Antichiropus uvulus Car, 2019

Car, Catherine A., Harvey, Mark S., Hillyer, Mia J. & Huey, Joel A., 2019, The millipede genus Antichiropus (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae), part 3: species of the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia, Zootaxa 4617 (1), pp. 1-71 : 61-62

Antichiropus uvulus Car , n. sp.

( Figs 38 A–F, 41)

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4D3B4E88-272E-48F9-B33D-3AC6652552C9

Type material examined. Australia: Western Australia: holotype male, Barlee Range Nature Reserve , site BR4 , 23.04.46 S, 115.47.27E, 15–18 June 1994, dry pitfall trap P.G. Kendrick and G.W. Kendrick ( WAM T71872, Gen- Bank accession number 12S, MK 735740 ; 28S, MK 735804 ; COI, MK 735848 ; COIII, MK 735926 ). Paratype: 1 male, Highway Tod Bore (West Robe), ca. 50 km W. of Pannawonica, TOD04, 21°42’04.6”S, 115°50’58.0”E , 18 May 2015 – 31 May 2015, targeted search, stony plain, M. Quinn ( WAM T137144 , GenBank accession number 12S, MK 735771 ; COI, MK 735893 ; COIII, MK 735950 ; CytB, MK 735998 ) .

Other material examined. Australia: Western Australia: 1 male, Pannawonica Rd , 21°38’50”S, 116°06’26”E, Biota site SNZ08, 29 April 2005, R. Teale and Z. Hamilton ( WAM T66480 , GenBank accession number 12S, MK 735738 ; 28S, MK 735802 ; COI, MK 735845 ; COIII, MK 735924 ) ; 1 female, Pannawonica Rd , 21°35’34”S, 115°56’13”E, 1 May 2005, R. Teale and Z. Hamilton ( WAM T66481 , GenBank accession number COI, MK 735846 ) ; 1 male, Barlee Range Nature Reserve , site BR6 , 23°23’21”S, 115°53’12”E, 11–4 June 1994, dry pitfall trap, P.G. Kendrick and G.W. Kendrick ( WAM T71871) ; 1 male, 1 female (damaged), Barlee Range Nature Reserve , quadrat 6, 23°23’21”S, 115°53’12”E, June 1994, wet pitfall trap, S. van Leeuwen and B. Bromilow ( WAM T71873) ; 1 male, 9.5 km S. of Mt Minnie, Pilbara Biological Survey site WYW04, 22°11’19.1”S, 115°33’13.2”E, May 2004, CALM staff (Pilbara Biological Survey) ( WAM T124604 ) ; 1 male, Mesa B C (West Robe), ca. 50 km W. of Pannawonica , RVM02, 21°39’37”S, 115°56’54.9”E, 18 May 2015 – 31 May 2015, targeted searches, M. Quinn ( WAM T137140 ) ; 1 male covered in fungus, 1 female (damaged), TOD01, Highway Tod Bore (West Robe), ca. 50 km W. of Pannawonica , 21°41’37.0”S, 115°49’55.7”E, 18 May–31 May 2015, targeted search, stony plain, M. Quinn ( WAM T137141 ) ; 1 male, TOD01, Highway Tod Bore (West Robe), ca. 50 km W. of Pannawonica , 21°41’37.0”S, 115°49’55.7”E, 18 May–31 May 2015, targeted search, stony plain, M. Quinn ( WAM T137143 ; 1 male, TOD04, Highway Tod Bore (West Robe), ca. 50 km W. of Pannawonica , 21°42’04.6”S, 115°50’58.0”E, 18 May–31 May 2015, targeted search, stony plain, M. Quinn ( WAM T137146 ) ; 3 males, 3 females (damaged), 9.5 km S. of Mt Minnie, Pilbara Biological Survey site WYW04, 22°11’19.1”S, 115°33’13.2”E, May 2004, CALM staff (Pilbara Biological Survey) ( WAM T146727 ) .

Diagnosis. Gonopod: Antichiropus uvulus Car , n. sp. is most similar in appearance to A. georginae Car , n. sp. ( Fig 17 ) and both lack a gonopodal prolongation of the femorite. The latter has a much more robust main femoral process and a small, distinctive femoral process at the base of the main femoral process, lacking in A. uvulus .

Description. Male holotype: Body ca. 15 mm long; midbody ring ca. 2 mm wide, with distinct, smooth waist, prozonite and metazonite of similar widths.

Colour (in alcohol) dark chestnut brown dorsally, cream ventrally ( Fig 38A ); leg colour pale brown. No paranota ( Fig 38B ).

Sternites without obvious processes/tubercles, sternal lamella broad and relatively square. Leg coxal processes absent. Anterior spiracles at midbody ovoid, flat.

Head smooth, with no sculpturing; frons smooth, with few setae; face narrow, maximum width ca. 4x the distance between antennal sockets; sockets separated by ca. 1.5x width of socket.

Antennae of moderate length, reaching to ring 2, antennomeres all similar shape, apical antennomere slightly stouter.

Collum 0.75x length of head, reaching sternites (in lateral view) ( Fig 38A ).

Gonopod of medium length, reaching posterior edge of ring 5; coxa (C) much shorter and stouter than femorite (F) with very slight ridge on anterior surface (not shown in Fig 38 ); prefemur (PF) much shorter and stouter than F, with pronounced prefemoral lip; femorite 2/3 length of acropodite, upright, small bulbous process at base; main femoral process (MFP) asymmetrically pointed, 1/3 solenomere length, second femoral process (fp1) present as an irregular saw-like process at the base of the MFP; prolongation of femorite (prof) absent, represented only by a slight rounding of femorite as it merges into solenomere; solenomere (S) relatively short, appearing L-shaped in anterior view, thickest at base, narrowing to apex; base with semi-transparent flange along one edge; solenomere tip, slender, rounded; solenomere process 1 (sp1) tiny, slender, pointed at solenomere tip; solenomere process 2 (sp2) relatively large, triangular, pointed, forming pincer-like structure with tip ( Figs 38 C–F).

Female: Similar width to male, but slightly stouter, legs slightly shorter and more slender (WAM T124604).

Distribution. This species, like A. anguinus , has been found in the Barlee Range National Park and in Pannawonica, about 200 km SW. of the town of Karratha ( Fig 41 ).

Etymology. This species is named for the position of the first solenomere process (sp1) which has the appearance of a mammal’s uvula (Latin, noun, uvula, fleshy protuberance on the roof of the mouth).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Antichiropus georginae Car, n. sp.: A–B, holotype male (WAM T145175): habitus: A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C–F, left gonopod: C, posterior view; D, anterior view; E, medial view; F, lateral view. Abbreviations: C, coxa; F, femorite; lp, lateral process; MFP, main femoral process; PF, prefemur; prof, prolongation of femorite; S, solenomere; sp1 and sp2, solenomere processes1 and 2. Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 2 mm; C–F = 0. 5 mm.

FIGURE 38. Antichiropus uvulus Car, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T71872): A–B, habitus: A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C–F, left gonopod: C, posterior view; D, anterior view; E, medial view; F, lateral view. Abbreviations: F, femorite; fp1, second femoral process; MFP, main femoral process; PF, prefemur; prof, prolongation of femorite; S, solenomere; sp1 and sp2, solenomere processes 1 and 2. Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 1 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 41. Map showing the known distributions of A. servulus Car, n. sp., A. simmonsi Car, n. sp., A. sloanae Car, n. sp., A. spathion Car, n. sp., A. uvulus Car, n. sp., A. verutus Car, n. sp. and A. vindicatus Car, n. sp.