Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum, Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016

Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016, The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 4211 (1), pp. 1-205 : 135-142

Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov.

Figs 113–117

Diagnosis. Differs from the other Metamastigophorophyllon species by the presence of a well-developed, fimbriated, outer branches of the lateral part of the anterior gonopods with numerous simple, bi- or triramous fringes/fingers directed posteriorly or by the presence of a posterior, strongly developed, basal, triangular, prefemoral protrusion on male leg-pair 7.

Etymology. An adjective; to emphasize the highly characteristic twisting of the body when males are dropped in alcohol.

Material studied (total: 93 males, 158 females, 55 juveniles). Holotype. GEORGIA: male, Borzhomi Nature Reserve, Baniskhevi Valley, 800–900 m, Picea , Fagus & Carpinus forest, litter, logs, under stones, 12, 16 May 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3377).

Other material (total: 92 males, 158 females, 55 juveniles). AZERBAIJAN : 3 males, 7 females, Zakataly District , Perzivan, Corylus growth, 17 Apr. 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3378) ; 1 male, 4 females, 7 juveniles, same loc., except 600 m asl, Quercus , Fagus , etc. forest along stream, 3 May 1987, all S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. (ZMUM ρ3379); 7 males, 5 females, Zakataly District , forest, 10 Nov. 1987, N. G. Loginova leg. ( ZMUM ρ3380) ; 3 males, 7 females, N of Vartashen , 900 m asl, Fagus & Quercus forest, litter, 2 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3381) ; 2 males, 4 females, 2 juveniles, ca 5 km N of Kutkashen , 1150–1200 m asl, Fagus & Carpinus forest, litter and rotten wood, 2 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3382) ; 16 males, 12 females, 6 juveniles, NW above Bash-Layski , ca 20 km NNW of Sheki, 1250 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Acer , etc. forest, litter, 3 May 1987, all S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3383).

GEORGIA: 6 males, 1 female , Ajaria, Khulo , 900 m asl, Quercus , Abies & Alnus forest, litter, 11 Oct. 1981 ( ZMUM ρ3384) ; 5 males, 4 females, Racha, 10 km NE of Shovi, 2000–2200 m asl, Gurshevi, near Pass Mamisoni , Abies , Fagus , Alnus forest, litter and under stones, near spring, 21 Oct 1981 ( ZMUM ρ3385) ; 1 male, 1 female, 1 juvenile, Racha, Oni District, Shovi , Fagus , Alnus & Abies forest, litter and under stones, near spring, 21 Oct. 1981, all S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3386) ; 1 female, Chokhatauri District, near Bakhmaro , 40 km SSE Nabeglavi, 1950–2020 m asl, Abies nordmanniana forest, 8 Jun. 1981, S. Golovatch & J. Martens leg. ( ZMUM ρ3387) ; 2 males, 1 female, same data, except 1550–1700 m asl, Abies , Picea & Fagus forest ( ZMUM ρ3388) ; 1 male, Pass Surami (= Rikoti), ca 1000 m asl, Fagus , Alnus , Rhododendron , Castanea forest, litter and under stones, 14 Apr. & 17 May 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3389) ; 10 males, 29 females, 26 juveniles ( ZMUM ρ3390), 1 male ( IZB), Lagodekhi Nature Reserve , Fagus , Fraxinus , Acer , etc. forest, litter, logs, under stones, 600–700 m asl, 5–6 May 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ; 1 male, 1 female, near Manglisi , Quercus forest, 12 Nov. 1984, E. Kvavadze leg. ( ZMUM ρ3391) ; 1 male, 11 females, 1 juvenile, N of Kvareli , 700–750 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Quercus , etc. forest, litter and under bark, 4 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3392) ; 6 males, 23 females, 1 juvenile ( ZMUM ρ3393), 5 males, 4 females ( IZB), Babaneuri Nature Reserve, ca 16 km NE of Akhmeta, near Babaneuri , 500 m asl, 4–5 May 1987, Fagus , Quercus , Carpinus , etc. forest, litter ; 3 males, 7 females, 4 juveniles, same data, except Carpinus , Quercus & Zelkova forest, dry litter ( ZMUM ρ3394) ; 6 males, 9 females, 3 juveniles, Batsaro Nature Reserve , ca 20 km N of Akhmeta, Fagus & Castanea forest, 800–850 m asl, litter, 5–6 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3395) ; 4 males, 3 females, Kartli Mt. Ridge, Pass Sabaduri , ca 40 km NNE of Tbilisi, 1400 m asl, Fagus forest, litter and under bark, 6 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3396) ; 2 males, 3 females, Surami Mt. Ridge, Pass Jvari , btw Gomi and Sachkhere , 850 m asl, Alnus , Fagus , Rhododendron , etc. forest, litter, 7 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3397) ; 4 males, 15 females, 2 juveniles, Mariamjvari Nature Reserve, ENE of Sagarejo , 1150–1250 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Acer , Pinus , etc. forest, litter, under bark and stones, 13–14 May 1987 ( ZMUM ρ3398) ; 1 male, 6 females, 2 juveniles, Bolnisi District, Safarlo, SSW of Patara Dmanisi , 1000–1050 m asl, Quercus , Fagus , Acer , etc. forest, litter, 21 May 1987, all S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3399) ; 1 male, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Abastumini, observatory on Mt Kanobili , 1580 m asl, F. Walther leg. ( SMNG).

Type locality. GEORGIA: Borzhomi Nature Reserve , Baniskhevi Valley, 800–900 m, Picea , Fagus & Carpinus forest.

Description. Body with 31 segments (including telson) in adults.

MEASUREMENTS. Males 13–15 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite ca 1 mm. Females 11– 14 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 1–1.1 mm.

COLORATION ( Fig. 113 ). Prozonites with paramedian stripes, brownish on anterior segments, then greyish, dorsolateral sides with yellowish spots. Metazonites dorsally and anterolaterally greyish or brownish, dorsolaterally with yellowish spots.

HEAD. Flattened in males. Labrum with three medial teeth and 5+5 labral and 2+2 supralabral setae. Promentum triangular, without setae. Lingual plates with 5+5 setae, on each plate arranged in two irregular rows. Stipites with ca 23+23 setae. Antennae 1.6 mm long in paratype male. Length of antennomeres (in mm): I (0.08), II (0.2), III (0.4), IV (0.2), V (0.35), VI (0.17), VII (0.15) and VIII (0.02). Length/breadth ratios of antennomeres I– VII: I (1), II (2), III (4), IV (2), V (3), VI (1.3) and VII (1). Antennomeres II, IV, V, VI and VII with one, three, one, four and one sensillum, respectively. Number of ocelli 18–23, arranged in 5–6 rows in males; 19–23 in 4–6 rows in females.

COLLUM. Narrower than head, with six macrochaetae. Anterior edge semi-circular, posterior margin gently concave.

BODY SEGMENTS ( Figs 113 , 114 ). Lateral keels not developed; only barely visible lateral swellings present. Macrochaetae short, straight and trichoid, outer somewhat longer than inner and medial. CIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.8; MIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.8; PIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.2; MA (pleurotergite 15) ~ 155˚.

TELSON. Epiproct with a pair of spinnerets and 3+3 setae (1+1 paramedian, 2+2 marginal). Hypoproct with 1+1 apical setae. Paraprocts with 3+3 marginal setae.

WALKING LEGS. In both sexes, leg-pairs 1 and 2 with tarsal combs; prefemora with several long and robust setae; femora and postfemora with a group of several long and robust setae.

MALE SEXUAL CHARACTERS ( Figs 115 , 157 A). Leg-pairs 3–7 enlarged. Leg-pairs 3 and 4 each with all podomeres swollen; prefemur with a basal exterior protrusion. Leg-pair 5 with an oral protrusion on prefemur. Legpair 6 without peculiarities. Leg-pair 7: coxae with a rounded protrusion, prefemora with a posterior, strongly developed, basal, triangular protrusion, femora with an apical rounded protrusion and a medial mesal concavity. Leg-pair 10 with coxal glands and with a coxal horn orientated caudad, prefemora swollen. Leg-pair 11 with coxal glands, no other peculiarities; prefemora swollen, but less stronly than leg-pair 10.

ANTERIOR GONOPODS ( Figs 116 A–C, 117B–D). Anterior sternal lamella (sl) [= S sensu Mauriès (1982): 387, figs 1 and 3] strongly developed, very wide, but without a medial raised part, with only a few short setae; edges denticulate. Behind shield, a nippled vesicle (wv) present at base. Outer branches (ob) [= T sensu Mauriès (1982): 387, figs 1–3] of lateral coxal processes well-developed, fimbriated, with numerous simple, bi- or triramous fringes/fingers directed posteriorly. Both outer branches each with one mesal larger fringe/finger. Inner branches (ib) [= T’ sensu Mauriès (1982): 387, figs 1–3] with an anterior (aib) and a posterior part (pib). Anterior part with a hairy lamella (lh) and a short, anterior process (acp) curved anteriorly. Posterior part in the form of a long, slender and high posterior process which represents the highest part of the anterior gonopods. Medial part (mp) [= K sensu Mauriès (1982): 387, figs 1–3] of coxal processes well-developed; hairy, divided distally; mesal edges folded inside, posterior and lateral sides with spinules. Posteriorly, anterior gonopods with a pair of hairy levers (hl) [= N sensu Mauriès (1982): 387, figs 1 and 3] orientated mesally. A syncoxal vesicle (scv) visible posteriorly.

POSTERIOR GONOPODS ( Fig. 116 D, E). Coxites (c) divided. Telopodites (t) present on posterolateral side and clothed with setae. Distal part of coxal processes (cp) curved mesally and posteriorly, with lamellar structures. Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anterior side.

Distribution. Azerbaijan, Georgia ( Fig. 166 , green circle).

Figures

FIGURE 113. Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov., male from ca 20 km NNW of Sheki, Azerbaijan, habitus. Scale lines = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 114. Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov., males from Babaneuri, Babaneuri Nature Reserve, ca 16 km ENE of Akhmeta, Georgia. A. Habitus. B. Pleurotergite 15, posterior view. C. Pleurotergite 15, dorsal view.

FIGURE 115. Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov., holotype male. A. Leg 3. B. Leg 4. C. Leg 5. D. Leg 10. Scale lines = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 116. Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov., holotype male gonopods. A. Anterior gonopods, anterior view. B. Anterior gonopods, lateral view. C. Anterior gonopods, posterior view. D. Posterior gonopods, anterior view. E. Posterior gonopods, posterior view. c = coxite; t = telopodite; cp = coxal process; cv = coxal vesicle; ib = inner branch; hl = hairy lever; lh = hairy lamella; mp = medial part; ob = outer branch; sl = sternal lamella; wv = nippled vesicle; aib = anterior part of inner branch; acp = anterior process; pib = posterior part of inner branch; scv = syncoxal vesicle. Scale line = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 117. Metamastigophorophyllon torsivum sp. nov., males from Babaneuri, Babaneuri Nature Reserve, ca 16 km ENE of Akhmeta, Georgia. A. Leg 5. B. Anterior gonopods, anterior view. C. Anterior gonopods, lateral view; D. Anterior gonopods, posterior view. ib = inner branch; hl = hairy lever; mp = medial part; ob = outer branch; sl = sternal lamella; aib = anterior part of inner branch; acp = anterior process; pib = posterior part of inner branch; scv = syncoxal vesicle.

FIGURE 157. Herculina polysagittae gen. et sp. nov., paratype female habitus. Scale line = 1 mm.

FIGURE 166. Distribution of the Cucasian Anthroleucosomatidae: the Alloiopus and the Enghoffiella complexes.