Heterocaucaseuma, Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016

Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016, The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 4211 (1), pp. 1-205 : 71

Genus Heterocaucaseuma gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Differs from Caucaseuma species by the presence of a medial syncoxal part of the anterior gonopods. Distinguished from the obviously most similar genus Alpinella gen. nov. by the presence of simpler lateral parts of the anterior gonopods, and by the development of two flagelliform coxal processes on the posterior gonopods vs. one in Alpinella gen. nov.

Etymology. To emphazise the difference in the structure of the anterior gonopods with Caucaseuma , while the posterior gonopods share the same conformation. The name is a neuter noun.

Description. This genus includes the largest Anthroleucosomatidae with body length 19–27 mm in males, 20– 30.5 mm in females; number of body segments 30 in adults (including telson). Specimens in alcohol uniformly yellowish, only with traces of a pigmentation; fresher material of H. longicorne gen. et sp. nov. collected in 2014 almost uniformly brown. Head without frontal depression in males. Antennae somewhat elongated. Lateral keels well-developed. Macrochaetae relatively long, trichoid. Leg-pairs 3–7 in males enlarged. Male leg-pair 7 with a posterior coxal process. Male leg-pairs 10 and 11 with coxal glands. Male leg-pair 10 with a coxal horn or process. Male leg-pair 11 without coxal horns.

Anterior gonopods with a well-developed, medial, hairy, sternal sac (ss) on anterior side of sternal plate (sp). Gonopods consisting of one medial syncoxal part (s) and two lateral parts (lp), these being different in length in different species.

Posterior gonopods with completely divided coxites (c). Posterolateral sides with small telopodites (t). Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anterior side. Both coxites bearing a pair of flagelliform coxal processes (cp).

Distribution. Abkhazia, Russia ( Fig. 167 , circles)

Type species. Anamastigona mauriesi Golovatch & Makarov, 2011 , by present designation.

Included species

Heterocaucaseuma feminaepectorum gen. et sp. nov.

Heterocaucaseuma longicorne gen. et sp. nov.

Heterocaucaseuma mauriesi ( Golovatch & Makarov, 2011) (comb. nov. ex Anamastigona )

Notes. All three species are known only from caves and show some troglomorphic features such as reduced pigmentation, elongated antennae and walking legs or even more numerous setae on the gnatochilarium in H. feminaepectorum gen. et sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 167. Distribution of the Caucasian Anthroleucosomatidae: the Caucaseuma complex.