Nyssodesmus python ( Peters, 1865 )

Golovatch, Sergei I., Korotayeva, Alyona M. & Martínez-Torres, Daniela, 2024, Three species of the millipede family Platyrhacidae from Costa Rica: a new Barydesmus Cook, 1896 and two oldest Nyssodesmus Cook, 1896 (Diplopoda Polydesmida), Zootaxa 5538 (5), pp. 424-438 : 431-432

Nyssodesmus python ( Peters, 1865)

Figs 6–14

Polydesmus python Peters, 1865: 543 (original description).

Platyrrhacus bivirgatus Carl, 1902: 652 , pl. 11 fig. 65 (original description), formally synonymized by Hoffman (1999: 379).

Platyrrhacus bivirgatus — Brölemann, 1905: 342 (descriptive notes, taxonomic comments); Pocock, 1909: 142 (description; new localities; suggested probable synonymy with Platyrrhacus python ).

Nyssodesmus nigricaudus Chamberlin, 1922: 37 , pl. 15, figs 4–8 (original description), synonymized by Hoffman (1999: 379).

Nyssodesmus bivirgatus — Chamberlin, 1922: 40 (new combination).

Platyrhacus python — Attems, 1938: 287.

Nyssodesmus python — Jeekel, 1963: 89 (tentative assignment to Nyssodesmus ); Moritz & Fischer, 1978: 127 (type material and type locality information); Adolph & Geber, 1995: 56 (sizes, biology and behaviour); Hoffman, 1999: 379 (synonymic, taxonomic and distributional comments, erroneously referred to a male holotype); Recuero & Sánchez-Viales, 2018: 264 (synonymic, taxonomic and distributional comments, again erroneously referred to a male holotype).

Type material. Holotype female ( Moritz & Fischer 1978: ZMB 8, dry and pinned, Fig. 6).

Additional material examined. 1 male (holotype of N. nigricaudus ) ( USNM 843 , DMT 27 ), Costa Rica, without further information, R.V. Chamberlin det., 1922 ; 1 male, 2 females ( USNM, DMT 19 ), Costa Rica, without further information, R.M. Shelley det., 1991 ; 2 males, 1 female ( NCMNH A3654 , DMT 63 ), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, La Virgen , 10.383333°N, - 84.133333°W, primary rain forest, 190 m a.s.l., 6.II.1976, A. Young leg. , R.M. Shelley det., 1976.; 2 males, 1 female ( VMNH, DMT 93 ), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, Finca La Selva, near Puerto Viejo , 10.416667°N, - 84.000000°W, 100 m a.s.l., 20.II.1976, Prassede Calabi leg. ; 3 males, 3 females ( ZISP MYR_DIP_0000203 and 8-2023), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, La Selva Biological Station , 10.433028°N, - 84.006778°W, 19–26.VI.2023, D.V. Logunov leg. ; 1 male ( VMNH, DMT 94 ), Costa Rica, Limón Province, Cairo , 10.122306°N, - 83.536500°W, 102 m a.s.l., 3.III.1937, H.F. Loomis leg. ; 2 males, 1 female ( USNM 33460 ?, DMT 1 ), Limón Province, Suretka , 9.533333°N, - 82.933333°W, 70 m a.s.l., 31.V.24, J.C. Brandy leg. ; 4 males, 5 females ( USNM, DMT 20 ), Costa Rica, Puntarenas Province, Monteverde area , above town, nr. Alajuela, Guannacaste- Puntarenas border, 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 12–23.III.73, D.R. Whitehead leg. ; 1 male ( AMNH, DMT 28 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde, Rockwell Farm , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1320 m a.s.l., unbaited pitfall traps, in woods, 3.VII.1983, D. Linderian leg. , D. Martínez-Torres det., 2015; 1 male ( AMNH, DMT 29 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 1959, Chas. W. Palmer leg. , R.L. Hoffman det.; 1 female ( VMNH, DMT 92 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 13.II.1963, C.W. & M.E. Rettenmeyer leg. ; 2 males ( VMNH, DMT 95 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde, 40 km N of Puntarenas City , in forest, 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 12.VIII.1976, Prassede Calabi leg.

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners primarily by the pale mid-dorsal parts of metaterga with contrasting light paraterga and either light or dark legs, indistinct metatergal granulations and often a short solenomere vestige ( Figs 7, 8B, 8C, 9B, 9C, 10B, 10C, 11C, 11D, 12C, 12D).

Distribution. Described only from the type locality. Originally mistakenly stated as coming from Nicaragua ( Cook 1896), but the provenance subsequently rectified to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica ( Moritz & Fischer 1978).