Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi ( Uljanin, 1875 )

Kashani, Ghasem M., 2019, Revision of the terrestrial isopods of the subgenus Hemilepistus (Desertellio) Verhoeff, 1930 (Isopoda: Oniscidea), Zootaxa 4555 (4), pp. 531-547 : 539-542

Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi ( Uljanin, 1875)

Figs. 10–12

Porcellio fedtschenkoi Uljanin, 1875: 4 .

Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi: Budde-Lund, 1885: 157 .— Borutzky, 1945: 196.

Hemilepistus nodosus Budde-Lund, 1885: 158 .— Borutzky, 1945: 195.

Hemilepistus zachvatkini Verhoeff, 1930: 122 .— Borutzky, 1945: 198.

Hemilepistus buddelundi Borutzky, 1945: 197 .

Material examined. Uzbekistan, Zarafshan valley , leg. Fedtschenko, det. Uljanin, typus, female (MNB 6631) ; Turkmenistan, Maryiskaya , near Kooshka, 6 May 1942, leg. V. G . Heptner , holotype of H. buddelundi , female ( ZMMU Mc-552) ; Uzbekistan, Zarafshan valley , leg. Fedtschenko, one male and one female (MNB 6634) ; Uzbekistan, Golodnaja, one male, two females and one juvenile (MNB 5098); Uzbekistan, Golodnaja , one male and four females (MNB 14913); Turkestan, identified as H. zachvatkini , one female (MNB 22637) ; Uzbekistan, Uckurgan , 27 May 1993, leg. J . Martens , identified as H. nodosus , one male (MNB 13032) ; Uzbekistan, Zamtschi , 30 April 1913, leg. Küchler, identified as H. nodosus , one male and one female (MNB 13099); Patta Wissar, Hochbuchra, 7 August 1906, det. G. M . Kashani , several males and females (MNB 11884) ; Uzbekistan, Verhoeff collection, cotype of H. zachvatkini , one female ( BMNH 1930.5.26:74) ; Russia, East of Ural mountains, leg. V . Russow , det. G . Budde-Lund , syntypes of H. nodosus , one male and one female ( BMNH 1921 . 10.18:4115–4116); Imam-baba, leg. A . Walker , det. G . Budde-Lund , identified as H. nodosus , one male and one female ( BMNH 1921 . 10.18:4117–4119) ; Uzbekistan, syntype of H. zachvatkini , one female ( NMNH under previous name USNM 62995 ) ; Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Verhoeff collection, syntype of H. zachvatkini , one male ( ZMB) ; Kirghizistan, N macroslope of Turkestan , Mt. Ridge , Lyaylak district, 40 Km S Isfara , Madyen, 1300 m, 2–6 October 1987, one female, one male and five juv. ( SMNS 13010 ) ; Turkmenistan, Kugitang , Tau Mts., near Khodjaifil, canyon, among stones, 9 May 1984, leg. A . Tanasevitch , misidentified as H. elongatus , one male ( SMNS 13074 ) ; Uzbekistan, Zamtschi , 30 April 1913, leg. K . Küchler , det. G. M . Kashani , five specimens ( SMF 910 ) .

Redescription. Maximum length of both male and female: 30 mm. Color brown; antenna, pereopods, epimera and uropods pale ( Fig. 10A ).

Head with developed rounded lateral and short median lobes; frons with an incision in the middle; vertex with several rounded tubercles, median tubercles usually larger, always two markedly larger tubercles on the posterior portion ( Figs 10A–D ; 11B ). Antenna relatively short; fifth article of peduncle to flagellum ratio 1.3:1; flagellum with two articles, proximal article about 1.5 times as long as distal one ( Fig. 11C ).

Pereon tergite I with rounded hind margin, bearing six large tubercles in two rows in the median part; two and four large tubercles in the anterior and the posterior rows respectively, along with several smaller tubercles ( Figs 10A–D ; 11B ). Pereon tergite II with four large median tubercles in a line and some small tubercles ( Figs 10A–B ; 11B ). Pereon tergite III with few tubercles ( Fig. 11B ). Pereon tergites IV–VII smooth ( Fig. 10A ).

Pleon smooth, with a continuous outline with pereon ( Fig. 10E ). Telson short, triangular, with concave sides and acute apex, slightly surpassing uropod protopodites. Uropod exopodites conical, as long as telson ( Figs 10E ; 11D ).

Pleopod exopodites I–V with monospiracular covered lungs ( Fig. 12B–E ).

Male: Pereopod I merus and carpus with brushes of setae ( Fig. 12B ) not very well visible in caudal view ( Fig. 11E, F ). Pereopod VII ischium with straight ventral margin; merus and carpus equipped with strong spine setae ( Fig. 11G ).

Pleopod endopodite I straight; apex with a deep incision, not visible in ventral view ( Fig. 12A ) but in lateral view. Pleopod exopodite I with short acute hind margin ( Fig. 12B ). Pleopod exopodites II–IV as in Fig. 12C–E .

Remarks. It seems that variability in development of tubercles on the head and anterior pereon tergites led to the identification of four species by different authors: Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi ( Uljanin, 1875) , H. nodosus Budde-Lund, 1885 , H. zachvatkini Verhoeff, 1930 and H. buddelundi Borutzky, 1945 . However, examination of the type material of these species disclosed that they belong to the same species, and according to the Code’s Principle of Priority (article 32.2) should be named H. fedtschenkoi . This species is similar to H. heptneri but is distinguished easily by having the vertex granulated with several tubercles in different sizes; pereon tergites I with six large tubercles in two rows in the median part and pleopod endopodite I with a conspicuous incision at apex in lateral view.

Distribution. Uzbekistan; Kazakhstan; Turkmenistan; Tajikistan; Russia.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi; A: female, SMNS 13010; B–C: male, SMF 910; D: male, NMB 5089; E, female NHBM 1930.5.26:74. A, whole body, dorsal view; B, head and pereon-tergites I–III, dorsal view; C, head and pereon-tergite I, dorsal view; D, head and pereon-tergite I, dorsal view; E, pleon, dorsal view. Scale = 2 mm.

FIGURE 11. Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi. A, body outline; B, head and pereon tergites I–III, dorsal view; C, antenna; D, pleon; E, pereopod I; F, pereopod I merus and carpus, caudal view; G, pereopod VII. Scales: A, B, D = 2 mm; C, E, G = 1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Hemilepistus fedtschenkoi. A, pleopod endopodite I; B, pleopod exopodite I; C, pleopod exopodite II; D, pleopod exopodite III; E, pleopod exopodite IV. Scales = 0.5 mm.