Otostigmus species

Lewis, J. G. E., 2002, A re-examination of 11 species of Otostigmus from the Indo- Australian region described by R. V. Chamberlin based on type specimens in the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard (Chilopoda; Scolopendromorpha; Scolopendridae), Journal of Natural History 36 (14), pp. 1687-1706 : 1697-1698

Otostigmus species of R. V. Chamberlin 1697

Material examined

Holotype labelled Otostigmus glaber Ch. TC-616 (1933) Type. Fiji Is. Lakeba Lau. W. M. Mann. Four paratypes all labelled Fiji, W. M. Mann. TC-617 (1938) Nansori, 34 mm; TC-618 (2019) Vanua Ava, 28 mm; TC-619 (1934) Lakeba Lau, 30 mm; TC-620 (1990) Lomati, 34 mm.

Description of holotype

(Chamberlin’s data in parentheses where appropriate). Body length 35 mm. Antennomeres 18, the basal two and a half to two and two-thirds glabrous. Forcipular coxosternal tooth plates each with one outer and two inner primary teeth, the outer and innermost each with a low subsidiary tooth (gure 26) (sometimes only three teeth, with two innermost fused). Process of femoroid with two inner teeth (gure 26).

Tergites marginate from 10 (11) without keels or spines. Paramedian sutures complete from 5. Last tergite with very weak median posterior depression.

Anterior sternites with very short anterior paramedian sutures but these extending to one-half or more the length of the sternite in the mid-body region (gure 27). Sternite 21 with lateral borders slightly converging posteriorly the hind border straight (gure 28) (weakly incurved).

Coxopleural process moderately long with two end spines, three lateral spines, two or three dorsal spines and one spine on the internal surface (medial) (gures 28, 29 i) (distally with two spinous points, laterally with two or three and dorsally with two, one on ectal and one on mesal edge, or often but one).

Prefemora of end legs with ve ventrolateral, one ventromedial, three medial, one dorsomedial and a corner spine on the left and on the right, which is regenerated, 31 4 ventrolaterals, 11 ventromedials, one medial, 31 1 dorsomedials and a corner spine (gure 28) (ventrally on ectal side with ve to eight spines, ventrally toward mesal side with three to six, on mesal surface with a series of two to four stouter spines, and on mesodorsal edge with two or three spines in addition to one at the distal angle).

Leg 1 with femoral spine, legs 1–3 with a tibial spine, legs 1–5 and 8 on right with two tarsal spines, the remainder to 20 with one, leg 21 lacking a tarsal spine (from rst eight to rst 11 legs with two tarsal spines, or some intermediate ones beyond the fourth with but one).

Description of paratypes

Six of the antennae of the paratypes are either damaged or regenerated. The remaining two, one each in spms 1990 and 1934, are not. Each of these has 20 antennomeres. The basal two and a third to two and two-thirds antennomeres glabrous. Forcipular coxosternal tooth plate with three main teeth, with or without an outer subsidiary tooth (gure 30). Tergites marginate from 7, 8 or 9, paramedian sutures complete from 5 or (spm 1938) 6. With or without median keel on some tergites, lateral corrugations absent or present (on 11–19 in spm 1990 and 6–19 in spm 1938 and where they are well-developed (gure 31 )). Spines absent (spm 1938), very few on tergites 18 and 19 only in spm 2019. On tergites 16–20 in spm 1990 (gure 32) and 14–20 in spm 1934. The spines, most of which are ridge-like, are only seen when the tergite surface is dry.

Sternites with very short paramedian sutures on anterior segments but occupying the anterior half to two-thirds on mid and posterior segments. Sternite 21 with

1698 J. G. E. Lewis lateral borders converging posteriorly with hind border straight or very slightly concave (gure 33).

Coxopleural process with two end spines and one subapical spine, one or two lateral spines and one or two dorsal spines. Specimen 1990 has two end spines, three lateral spines and one dorsal spine. In spm 1934 there is in addition an internal dorsomedial spine visible in ventral view (gure 33).

Prefemora of end legs: of the seven present, four are regenerated. The other three have ve ventrolateral, three or four ventromedial, four or ve medial, two dorsomedial spines and a corner spine.

Legs 1–7 or 9 with two tarsal spines. Legs 8 or 10–20 or 21 with one. A tarsal spine is present on the three end legs that have not been regenerated.

Remarks

Attems (1930) used the last sternite clearly narrowed as opposed to widened at end or only slightly narrowed to separate O. glaber from O. astenus , and tergites smooth as opposed to some tergites with spines to separate O. glaber from O. barbouri , but as pointed out above O. astenus exhibits all these characteristics.

In other respects O. glaber cannot be separated from O. astenus with the exception of the presence in the holotype and spm 1934 of O. glaber , but not the other three specimens, of a medial or dorsomedial coxopleural spine. This inconsistent character may be a characteristic of the Fiji populations of O. astenus .

Otostigmus glaber is then a junior synonym of O. astenus .

Specimens identi ed as Otostigmus glaber have been recorded from the Sunda islands, Philippines, Madagascar, the Seychelles and Nepal. The identity of these specimens should be checked, it is possible that not all will prove to be O. astenus .