Bromodesmus catrionae, Mesibov, Robert, 2004

Mesibov, Robert, 2004, A new genus and four new species of millipedes from Tasmania, Australia (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae), with notes on male leg setae in some Tasmanian dalodesmids, Zootaxa 558, pp. 1-19 : 8-9

Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp.

Figs. 1, 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ; map Fig. 10

Holotype: Male, Weavers Creek, EQ330091 (41°28’07”S, 147°23’42”E), 380m, 31.vii.1994, R. Mesibov & T. Moule, QVM 23:16184.

Paratypes: Male, North Esk River, EQ359065 (41°29’31”S, 147°25’48”E), 380m, 11.viii.1994, R. Mesibov, AM KS88216 (ex QVM 23:16186); male, same details, QVM 23:16186; 2 males, Musselboro, EQ355112 (41°26’59”S, 147°25’30”E), 650m, 11.viii.1994, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:16185, 1 dissected; 2 males, Tower Hill, EP708983 (41°33’49”S, 147°50’56”E), 720m, 31.xii.1998, R. Mesibov and K. Bonham, QVM 23:40709; 1 female, Weavers Creek, EQ307122 (41°26’27”S, 147°22’02”E), 680m, 19.vii.1994, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:16187.

Other material examined: 23 males, 53 females and 27 juveniles; see Appendix for details.

Diagnosis: Telopodite with laterally flattened, posterolaterally curving projection on mesal surface just basal to ‘hood’; lateral, basal corner of ‘hood’ greatly extended and curving mesally.

Description: As for genus. Length ca. 17 mm, maximum vertical diameter ca. 1.7 mm. In alcohol, well­colored specimens with head light brown on vertex, darker brown below; prozonites light brown; metazonites light red­brown anteriorly, with dark brown waist and posterior margin, giving appearance of narrow annular banding; cuticle sometimes clear just anterior to ozopores on pore­bearing segments, allowing view of dark­colored gut contents and giving appearance of large, dark lateral spots; legs and antennae light brown basally, dark brown distally. In life, metazonites of B. catrionae adults are grayish­brown anteriorly. (See notes on coloration in ‘Remarks’ under genus description.)

Paranotum on segment 2 with straight, thickened lateral margin, corners rounded, strongly depressed, barely projecting. Paranota on segments 3 and 4 mid­lateral, barely projecting. Slight lateral swelling ( Fig. 4 C) with narrow, shallow, longitudinal groove on segments 5–10; very slight lateral swelling with no such groove on more posterior segments.

Telopodite ( Fig. 5 ) slender, straight, with moderately long setae on posterior surface to level of solenomerite origin at about one­third the telopodite length. Solenomerite arising on posteromesal surface, laterally flattened and curving anteriorly, then posteriorly, tapering gradually to very fine distally directed point at about three­quarters the telopodite length. Prostatic groove running along mesal surface of telopodite to solenomerite origin, then curving with solenomerite and terminating at its tip. From solenomerite origin, telopodite flattening anteroposteriorly, slightly concave posteriorly; mesal edge with short, flat, rounded projection directed posteriorly and laterally. Distal to projection, telopodite greatly expanding into posteriorly concave ‘hood’ with posterolateral edge extending posteriorly and mesally towards solenomerite tip, and with long, straight teeth on edge of extension; anterior surface of the ‘hood’ with a few small, laterally flattened projections.

Distribution and habitat: In soil and humus in dry and wet eucalypt forest over ca. 1500 km 2 in northeast Tasmania ( Fig. 10 ), from ca. 250 m to at least 1000 m.

Etymology: For my wife, Catriona (Trina) Moule, who has happily accompanied me on so many field trips and who almost always finds the best specimens.

Remarks: This species was mapped in Mesibov (1997) as ‘dalodesmid n. gen. 2, n. sp. 2’.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Bromodesmus spp. females. (A) B. catrionae n. sp. (QVM 23: 22082), (B) B. militaris n. sp. (QVM 23: 15150), (C) B. riparius n. sp. (QVM 23: 45813) and (D) B. rufus n. sp. (QVM 23: 40519). Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 4. Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp., male and female from the same site on Ballroom Hill (male from QVM 23: 22072, female from QVM 23: 22082). (A) male antenna; (B) dorsal and (C) posterior outlines of segment 12 of male (top) and female (bottom); (D) posterior leg on segment 6 of male (top) and female (bottom); (E) posterior leg on segment 12 of male (top) and female (bottom). Setation and antennal cones not shown. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp. (Left) SEM view of gonopods in situ (QVM 23: 22076). Note that the shapes of the ‘ hoods’ and the solenomerite tips have been somewhat distorted in preparing the specimen for electron microscopy. Scale bar = 0.50 mm. (Right) Mesal view of distal portion of right telopodite (QVM 23: 16185). Dashed line shows course of prostatic groove; for clarity the continuation of the groove to the tip of the solenomerite is not indicated.

FIGURE 6. Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp. SEM view of gonopods removed from segment 7, showing dorsal (posterior) aspect of gonocoxae (QVM 23: 17836); c = cannula. Scale bar = 0.50 mm.

FIGURE 10. Known localities in Tasmania of Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp. (triangles), B. militaris n. sp. (squares), B. riparius n. sp. (round dots) and B. rufus n. sp. (crosses).