Thyropygus cristagalli, Pimvichai, Piyatida, Enghoff, Henrik & Panha, Somsak, 2009

Pimvichai, Piyatida, Enghoff, Henrik & Panha, Somsak, 2009, A revision of the Thyropygus allevatus group. Part 1: the T. opinatus subgroup (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Harpagophoridae), Zootaxa 2016, pp. 17-50 : 41-43

Thyropygus cristagalli n. sp.

( Figs. 15 A–D, 19B)

Material: HOLOTYPE male THAILAND, Phang Nga Province, Koh Yao district, Koh Yao Noi, 8° 0 6ˏ 45˝ N, 98° 36ˏ 6˝ E. 2 May 2007. P. Pimvichai and P. Prasankok leg., ( CUMZ). – Paratypes: 7 males, 8 females, same data as holotype ( CUMZ), 2 males, 2 females, same data as holotype ( ZMUC).

Etymology: The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition, meaning cockscomb, and refers to the shape of the lateral process of the anterior gonopod coxal fold (alp).

Diagnosis: A species of the opinatus subgroup. Spatulate lobe (sl) at the apical part of telopodite rounded, spoon-like. Similar in this respect to T. inflexus , T. bearti T. chelatus , T. brachyacanthus and T. loxia . Differs from all other species of the T. opinatus subgroup by having the femoral spine (fe) doubled, and by having the laterodistal margin of the lateral process of the anterior coxal fold (alp) coarsely serrate, cockscomb-like.

Description: Adult males with 61 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 11–14 cm, width ca. 7.6–7.9 mm. Adult females with 56–61 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 8–12 cm, width ca. 6.6–7.7 mm. Overall color of living animal ( Fig. 19 B) brown with a longitudinal reddish band mid-dorsally on the body. Legs, head, and antennae darker brown.

Gonopods ( Figs. 15 A–D): Anterior coxal fold (ac) ( Fig. 15 A): lateral process (alp) flattened, slightly curved, its laterodistal margin coarsely dentate, terminating in a short, pointed spine; an additional spine-like process (aip) between alp and amp, aip in lateral view broadly triangular; mesal process (amp) much shorter than alp, directed distad, curving very slightly mesad, pointed. Posterior coxal fold (pc) ( Fig. 15 B) basally with moderately high lateral paracoxites (px), distally truncate, forming shelf (sh) for accommodation of telopodite; Telopodite ( Figs. 15 C–D) leaving coxite over shelf of posterior coxal fold; femoral spine (fe) duplicated, one spine (fe 1) much smaller than the other, basally broad and erect, ending in a slender barb, the second (fe 2) longer and thicker than fe 1, situated under fe 1, almost straight, slightly sigmoid, its tip in situ resting close to the middle part of ac; tibial spine (ti) long, slender and recurved, curving in horizontal plane, its tip in situ resting at the base of amp; apical part: spatulate lobe (sl) basally slender, distally expanded, rounded, slightly twisted; a small slender spine (ss) at base of apical part, opposite the origin of the tibial spine; palette (pa) simple, in the middle with a small lateral lamella, distally with about twelve brownish blepharochaetae (bp).

Distribution ( Fig. 20): Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Thyropygus cristagalli, paratype, gonopods. A: anterior view, left telopodite removed. B: posterior view, left telopodite removed. C: left telopodite, anterior view. D: left telopodite, posterior view.

FIGURE 19. A: Thyropygus chelatus, living male. B: Thyropygus cristagalli, living male. C: Thyropygus erectus, living male. D: Thyropygus loxia, living female.