Arrup lilliputianus, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, The Mecistocephalidae of the Japanese and Taiwanese islands (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha), Zootaxa 1396, pp. 1-84 : 22-23

Arrup lilliputianus n. sp.

Figs. 22–25

Diagnosis. A small Arrup species , with body length reaching at least 1 cm. Frontal line absent. Distal article of the telopodite of the second maxillae without claw. Distal lobe of the medial projection of the first maxillae with parallel margins. A strong spiniform projection at the distal­external end of the basal article of second maxillae. Distal tooth of the forcipular article I relatively long and thin. Poison calyx reaching the distal part of the forcipular article I in females. Sternum of the last leg­bearing segment wider than long.

Type material. Holotype: female, 11 mm long, adult (maxillary complex mounted on a microscope slide).

Type locality. Mt. Yuwan­dake , Oshima­gun, Amamioshima Id., Kagoshima Pref., Ryukyu Ids, Japan .

Depository of type material. National Science Museum , Tokyo .

Material examined. 1 specimen: female, adult (11 mm), from Mt. Yuwan­dake , Oshima­gun, Amamioshima Id., Ryukyu Ids, 6.XII.1985, Y. Takai leg., coll. NSMT (holotype) .

Description of the holotype. Female, adult, body length 11 mm (telopodites of the last leg­bearing segment lacking). Body colour light yellow, without dark patches. Head 1.4 times as long as wide; frontal line absent. Antennae 2.3 times as long as the head width. Apical sensilla about 8 µm long. Clypeal setae: a median pair of long setae anterior to the plagulae and a group on each side of the clypeus, reaching the anterior corners. Clypeal plagulae with poorly recognisable edge. Clypeal ratio about 4.8. Labrum: anterior ala triangular, medial margin reduced to a vertex; internal margins of side­pieces convergent, not touching each other; posterior margin of each side­piece slightly sinuous, convex at both ends and concave in the middle. Mandible: 4 lamellae; first lamella with 6 teeth; intermediate (second) lamella with about 9 teeth. First maxillae: anterior corners of coxosternum not projecting; medial projection about 1.5 times as long as wide, with two setae, internal margin with few long spines, distal lobe about 2.5 times as long as wide, aligned to the external margin of the projection, with parallel sides and not clavate at the apex, with hyaline scales on the dorsal side; telopodite about 3.2 times as long as wide, with a single long seta in the middle, distal lobe attenuated. Second maxillae: article I of telopodite about 2.4 times as long as wide, its distal end projecting into a spiniform process on the external side, one small spine on the external side at about one third of the length; article II with a small spine on the external side; article III about 2.1 times as long as wide, with 3 long setae; apical claw absent, replaced by about 3 small tubercles. Forcipular segment: width to length ratio of exposed part of coxosternum about 1.2; cerrus absent; dorsal ridge of pleuron absent; scapular point not reaching the anterior margin of coxosternum. Forcipules: article I about 1.7 times as long as wide, distal tooth very thin and elongated, with almost parallel sides, about 3.7 times as long as wide (in the middle); article II untoothed; article III with a small tubercle; tarsungulum with a well developed basal tooth; poison calyx reaching the distal part of the forcipular article I. A total of 41 leg­bearing segments. Last leg­bearing segment: sternum sub­triangular, about 1.1 times as wide as long; about 7–8 pores on each coxopleuron

Distribution in the considered area.

Ryukyu Islands : Mt. Yuwan­dake, Amamioshima Id. (type locality) .

General distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Derivatio nominis. The name refers to the small size of the adults of this species, from the imaginary island of Lilliput inhabited by small human beings.

Remarks. In spite of its very small size, the holotype seems to be a full­grown female specimen, as the gonopods are in contact at their inner side and are biarticulated. Consequently, this is the smallest species of Arrup hitherto described and one of the smallest species of Mecistocephalidae (cfr. Foddai et al., 2003).