on the length of the NSB; solenomere (S) relatively long and slender, arising midway between NSB tip and prefemur, basal third curving away from NSB and tip curling back towards gonopod midline to form an arc; solenomere tip with small process (stp); solenomere process (sp) absent; separate posterior process (pp) arising near solenomere base, long, slender, pointed and at least half solenomere length.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

This species is known from only a few individuals collected in grassland on Cockatoo Island.

Figures

Fig. 3. Boreohesperus psittacinus sp. nov. A. Holotype, ♂, habitus (WAM T132609). B. Paratype, ♂, habitus (WAM T132608). A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C–D, F. holotype, ♂, left gonopod. E. Paratype, ♂, left gonopod. C. Posterior view. D. Anterior view. E. Medial view. F. Lateral view. Abbreviations: bs = solenomere base; C = coxa; F = femorite; NSB = non-seminiferous branch; nsbp = non-seminiferous branch process; PF = prefemur; pp = posterior process; S = solenomere; stp = solenomere tip process. Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 1 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 5. Map of the Kimberley region of north-western Australia showing the distributions of the three new species of Boreohesperus Shear, 1992.