Tetrarthrosoma syriacum ( Humbert & DeSaussure, 1869 )

Vagalinski, Boyan, Golovatch, Sergei, Simaiakis, Stylianos Michail, Enghoff, Henrik & Stoev, Pavel, 2014, Millipedes of Cyprus (Myriapoda: Diplopoda), Zootaxa 3835 (4), pp. 528-548 : 544-545

21. Tetrarthrosoma syriacum ( Humbert & DeSaussure, 1869)

Strongylosoma (Tetrarthrosoma) cyprium Verhoeff, 1902 syn. n.

Records from Cyprus. Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaka [as Strongylosoma cyprium ] ( Verhoeff, 1902).—Palaia Pafos [Palaipaphos], Kouklia, 3 km E Mandria, 0–100 m, open landscape [32.566°E, 34.700°N]; Avgas Gorge 2 km NE Akrotirio Drepano, 8 km WNW Kathikas, 0–20 m [32.333°E, 34.916°N]; 1 M, 1 F, 2 km SW Fasoula, 4 km NE Nikoklela, 100 m [32.600°E, 34.750°N]; 5 km SE Giala, 14 km ENE Polis, 350 m, woodland [32.566°E, 35.066°N]; Pentadactylus Range, 2 km N Kontemenos [=Kilicaslan], 210–220 m [33.122°E, 35.293°N]; Pentadactylus Range, 4 km E Orga [= Kayalar] (NW Myrtou = Çamlibel), 40–60m [33.063°E, 35.353°N]; Pentadactylus Range, 2 km W Larnakas tis Lapithou [= Larnaka Kozan], 340–360 m [33.127°E, 35.315°N]; Pentadactylus Range, W slope of Mt. Kornos (near Lapithos = Lapta), 490–500 m [34.120°E, 35.328°N]; Pentadactylus Range, Karpasia, 2 km NE Aiqialousa [= Yenierenköy], 40–50 m [34.207°E, 35.549°N]; S margin of Agios Theodoros, near Kofinou (Lemesos-Larnaka), 50–70 m [33.383°E, 34.791°N]; Pentadactylus Range, between Diorios [= Tepebaşi] and Agia Eirini [= Akdeniz](N Morfou [= Güzelyurt]), 180–190 m [33.013°E, 35.303°N]; near Agia Napa [34.000°E, 34.991°N] (J. Spelda, in litt.).

New material. NHMC: 1 ♂, FC0072, Pafos [Paphos], Pegeia, 3.5 km E on road to Kissonerga, sand beach, 5 m, hand collection, 0 4.03.2011, SS leg., SG det.—9 ex, FC0045, Larnaca, Dipotamos Reservoir, S of dam, meadow with Olea , Quercus & Ceratonia , 130 m, hand collection, 25.02.2012, SS leg., SG det.—6 ex., FC0037, Nicosia, Sia to Mathiatis, 1.5 km W of Sia, Pinus forest with open field, close to Mine, 360 m, hand collection, 19.02.2012, SS leg., SG det.— 2 ♂, FC0063, Pafos [Paphos], Souskiou to Choletria, Diarizoios Valley, 240 m, hand collection, 17.03.2012, SS leg., SG det.— 1 ♂, FC0027, Larnakas, Ormideia, next to coast, 1 km E of AHK, hand collection, 05.II.2012, SS leg., BV det.—36 ex, FC0017, Famagusta, Liopetri village, coastal maquis with Pinus , Acacia & Cupressus , 10 m, hand collection, 0 6.12.2011, SS & VL leg., SG det.; NMNHS: 2 ♂, 2 ♀, same place, date and collectors.

Distribution. Syria ( Humbert & DeSaussure, 1869; Attems, 1926), Israel ( Porat, 1893), Lebanon ( Hoffman & Lohmander, 1968), Iran ( Attems, 1951), Iraq ( Schubart, 1934), Cyprus ( Verhoeff, 1902; present study).

Taxonomic remarks. Strongylosoma cyprium was synonymized with T. ciliciense ( Verhoeff, 1898) by Attems (1937). However, the gonopod drawings from the original descriptions clearly illustrate two different species. Examination of gonopod slides of T. ciliciense (MNKB) confirms Attems’ mistake. Furthermore, when compared to material of T. syriacum , T. cyprium shows no differences at all. Thus, T. cyprium is to be removed from the synonymy list of T. ciliciense and treated as a junior synonym of T. syriacum (J. Spelda, in litt.)