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

Pimvichai, Piyatida, Enghoff, Henrik & Panha, Somsak, 2009, A revision of the Thyropygus allevatus group. Part 2: the T. bifurcus subgroup (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Harpagophoridae), Zootaxa 2165, pp. 1-15 : 8

Thyropygus demangei n. sp.

( Figs. 4 A–E, 7A)

Material: HOLOTYPE male THAILAND, Trang Province, Hat Chao Mai National Park, 7° 25ˏ 20˝ N, 99° 20ˏ 55˝ E. 26 October 1991. M. Andersen, O. Martin and N. Scharff leg., ( ZMUC). – Paratypes: 7 males, 2 females, same data as holotype ( ZMUC), 1 male, 3 females, 1 juvenile, same locality as holotype. 14 January 2009. C. Sutcharit, P. Tongkerd, P. Pimvichai and members of Animal Systematics Research Unit leg., ( CUMZ).

Etymology: The species is named in honour of Jean-Marie Demange in recognition of his lifelong devotion to diplopodology, especially his vast and indispensable contribution to the taxonomy of Harpagophoridae

Diagnosis: A species of the bifurcus subgroup. Lateral margin of lateral process of anterior coxal fold (alp) with a caudad curved spine. Similar in this respect to T. bifurcus and T. quadricuspis . Differs from these species by having the mesal process of anterior coxal fold (amp) slightly longer than alp, alp with a long caudad spine, and by having a small spine (ss) at base of apical part, opposite the origin of the tibial spine.

Description: Adult males with 54–60 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 11–12 cm, width ca. 7.0– 7.6 mm. Adult females with 55–60 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 9–12 cm, width ca. 7.1–7.9 mm. Overall color of living animal ( Fig. 7A ) brown with a longitudinal yellowish brown band middorsally on the body; metazona dark brown.

Gonopods ( Figs. 4 A–E): Anterior coxal fold (ac) ( Fig. 4 A): lateral process (alp) long, slender, inflexed, lateral margin with short curved backward spine ( Fig. 4 C, arrow); mesal process (amp) slender, very long, slightly longer than alp, straight, directed distad, pointed. Posterior coxal fold (pc) basally with moderately high paracoxites (px), distally truncate, forming shelf (sh) for accommodation of telopodite; mesal process (pmp) very small, directed distolaterad. Telopodite ( Figs. 4 D–E) leaving coxite over shelf of posterior coxal fold; double femoral spine (fe), the first fe (fe 1) long, basally broad, gradually tapering towards end, in situ curving mesad and ending in sharp point, the second fe (fe 2) situated under fe 1, very slender, very long, as long as ti; tibial spine (ti) long, slender, curving in horizontal plane, its tip in situ resting close to the origin of amp; apical part: lamellar lobe (ll) small, bent down; a small slender spine (ss) at base of apical part, opposite the origin of tibial spine; palette (pa) simple, flattened, with a small longitudinal rounded crest (cr) near tip; distally with about eight brownish blepharochaetae (bp).

Distribution ( Fig. 8 ): Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Thyropygus demangei, holotype, gonopods. A: anterior view, left telopodite removed. B: posterior view, left telopodite removed. C: lateral view. D: left telopodite, posterior-mesal view. E: left telopodite, anterior-lateral view.

FIGURE 8. Map of peninsular Thailand, showing the known distribution of the species of the T. bifurcus subgroup.

FIGURE 7. A: Thyropygus demangei, living male. B: Thyropygus enghoffi, living male. C: Thyropygus casjeekeli, living male. D: Thyropygus quadricuspis, living male. E: Thyropygus richardhoffmani, living male.