Thyropygus casjeekeli, Pimvichai, Piyatida, Enghoff, Henrik & Panha, Somsak, 2009

Pimvichai, Piyatida, Enghoff, Henrik & Panha, Somsak, 2009, A revision of the Thyropygus allevatus group. Part 2: the T. bifurcus subgroup (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Harpagophoridae), Zootaxa 2165, pp. 1-15 : 7-8

Thyropygus casjeekeli n. sp.

( Figs. 3 A–D, 7C)

Material: HOLOTYPE male THAILAND, Krabi Province, Klong Thom district, Sra Morakot, 7° 55ˏ 22˝ N, 99° 15ˏ 35˝ E. 15 January 2009. S. Panha, T. Krutchuen, C. Sutcharit and P. Pimvichai leg., ( CUMZ). – Paratype: 1 female, same data as holotype ( CUMZ).

Etymology: The species is named in honour of Casimir Albrecht Willem (“Cas”) Jeekel, in recognition of his lifelong devotion to diplopodology, especially his recent catalogue of Oriental Harpagophoridae .

Diagnosis: A species of the bifurcus subgroup. Lateral margin of lateral process of anterior coxal fold (alp) without a small crest or spine. Similar in this respect to T. enghoffi and T. richardhoffmani . Differs from these species by having only a single femoral spine. Particularly similar to T. richardhoffmani , differing from it by the presence of a small spine (ss) at base of apical part, opposite the origin of the tibial spine.

Description: Adult male with 60 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 10 cm, width ca. 6.6 mm. Adult female with 59 podous rings, no apodous rings. Length ca. 9 cm, width ca. 6.6 mm. Overall color of living animal ( Fig. 7 C) brown; prozona yellowish brown, metazona darker brown.

Gonopods ( Figs. 3 A–D): Anterior coxal fold (ac) ( Fig. 3 A): lateral process (alp) flattened, slightly curved, inflexed; mesal process (amp) shorter than alp, flattened, as broad as alp, directed distad. Posterior coxal fold (pc) ( Fig. 3 B) basally with moderately high lateral paracoxites (px), distally truncate, forming shelf (sh) for accommodation of telopodite, mesal process (pmp) curved distolaterad. Telopodite ( Figs. 3 C–D) leaving coxite over shelf of posterior coxal fold; femoral spine (fe) very long, very slender, curved backward, in situ resting against posterior surface of base of alp; tibial spine (ti) long, slender, curving in horizontal plane, its tip in situ resting close to tip of amp; apical part: lamellar lobe (ll) broad, bent down; palette (pa) simple, gutter-like, with a longitudinal rounded crest (cr) near tip; distally with about seven brownish blepharochaetae (bp).

Distribution ( Fig. 8 ): Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Thyropygus casjeekeli, holotype, gonopods. A: anterior view, left telopodite removed. B: posterior view, left telopodite removed. C: left telopodite, posterior-mesal view. D: left telopodite, anterior-lateral view.

FIGURE 8. Map of peninsular Thailand, showing the known distribution of the species of the T. bifurcus subgroup.

FIGURE 7. A: Thyropygus demangei, living male. B: Thyropygus enghoffi, living male. C: Thyropygus casjeekeli, living male. D: Thyropygus quadricuspis, living male. E: Thyropygus richardhoffmani, living male.