Mongoloniscus persicus, Kashani, Ghasem M., 2014

Kashani, Ghasem M., 2014, Description of two new species and redescription of one species of agnarid terrestrial isopods (Oniscidea, Agnaridae) from western Iran, ZooKeys 440, pp. 45-56 : 47-50

Taxon classification Animalia Isopoda Agnaridae

Mongoloniscus persicus sp. n.

Material examined.

Holotype: male, 5.5 mm, Zanjan, the University of Zanjan campus, 13 June 2011, leg. G.M. Kashani (ZUTC Iso.1121).

Paratypes: Zanjan, same data as holotype, two males and two females (IRIPP Iso-1051); same data as holotype, five males and six females (PCGMK1530); Mellat Park, 36°39.5'N, 48°31.5'E, 19 September 2011, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male (SMNS T308); Mellat Park, 36°39.5'N, 48°31.5'E, 19 September 2011, leg. G.M. Kashani, one female (SMNS T309); Mellat Park, 36°39.5'N, 48°31.5'E, 19 September 2011, leg. G.M. Kashani, one female (PCGMK1534); Mahneshan, 26 March 2012, leg. R. Sayadi, three males and five females (PCGMK1535); Mahneshan, 27 March 2012, leg. R. Sayadi, two males and eight females (PCGMK1536); Mahneshan, 25 April 2012, leg. R. Sayadi, ten males and ten females (PCGMK1540); Mahneshan, 26 April 2012, leg. R. Sayadi, two males and one female (PCGMK1541); Mahneshan, 26 April 2012, leg. R. Sayadi, two males and one female (IRIPP Iso-1046); Mahneshan, 6 July 2011, leg. Z. Rostami, three males and two females (PCGMK1597); Tarom, 4 April 2012, leg. A. Ayoubi, six males and five females (PCGMK1519); Qeydar, Panjeh-Ali Mount, 18 April 2013, two males and four females (PCGMK1609); Taham Dam, 6 Km to Golahrood Village, 28 April 2013, five males and six females (PCGMK1611); 10 Km N Halab, 36°18.7'N, 48°07.0'E, 29 September 2008, leg. G.M. Kashani & E. Entezari, three males and one female (PCGMK1715); Kurdestan, Saghez to Saheb, 36°12.0'N, 46°25.6'E, 1 October 2008, leg. G.M. Kashani & E. Entezari, two males and two females (PCGMK1346); West Azarbaijan, Piranshahr to Oshnavieh, Soufian Village, 2 October 2008, leg. G.M. Kashani & E. Entezari, four males and one female (PCGMK1361), Qazvin, Boin Zahra, 30 June 2008, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male(PCGMK1627); Tehran, Pishva, 35°12.4'N, 51°48.4'E, 24 June 2008, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, four females and two juvenile (PCGMK1434); Qom, Langrood Village, 2 April 2011, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males (PCGMK1593); Qanavat, 1 August 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani, seven males and ten females (PCGMK1678); Qom City, 1 August 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males and two females (PCGMK1679).

Diagnosis.

Head with well developed lateral and median lobes. Male pereopod VII ischium with concave ventral margin. Male pleopod exopodite I with a deep hollow at apex.

Description.

Maximum length, male and female, 6 mm. Color pale brown with the usual pale muscles spots. Body outline as in Fig. 2A. Cephalon with well developed lateral and median lobes; frons with an incision in the middle, vertex with faint tubercles (Fig. 2B). Antenna surpassing the posterior margin of pereon-tergite I but not reaching the posterior margin of pereon-tergite II; fifth article of peduncle as long as flagellum, with length:width ratio 4:1; flagellum with two articles, proximal one shorter, flagellar articles ratio 1:1.5 (Fig. 2D).

Pereon covered with faint tubercles. Pereon-tergite I with rounded posterolateral margin. Noduli laterales on pereonites II to IV distinctly more distant from the lateral margins than those on pereonites I and V to VII (Fig. 2A).

Pleon slightly narrower than pereon (Fig. 2A). Telson triangular with slightly concave sides and rounded apex, surpassing uropod-protopodites but not reaching the middle of uropod-exopodites. Uropod-exopodites short, almost as long as telson (Fig. 2C). Pleopod exopodites I–V with monospiracular covered lungs (Fig. 3 B–F).

Male: Pereopods I–III merus and carpus with brushes of trifid setae (Fig. 2E). Pereopod I ischium triangular, carpus with depression on rostral surface equipped with slender scales; propodus narrow and long, proximal part of sternal margin with dense small scales, distal part bearing strong setae; dactylus with one dactylar and one ungual seta (Fig. 2E). Pereopod VII ischium with concave ventral margin, straight in smaller specimens; propodus narrow and long; dactylus with one dactylar and one ungual seta (Fig. 2F). Pleopod exopodite I with long hind lobe bearing a deep hollow and one short seta at apex, outer margin with no setae (Fig. 3B); endopodite I straight with triangular apical part slightly bent outwards and some short setae (Fig. 3A). Pleopod endopodite II longer than exopodite; exopodite triangular with a line of strong setae on outer margin (Fig. 3C). Pleopod exopodites III–V as in Fig. 3 D–F.

Etymology.

Due to the broad geographical distribution of the species in Iran, the name of the species is after the old name of the country, Persia.

Remarks.

Prior to this study, the genus Mongoloniscus was only reported from eastern Asia ( Kwon 1993; Schmalfuss 2003). Mongoloniscus persicus sp. n. is the first species of the genus Mongoloniscus to be reported from western Asia. It has a broad geographical distribution in the central and western parts of Iran. Ecologically, this species is well adapted to cultivated areas and exists in huge numbers in some habitats.

Distribution.

Iran.