Lissodesmus johnsi, Mesibov, 2005

Mesibov, Robert, 2005, The millipede genus Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania and Victoria, with descriptions of a new genus and 24 new species, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 103-146 : 117

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8066861
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BDAA31-F54E-FFAA-87E4-F7BB4B4C8BAB
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lissodesmus johnsi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lissodesmus johnsi View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 44, 45, 69joh, 70joh, 71joh, 78 (map)

Material examined. Holotype. Male, Australia, Victoria. Uralla Nature Reserve, Trafalgar , 38°13'36''S 146°08'53''E, 140 m, 19.iv.2005, R. Mesibov, NMV K-9682. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. Male , near Trafalgar, Gippsland, viii.1890, W. Kershaw, NMV K-9506, dissected; male, “Lapoinya” property, Yarragon South , 38°14'30''S 146°05'34''E, 370 m, 17.iv.2005, R. Mesibov, NMV K-9681 GoogleMaps ; 2 males, details as for holotype, AM KS91429 ; 10 males, details as for holotype, NMV K-9683 to K-9692, 1 dissected ; 9 females, details as for holotype, NMV K-9693 to K-9701 .

Description. Male c. 14 mm long, H = 1.2 mm. In alcohol, well-coloured specimens under low magnification very pale brown in body colour with red-brown speckling transversely on posterior half of metatergites. Antenna short, moderately slender ( Fig. 69 View Figure 69 joh). Paranota prominent but reduced, R = 1.4, with 4-5 posterior marginal teeth ( Fig. 71 View Figure 71 joh), posterior corners not turned up. Legs short, robust, tarsus about as long as femur, tibia with prominent ventral distal swelling ( Fig. 70 View Figure 70 joh). Telopodite ( Figs 44 View Figure 44 , 45 View Figure 45 ) posteriorly excavated at base, reaching leg 5 when retracted. Solenomere arising at just over half the telopodite height, directed posterodistally at a small angle to telopodite axis, terminating at somewhat more than half the prefemoral process height with flattened, posterolaterally flexed tip. Tibiotarsus broad and flattened, a marginally toothed fan in posterior view, directed distally and about half as long as solenomere. Femoral process arising well distal to solenomere origin at about half the prefemoral process height, blade-like, slightly swollen distally but tapering to a blunt point, terminating distal to prefemoral process tip. Prefemoral process about half as wide at origin as telopodite base, curving slightly mesally, sharply tapering distally and terminating in a simple blunt point. Uncus prominent, arising at about two-thirds the prefemoral process height (at about the level of solenomere tip).

Distribution and habitat. Known only from wet eucalypt forest in a small area near Trafalgar in West Gippsland ( Fig. 78 View Figure 78 ); the two contemporary sites are c. 5 km apart. At the Yarragon South locality, L. johnsi co-occurs with L. dignomontis and L. gippslandicus .

Etymology. Named for Peter Johns, formerly of the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand), who recognised the distinctiveness of the 1890 specimen and illustrated its gonopod, assigning the species to Pseudoprionopeltis (Australopeltis) without naming it ( Johns, 1964).