Lissodesmus hamatus, Mesibov, 2005

Mesibov, Robert, 2005, The millipede genus Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania and Victoria, with descriptions of a new genus and 24 new species, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 103-146 : 115

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8066855
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BDAA31-F54C-FFA9-87E4-F12B4BC08CBC
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lissodesmus hamatus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lissodesmus hamatus View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 4B View Figure 4 , 6B View Figure 6 , 38 View Figure 38 , 39 View Figure 39 , 69 View Figure 69 ham, 70ham, 71ham, 77 (map)

Lissodesmus sp. E 1.— Mesibov, 1994: 134.— Mesibov, 1996: 17.— Mesibov, 1997: 567.— Mesibov, 1999: 252.

Material examined. Holotype. Male, Australia, Tasmania. Mt Hobbs , EN 476926 (42°31'02''S 147°34'46''E), 580 m, 21.iii.1992, R. Mesibov, QVM 23 View Materials :45944 (ex QVM 23 View Materials :16073). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. 7 males, details as for holotype, QVM 23:16073 ; 2 males, details as for holotype, AM KS91175 (ex QVM 23:16073 ) ; 4 stadium 7 males, 1 stadium 6 male, 7 females, 1 stadium 7 female, details as for holotype, QVM 23:15966 ; 4 males, Ringarooma Tier, EQ829796 (40°49'49''S 147°58'59''E), 80 m, 19.ix.1992, R. Mesibov & T. Moule, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 16076, 2 dissected; 3 pairs in copula, same details, QVM 23:16157 ; 4 females, same details, QVM 23:15845 ; 9 males, Lagoon of Islands , DP947376 View Materials (42°06'48'' S 146°56'09'' E), 750 m, 5.iii.1995, R. Mesibov, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 21349, 1 dissected; female, same details, QVM 23:21505 .

Other material. 371 males, 382 females and 238 juveniles from 234 localities (see “ Lissodesmus supplement” for details).

Description. Male c. 16 mm long, H = 1.7 mm (see Remarks). In alcohol, well-coloured specimens under low magnification with pale brown body colour and light red speckling dorsally on both prozonites and metazonites, more intense medially near posterior margins. Antenna fairly long and slender ( Fig. 69 View Figure 69 ham). Paranota reduced, R = 1.3 ( Fig. 70 View Figure 70 ham), posterior corners slightly turned up ( Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ). Limbus with toothed elements ( Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ). Legs fairly slender, tarsus slightly longer than femur, tibia with slight ventral distal swelling ( Fig. 71 View Figure 71 ham). Epiproct with prominent paired, bluntly rounded projections. Telopodite ( Figs 38 View Figure 38 , 39 View Figure 39 ) reaching leg 5 when retracted. Solenomere arising at about half the telopodite height, directed posterodistally at c. 45° to telopodite axis, terminating with toothed subapical collar at one-third to half the prefemoral process height. Tibiotarsus rod-like, pointed, about two-thirds the solenomere length and apically almost touching solenomere. Femoral process arising at level of solenomere origin, bladelike and anteroposteriorly flattened with a short, shelf-like posterior branch at one-third the process length, bluntly tipped and terminating at half the prefemoral process height, just distal to solenomere tip. Prefemoral process about two-thirds the width of telopodite base, bending laterally at about two-thirds its height with a prominent “shoulder” process on mesal side of bend, curving posteriorly distal to bend with a variable number of long, mainly posterobasally directed teeth forming a comb on lateral edge of tip. Uncus prominent, arising centrally at about half the prefemoral process height, with a coarsely toothed outer edge.

Distribution and habitat. Common in dry and wet eucalypt forest over c. 16 000 km 2 in eastern Tasmania ( Fig. 77 View Figure 77 ), from Ringarooma Tier in the far north-east to Dunalley in the south-east, from the eastern coast (including Maria Island) across the Eastern Tiers and the Midlands to the eastern portion of the Central Plateau, and from sea level to at least 1070 m. In places along the northern edge of its range, L. hamatus is parapatric with L. adrianae and L. alisonae ( Mesibov, 1997) .

Etymology. Latin hamatus (“hooked”), adjective, for the upturned corners of the posterior projections of the paranota. The name was suggested by Peter Johns (in litt.), who collected L. hamatus near Triabunna in 1972.

Remarks. Gonopod form varies over the range of this species. The number of subterminal teeth on the prefemoral process ranges from 6 to 10, and the width of the flexed tip of the process can be proportionately greater than shown for specimens from the type locality. In the eastern portion of the range the short, posterior branch of the femoral process often has a bluntly forked tip. H ranges widely, from c. 1.2 mm in drier and more southerly areas to c. 1.8 mm in wetter and more northerly areas; larger males have markedly more swollen legs.