Otostigmus species

Lewis, J. G. E., 2002, A re-examination of 11 species of Otostigmus from the Indo- Australian region described by R. V. Chamberlin based on type specimens in the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard (Chilopoda; Scolopendromorpha; Scolopendridae), Journal of Natural History 36 (14), pp. 1687-1706 : 1693

Otostigmus species of R. V. Chamberlin 1693

incorrectly gives for O. barbouri antennae 18-segmented but in his description (p. 144), he gives 20. Forcipular coxosternal tooth plates with 31 3 principal teeth, the two inner partially fused and separated by deep incision from large outer tooth which has a low fourth outer subsidiary tooth (gure 12) (41 4). Process of femoroid with three low inner teeth (gure 13).

Tergites with complete ne paramedian sutures from 5 (4–20), marginate from 7 (from 9, the seventh and eighth less sharply set oV by longitudinal depressions). Lateral corrugations slight, with obscure median keel from region of mid-trunk and very small spines from tergite 10, these are easily overlooked (plates of the middle and caudal regions weakly longitudinall y rugose at sides and nely sparsely scabrous, the minute spinous points becoming more distinct caudad). Tergite 21 with very weak keel in anterior third and posterior median depression in posterior third (gure 14).

With anterior paramedian sutures reaching almost to middle of sternites in midtrunk region, without depressions (gure 15). Last sternite with sides strongly convergent posteriorly and posterior margin with deep angular indentation (gure 16).

Coxopleural process moderately long with two end spines, three lateral spines and one or two dorsal spines (gure 16). The distal lateral spine, if a little more distal could be described as subapical in which case the process would be described as having two lateral spines (coxopleural process ending in two stout points; bearing in addition either one or two dorsal spines and three lateral).

End leg prefemur with four ventrolateral, three ventromedial, four or ve medial, two dorsomedial spines and a corner spine (gure 17).

Spines of legs 1 and 2 not observed, legs 3–6 with two tarsal spines (rst seven pairs with two tarsal spines), legs 7–20 with one.

Remarks

Otostigmus barbouri is very similar to O. astenus (Kohlrausch, 1881) . Attems (1930) used last sternite clearly narrowed ( O. barbouri ), as opposed to widened at end or scarcely narrowed ( O. astenus ), to separate them in his key. Lewis (2000) showed, however, that in populations of Otostigmus astenus from the Solomon Islands and New Britain sternite 21 could have the sides parallel or converging, so the shape of this sternite cannot be used to separate these species, although none had the sides diverging. Attems also stated in the key that in O. barbouri the tergites are nely tuberculate, whereas in O. astenus they are without spines or tubercles. Lewis (2000) showed that some O. astenus have spined tergites so this character too fails to separate the species. The other characters described for the Solomon Islands and New Britain populations of O. astenus namely: 19–21 antennomeres (17 in a small specimen) with the basal two and a quarter to two and a half glabrous; paramedian sutures on the anterior third to half of the posterior sternites, two-thirds in small specimens (not complete as stated in the diagnosis); coxopleural process with two or three end spines, two or three lateral spines and one or two dorsal spines, and the rst ve to 10 or 11 pairs of legs with two tarsal spines, do not separate these species.

Otostigmus barbouri , is thus a junior synonym of O. astenus .