Atelomastix poustiei, Edward & Harvey, 2010

Edward, Karen L. & Harvey, Mark S., 2010, A review of the Australian millipede genus Atelomastix (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Iulomorphidae) 2371, Zootaxa 2371 (1), pp. 1-63 : 30

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2371.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6140530D-9F81-4443-AFD1-7EF84005E834
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5319940
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5DC4C09D-D26D-4434-BD5E-46351CA78E81
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:5DC4C09D-D26D-4434-BD5E-46351CA78E81
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Atelomastix poustiei
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Atelomastix poustiei View in CoL , sp. nov.

Figs. 6 View FIGURES 4–6 , 68, 120, 121.

Type material: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: holotype male, Wedge Hill, Stirling Range National Park , 34°25’13”S, 118°10’58”E, hand collected, 9 April 2004, M.S. Harvey, J.M. Waldock, K.L. Edward, C. Poustie ( WAM T 72775) GoogleMaps . Paratype: 1 male, collected with holotype ( WAM T 72774) GoogleMaps .

Other material examined: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 6 females, collected with holotype ( WAM T 70201) GoogleMaps ; 3 males, 3 females, Wedge Hill, Stirling Range National Park , 34°25’S, 118°11’E, wet pitfall traps, 8 April 1997, M.S. Harvey, J.M. Waldock, B.Y. Main ( WAM T 69818) GoogleMaps .

Etymology: This species is named for Cameron Poustie who assisted in the collection of the type specimens.

Diagnosis: Atelomastix poustiei is similar to A. tumula , A. danksi and A. montana as the anterior gonopod sclerite a is broad and concave sub-medially enveloping an elongate pseudoflagellum beneath a broad distal hood. However, it can be distinguished from other species because sclerite a is only distally bifurcated with the medial process longer than the lateral process, and the tip of sclerite b slightly tapers to a rounded tip, instead of a narrow pointed tip in A. montana . This species also has a smaller gonopod (total length= 1.05– 1.06 mm) compared with A. danksi (1.1–1.2 mm), and A. tumula (1.15–1.25 mm).

Description: Male (holotype). Colour: live specimens dark blue-grey with lighter bands between segments; head, antennae, ozopores and legs yellow-brown, rest light blue grey, prozonites light blue, metazonites yellow brown to pale white in preserved specimens.

Body: ca. 30 mm long and ca. 1.9 mm wide at collum. With 42 trunk segments, 73 pairs of legs, last 2 segments without legs.

Head: with ca. 21 ocelli ( Fig. 68), in 4 rows (2: 5: 6: 8).

Gonopods: anterior gonopods ( Figs. 120, 121) very large, heavily sclerotised and complex in structure, 2.13 times longer than broad; sclerite a with swollen base that forms broad, concave area where pseudoflagellum emerges, and broad, curved distal hood; sub-distal edge of concave area of sclerite a with 8 setae; upper distal face of sclerite a with 8 short blunt setae; pseudoflagellum long, elongate and partially obscured beneath broadened distal hood; sclerite b elongate and curved distally, terminating in blunt, rounded tip, with 1 subdistal seta; basal process of sclerite b large, triangular, slightly curved distally, tapering to form rounded tip, 0.36 times the length of the main process; sclerite c slightly longer than sclerite b, medial section relatively narrow, slightly tapering to a blunt concave tip, with 5–9 setae (n=2) on internal concave face; with group of 6 (n=2) fine setae on sub-basal edge of sclerite b instead of single sub-basal setae where sclerites overlap, and group of 10–12 (n=2) short setae sub-basally on sclerite c; posterior gonopods inconspicuous, small, with several small setae on interno-lateral face of each gonopod.

Dimensions (mm): holotype male (paratype male, WAM T72774): length ca. 30 (24), width ca. 1.9 (1.7), L/W=15.8 (14.1); sclerite a 1.05/0.493 (1.06/0.527), setae 8 + 8 (7 + 2); sclerite b 0.474 (0.448), basal process of sclerite b 0.162 (0.176), setae 1 (1); sclerite c 0.912 (0.848), setae 5 (9).

Female. Similar to male, other than sexual characters, and slightly larger.

Distribution and habitat: Atelomastix poustiei is only known from Wedge Hill on the eastern side of the Stirling Range National Park ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 4–6 ) and has been collected using pitfall traps and hand collecting under logs, leaf litter and bark.