Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) hephaestus, Ázara, Ludson Neves De & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2013

Ázara, Ludson Neves De & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2013, The first troglobitic Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) from South America and the description of a non-troglobitic species from Brazil, Zootaxa 3709 (5), pp. 432-444 : 437-441

Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) hephaestus n. sp.

( Figures 4–6 )

Type material. Holotype: ISLA 3998 from SPA – 74, Mariana, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 21/III/2012, leg. T.G. Pellegrini; paratypes: ISLA 3997 from Mina do Pico 7, Itabirito, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 28/III/2012, leg. Carste; ISLA 3699 from Mina do Pico 4, Itabirito, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 6.X.2013, leg. M.P.A. Oliveira.

Etymology. The epithet is given in reference to Hephaestus , God of blacksmiths, metarllugy and fire in Greek mythology.

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by tergite 1 bearing a complete anterior transverse suture hidden under the cephalic plate; tergites 1–3 with complete posterior oblique sutures and tergites 2–7 with complete anterior oblique sutures; antennal article 1 with an irregular ventral suture in its proximal part; trigonal sutures present; ultimate legs lacking spinose processes.

Description. Length (anterior margin of cephalic plate to posterior margin of ultimate tergite) 20–24.5 mm. Cephalic plate 1.5–1.6 mm long, antenna 3.75–4.3 mm ( Figure 4 A).

Head, trunk segments and legs dark orange.

Cephalic plate overlaps tergite 1; cephalic plate slightly longer than wide, posterior corners rounded, sides convex outward, anterior apex indented; paramedian sutures complete, diverging anteriorly on head plate; head covered with fine, long setae, with a greater density at the margins ( Figure 4 B).

Antenna of 17 articles ( Figure 4 A); articles 1–17 almost the same length, decreasing in width distally; article 1 with an reticulate suture on its proximal part on ventral side and forming a transverse suture on proximal part on dorsal side. Article 1 with a high density of lanceolate setae progressively less abundant on articles 2–4; distal region of first article with a dark coloured setose ring ( Figure 4 C); from article 3–4, with short, fine setae forming a fur-like covering with long setae only around the proximal end of each article.

Anterior setose area on clypeus diamond-shaped; four lanceolate setae on anterior part and one on posterior part of clypeus; a row of 12 prelabal setae; scattered setae between anterior margin of clypeus and prelabal setae. Labrum with shallow incision against rounded sclerotised bulge in sidepiece.

Anterior edge of forcipular coxosternite convex on each side, with a row of 9+9 marginal setae. Surface of coxosternite and trochanteroprefemur with sparse, long or short, fine setae, with the long setae concentrated on inner margin. Single band of setae of various length on femur and tibia. Tarsungulum articulated with trochanteroprefemur along a wide hinge ( Figure 4 D).

Apical claw of second maxilla with slender hook distally, lacking a flange along its inner edge. Dorsal brush dense, running along the distal half of article 3 ( Figure 6C ).

Tergite 1 with complete anterior transverse suture hidden under cephalic plate. Tergites 3–20 with complete paramedian sutures. Lateral crescentic sulci on tergites 11–17; tergites 5 to 7 with a posterior transverse suture and a small depression between the paramedian sutures. Tergites 2–7 with complete anterior oblique sutures; tergites 1– 3 with complete posterior oblique sutures. All tergites with homogeneous short and long setae; pretergites 2–20 with a transverse row of long setae. Tergite 21 1.5 times as wide as long, posterior margin with rounded apex; shallow longitudinal median depression along its posterior two-thirds ( Figure 5C ).

Spiracles elongate, elliptical.

Legs short and thin, e.g., leg 10 with prefemur 0.6 mm long, femur 0.4 mm, tibia 0.3 mm, tarsus 1 0.3– 0.3 mm, tarsus 2 0.2–0.3 mm, compared to tergal width of 1.5–1.7 mm. Tarsi 1–19 slightly bipartite, 20–21 strongly bipartite. Leg 1 with strong to weak lanceolate setae on prefemur, femur and tibia, and tarsus with long fine setae ( Figure 5 A); from leg 2, following the same pattern, but with strong lanceolate setae concentrated on the ventral region of prefemur to tibia. Leg 20 prefemur and femur about equally long; tarsus 2 0.6 times as long as tarsus 1 ( Figure 6 A). Ultimate leg: prefemur 1.3–1.4 mm long, femur 1.3–1.4 mm, tibia 0.9 mm, tarsus 1 0.6–0.7 mm, tarsus 2 0.9 mm; prefemur and femur 2 and 2.5 times as long, respectively, as their maximum widths at distal end; femur, prefemur, and tibia lacking distal spinose processes; prefemur and femur with spiniform setae on ventral region; prefemur to tarsus 2 with short, long and fine setae on all surfaces ( Figure 6 B); 8–9 saw teeth on tibia, 3–4 on tarsus 1; inner margin of tarsus 2 a ridge ( Figure 6 E). Pair of accessory spines of pretarsus on legs 1–20 diverging, one third the length of pretarsus ( Figure 6 D); accessory spines lacking on ultimate leg.

Sternites 3–19 with median longitudinal and curved transverse sulci, their intersection forming a depression; complete trigonal sutures on tergites 4–9 ( Figure 5 B); sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment with sides gently convex and converging posteriorly; posterior corners rounded. Sternites 1–20 with sparse, short and long setae varying in density on each sternite; sternite 21 with more long setae than the others ( Figure 5 D). Coxopleural pore field elliptical with about 60 pores and with sparse short setae between the pores; posterior margin of coxopleuron with spiniform and fine setae.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Cryptops (T.) hephaestus n. sp. (ISLA 3998): A) Cephalic plate, tergites and antenna; B) cephalic plate; C) proximal part of antenna and clypeus; D) ventral view of head.

FIGURE 5. C. (T.) hephaestus n. sp. (ISLA 3998): A) Tergite 1 – 2 and leg 1; B) sternite 4; C) dorsal view of ultimate tergite; D) ventral view of ultimate leg-bearing segment.

FIGURE 6. C. (T.) hephaestus n. sp. (ISLA 3998): A) Lateral view of leg 20; B) lateral view of leg 21; C) telopodite of second maxilla; D) pretarsus of leg 10; E) saw-teeth on tibia and tarsus 1 of ultimate leg, lateral view.