Ommatoiulus xerophilus Akkari & Enghoff

Akkari, Nesrine, Cheung, David Koon-Bong, Enghoff, Henrik & Stoev, Pavel, 2013, Revolving SEM images visualising 3 D taxonomic characters: application to six species of the millipede genus Ommatoiulus Latzel, 1884, with description of seven new species and an interactive key to the Tunisian members of the genus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae), ZooKeys 328, pp. 5-45 : 18-19

Ommatoiulus xerophilus Akkari & Enghoff sp. n. Figs 31-35

Material.

Holotype: ♂, W Tunisia, Kasserine Governorate, Châambi National Park, surroundings of the park´s guest house, 35°10.139'N, 8°40.486'E, alt. 950-1000m, scarce trees, Pinus halepensis , Thuja , under stones, logs and in leaf litter, 8.3.2008, P. Stoev & N. Akkari leg. (ZMUC). Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, W Tunisia, Kasserine Governorate, Châambi National Park, surroundings of the park's guest house, 35°10.139'N, 8°40.486'E, alt. 950m, scarce trees, Pinus halepensis , under stones, 7.3. 2008, N. Akkari & P. Stoev leg. (ZMUC); 2 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀, 8 subadult ♀♀, 8 juveniles, W Tunisia, El Kasserine Governorate, Châambi National Park, surroundings of the park’s guest house, 35°10. 139'N, 8°40.486'E, alt. 950-100m, scarce trees, Pinus halepensis , Thuja , under stones, logs and in leaf litter, 8.3.2008, P. Stoev & N. Akkari leg. (ZMUC); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, same data (NMNHS).

Diagnosis.

Resembling Ommatoiulus chambiensis in the structure of mesomerite, paracoxite, but well distinguished from the latter by the characteristic globular apex of promerite and the shape of solenomerite devoid of a rounded notch.

Etymology.

The species name is a Greek adjective referring to the affinity of the species for dry habitats.

Description.

Males: L: 15.7-15.9 mm, H: 1.54-1.65 mm, 44-46 PR+1-2 AR+T; females: L: 10.2-23.1 mm, H: 1.44-2.56 mm, 39-46 PR+1-4 AR+T. General colour black to brownish, light brown on the sides; dorsum pale yellow, crossed by thick black mid-dorsal spots. Head dark to blackish with yellow spots in the occipital area, frontal part uniformly black showing yellow spots at antennal level, labral zone yellowish, brighter at margin; antennae brownish. Prozonites blackish with light brown-yellowish spots becoming dominant laterally, just below the ozopore line; dorsally pale, with big, irregularly shaped black spots; metazonites predominantly grey-whitish and glossy, legs yellowish. Telson: anal valves dark brown-blackish, with dense yellow sputter, preanal ring blackish sputtered with yellow, dorsal side and caudal projection mostly pale, subanal scale yellowish.

Prozonites with fine striae; metazonites with regular striae, becoming denser laterally, suture complete, curving at the level of ozopores; latter small, rounded, situated on metazonites situated at about their diameter from the suture. Anal valves setose, with 6-7 setae on the surface and numerous submarginal and marginal setae; subanal scale rounded and setose; preanal ring with 1+1 setae on the sides, protruding in a caudal projection with 3+3 setae and a small hyaline process on the tip.

Male sexual characters. Mandibular stipites expanded in rounded posterior-ventral lobes, first pair of legs hook-shaped, remaining legs with postfemoral and tibial pads.

Gonopods. Promerite (P) (Figs 31, 32) bent anteriad, not very broad, with parallel margins, mesal ridge (M) broad, distally narrowing and truncate, bearing several serrations (se) and separated from the apical lobe (ap); by an incision; lateral margin mostly rectilinear, only slightly narrowing subapically at the level of the mesal incision; apical lobe globular, with rounded margin, curved laterad; posterior surface with a number of strong setae aligned distally; telopodite remnant inconspicuous.

Posterior gonopod (Figs 31, 33-35): Mesomerite (Ms) similar to Ommatoiulus chambiensis but broader, strongly truncated and distally bent mesad (Figs 33-35); solenomerite (S) broad, with scattered setae on posterior margin, strongly narrowing at mid-length, apical part with a wrinkled blunt lamella (wl) covering a slender and protruding process (ds) housing the distal part of the seminal groove (g) (Figs 31, 33, 35); the latter running from the fovea (F) (Figs 31, 33-35) up to process ds. Paracoxite (Px) broad, curved mesad, emerging from a depressed coxite (Co), distal third slightly enlarged, apically narrowing into a pointed apex, directed mesad (Figs 33-35).

Distribution.

Arid bioclimatic zone, central Tunisia; hitherto known only from the type locality, Châambi Mountain.

Habitat.

Open areas with scattered Pinus halepensis trees.