Solaenodolichopus vittatus ( Verhoeff, 1924 )

Mesibov, Robert, 2014, The millipede genus Solaenodolichopus Verhoeff, 1924 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae). 1. New genus diagnosis and redescriptions of named species, European Journal of Taxonomy 83, pp. 1-36 : 25-29

Solaenodolichopus vittatus ( Verhoeff, 1924)

Figs 1C–E , 2 E, 10B–G

Antichiropus (Solänodolichopus) vittatus Verhoeff, 1924: 22 (first description); pl. 1, figs 5, 9, 10. Antichiropus (Solänodolichopus) vittatus dorsalis Verhoeff, 1924: 21 , 22 (first description); pl. 1, fig. 6 [New synonymy.]

Solaenodolichopus vittatus – Verhoeff 1928: 94 (genus misspelled Solanodolichopus ; new combination for teres , vittatus vittatus and vittatus dorsalis, referred to by Verhoeff as ‘the three forms previously described by me’). — Jeekel 2000: 40. — Nguyen & Sierwald, 2013: 1160.

Aulacoporus vittatus – Attems 1937: 261 (new combination), 263 (Verhoeff’s description reworded); fig. 328 (p. 263; same as fig. 6 for S. vittatus dorsalis in Verhoeff 1924 ). — Jeekel 1968: 18, 29; 1981: 49.

Aulacoporus vittatus dorsalis – Verhoeff 1928: 94 (genus misspelled Solanodolichopus ; new combination for teres , vittatus vittatus and vittatus dorsalis, referred to by Verhoeff as ‘the three forms previously described by me’). — Attems 1937: 261 (new combination), 264 (Verhoeff’s description reworded). — Jeekel 1968: 18, 29; 1981: 49.

Solaenodolichopus vittatus dorsalis – Jeekel 2000: 40. — Nguyen & Sierwald 2013: 1160.

Material examined

S. vittatus lectotype (here designated)

Slide mount with original Verhoeff label, containing male legpair 1, right gonopod, left gonocoxa, left gonopod telopodite and 1 leg 9, NHRS KAS1000000004 ; and the rest of the male body in alcohol with original Verhoeff label, missing legpair 1, body broken between rings 3 and 4, rings 6 and 7, and rings 8 and 9, NHRS KAS1000000006 ; Mt Tambourine [ Tamborine Mountain ], QLD [27°58’ S, 153°11 ‘E, ± 5 km], E. Mjöberg, Oct. 1912 (see taxonomic notes, below). The lectotype is the one male specimen examined by Verhoeff, i.e. the body parts on the slide mount plus the body parts in alcohol.

S. vittatus paralectotype

Female, details as for lectotype, body broken between rings 3 and 4 and rings 5 and 6, in alcohol, NHRS KAS1000000006.

S. vittatus dorsalis holotype

Slide mount with original Verhoeff label, containing male legpair 1, both gonopod telopodites, 1 gonocoxa and both legs 9; and the rest of the male body in alcohol with original Verhoeff label, broken into head+collum and rings 3, 4+5, 6+7, 8, 9+10, 11-13 and 14-telson, missing legpair 1 and legs and gonopods from ring 7, aperture damaged; Glen Lamington [ Lamington Glen ], QLD [28°15’ S, 153°01’ E, ± 5 km], E. Mjöberg, Nov. 1912 (see taxonomic notes, below). The holotype by monotypy is the one male specimen examined by Verhoeff, i.e. the body parts on the slide mount plus the body parts in alcohol, both in NHRS and registered as KAS1000000003 .

Other material

QUEENSLAND: 2 ♂♂, Lamington National Park (‘National Park’) [28°14’ S, 153°08’ E, ± 5 km], Dec. 1919, H. Hacker, QM S74826 ; 1 ♂, Tamborine Mountain (‘Mt Tamborine’) [27°58’ S, 153°11’ E, ± 5 km], Oct. 1924, A. Musgrave and G. Geissmann, QM S74827; 1 ♂, same locality but 18 Mar. 1955, M.B. Wilson, in grass, QM S74764; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same locality but 26 Mar. 1955, S.B. Gunn, QM S74829 ; 3 ♂♂, West Burleigh [28°07’ S, 153°26’ E, ± 2 km], 12 Feb. 1953, QM personnel, QM S74828 ; 1 ♂, Warrie National Park [28°13’ S, 153°16’ E, ± 2 km], 2 Jul. 1971, K.R. McDonald, rainforest, under logs, ‘S30’ on metal tag, QM S74830 ; 1 ♂, Bahrs Scrub, 27°44’59” S, 153°10’36” E [± 500 m], 200 m a.s.l., pitfall, 29 Jan.–23 May 1981, G. Monteith, GM 1078/2, QM S74765; 1 ♂, Moreton Island, 27°11’ S, 153°24’ E [± 10 km], 26 Apr. 1982, W. Houston, pitfall,, yellow patch, EIS, QM S5941; 1 ♂, Blue Lagoon, Moreton Island, 27°05’35” S, 153°26’27” E [± 2 km], 21 Sep. 1982, W. Houston, EIS, pitfall, QM S5946; 1 ♂, Springbrook - N end, 28°09’47” S, 153°15’42” E [± 500 m], 540 m a.s.l., pitfalls, 15 May–30 Aug. 1997, G. Monteith, rainforest, sample 5015, QM S74836 ; 1 ♂, Perrys Knob, 27°36’11” S, 152°36’17” E [± 500 m], 200 m a.s.l., pitfall, 15 Sep–11 Nov. 1998, G. Monteith, D. Cook and G. Thompson, vine scrub, sample 7295, QM S74843 ; 1 ♂, same details but pitfall, 11 Nov. 1998 – 13 Jan. 1999, sample 7564, QM S74855 ; 1 ♂, Enoggera Reservoir site 4, 27°26’47” S, 152°55’23” E [± 100 m], 110 m a.s.l., pitfall, 7 Aug.–16 Oct. 1999, G. Monteith and J. Holt, rainforest, sample 7854, QM S74871 ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 3 km SE of Kalbar, 27°57’46” S, 152°38’47” E [± 100 m], 120 m a.s.l., pitfall, 2 Dec. 2000 – 7 May 2001, C. Burwell, sample 10160, brigalow scrub, QM S74766 ; 1 ♂, Karawatha Forest - site 6, 27°37’33” S, 153°5’24” E [± 100 m], 60 m a.s.l., 30 Apr. 2003, S. Wright and E. Volschenk, eucalypt woodland, sample 51168, QM S74767 ; 1 ♂, Gold Creek Reservoir site 2, 27°28’05” S, 152°52’20” E [± 100 m], 160 m a.s.l., 4 Nov. 2003, C. Burwell, dry rainforest, sifted litter berlesate, sample 51723, QM S74873 ; 2 ♂♂, Gold Creek Reservoir site 1, 27°27’53” S, 152°52’32” E [± 100 m], 140 m a.s.l., pitfall, 2–30 Jan. 2004, Queensland Museum personnel, spotted gum open forest, sample 51819, QM S74875 ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, same details but 30 Jan.–1 Mar. 2004, sample 51939, QM S74876 ; 2 ♂♂, Welsby Street, New Farm [27°27’58” S, 153°02’56” E, ± 500 m], 1 Nov. 2010, M. Shaw, pitfall, QM S95213 .

Description

As for the genus. Maximum male/female midbody width ca. 3.8 (mean of 24 males, range 2.9-4.7 mm)/4.8 mm (paralectotype female). Colour in alcohol: “Body reddish yellow with two broad, blackish, lateral longitudinal bands on the dorsum, separated by wide, reddish yellow median (band). Medial [longitudinal] stripe washed-out reddish, ventral flanks reddish-yellow” ( vittatus, Verhoeff 1924: 20 , my translation); “Trunk black, with brown legs and wide yellow reddish dorsal median band, significantly narrower than in vittatus . Ventral flanks black” ( vittatus dorsalis, Verhoeff 1924: 21, my translation); colour in types faded and patchy, dorsalis medial longitudinal band ca. 1/3 ring width, vittatus ca. 2/3 ring width; colour and pattern variable in other specimens ( Fig. 4 C–I), but always with lighter colouring dorsally and darkest colouring on upper sides.

Male with transverse furrows shallow, narrow, sometimes indistinct. No longitudinal furrows laterally on diplosegments. Sternal lamella ( Fig. 2E ) with sides more or less straight, corners broadly rounded, distal margin a flat inverted V. Scopulae on legs 1 to 29, i.e., not present on last podous ring. Leg bases on rings 6 and 8 separated more widely than on other rings, sternites a little depressed. Anterior margin of aperture with rounded-triangular, medial extension and shorter, gently convex extension on either side (as shown in Fig. 3B for S. rubriventris ).

Gonopods usually as for S. pruvoti ( Fig. 10A ), but with femorite in some males thinner ( Fig. 10B ), and in other males shorter and bent medially near apex, and with medial femorite process larger, reaching to ca. 1/3-1/2 of solenomere length ( Fig. 10D ); intermediate forms occur ( Fig. 10C ).

Female with leg 2 coxa extended posteroventrally as apically rounded process (as shown for S. pruvoti in Fig. 5 C–D).

Distribution

Forest and non-forest habitats in the Brisbane region, from Moreton Island ca. 130 km south to the Border Ranges, and inland ca. 80 km from the sea (map Fig. 12 ). Overlaps in range with S. pruvoti and S. rubriventris .

Taxonomic notes

The subspecies S. vittatus dorsalis was erected for a single male only differing from S. vittatus vittatus in size, colour of ventral flanks and width of the medial dorsal band. These three characters vary substantially in the 24 non-type males I have examined and do not appear to be correlated. I therefore regard the subspecies dorsalis as a synonym of the nominate subspecies vittatus . The gonopod telopodites of the types are virtually identical ( Fig. 10E–G ).

S. vittatus varies more across its range than other Solaenodolichopus (described and undescribed), in gonopod form as well as in size and colour pattern. It might better be called ‘the S. vittatus group’, and intensive sampling and genetic analysis across its range would be a worthwhile systematics project.

It is particularly interesting that the gonopods in S. pruvoti and some S. vittatus populations are indistinguishable, and that no colour pattern intermediates have so far been found. When redescribing S. pruvoti as S. annulatus, Verhoeff wrote: “Stands close to vittatus Verh. (contribution 3, figs 9 and 10) but is distinguished by different patterning and some special features of the gonopods: the rudiment of the tibiotarsus [rounded process on basal side of U-shaped indentation] is smaller in vittatus and not curved, the parsolenomere [apical tab] very similar but more transversely curved, the medial displacement of the solenomere is barely detectable, overall the solenomere is less curved and less clavate, the end in vittatus rounded” ( Verhoeff 1941: 12, my translation). These small differences are largely contained within the variation seen in both S. pruvoti and S. vittatus . Until new diagnostic features are identified, S. vittatus and S. pruvoti are only separable on colour pattern.

Both Verhoeff and Mjöberg spelled the type locality of S. vittatus ‘Mt Tambourine’, which in the early 20th century referred to both a village and to the small basalt plateau on which the village was located; the modern name for the plateau is Tamborine Mountain. Verhoeff (1924) did not give a collection date for the S. vittatus types. Mjöberg’s unpublished field diaries show that he collected at ‘Mt Tambourine’ in the last two weeks of October 1912 (Å. Ferrier, in litt., 16 Dec. 2013; see also Ferrier 2006). The lectotype slide of S. vittatus was labelled ‘lectotype’ by P.M. Johns in 1967, but Johns did not publish this lectotypification.

Verhoeff’s one specimen of S. vittatus dorsalis was from ‘Glen Lamington’. Lamington Glen was a locality and rainfall recording station on the Lamington Plateau in the first half of the 20th century, and Mjöberg’s unpublished field diaries show that he collected on the ‘Lamington Plateau’ in mid-November 1912 (Å. Ferrier, in litt., 16 Dec. 2013; see also Ferrier 2006). The holotype slide was labelled ‘holotype’ by P.M. Johns in 1967.

General notes

See general notes for S. teres (above).

Figures

Fig. 1. — A–B. Solaenodolichopus walesius Verhoeff, 1928. A. Lectotype ♂, AM KS.76508, right anterior view. B. ♂ ex AM KS.16152, midbody spiracles, ventral view, anterior to left. — C, E. S. vittatus (Verhoeff, 1924). C. Paralectotype ♀, NHRS KAS1000000007, midbody spiracles, ventral view, anterior to left (image right-left reversed for ease of comparison with 1B). E. ♂ ex QM S74828, anterior leg tip with scopula, tarsus at left. — D. S. teres (Verhoeff, 1924), lectotype ♂ slide mount, NHRS KAS1000000005, legpair 1. — F. S. pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931), ♂ ex QM S74856, epiproct, posterior and slightly ventral view. Scale bars: A = 2.5 mm, B–C = 0.5 mm, D = 1 mm, E = 0.25 mm, F = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 2. Posterior views of sternal lamella in ♂♂. — A. Solaenodolichopus pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931), QM S74856. — B. S. rubriventris Verhoeff, 1928, QM S74690. — C. S. sulcatus (Verhoeff, 1928), lectotype, AM KS.76503. — D. S. teres (Verhoeff, 1924), lectotype in alcohol, ZSM A20052188. — E. S. vittatus (Verhoeff, 1924), QM S74829. — F. S. walesius Verhoeff, 1928, lectotype, AM KS.76508. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 10. A. — Solaenodolichopus pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931), posterior view of gonopods in situ, QM S74858. — B–G. S. vittatus (Verhoeff, 1924). B–D, posterior view of gonopods in situ; QM S74826 (B), QM S95213 (C), QM S74767 (D). E–G, views of slide-mounts; left (E) and right gonopod solenomere (F) of S. vittatus lectotype, NHRS KAS1000000004, and left (top left) and right (bottom right) gonopod solenomere (G) of S. vittatus dorsalis holotype, NHRS KAS1000000003. Scale bars: A–D = 2 mm, E–G = 1 mm.

Fig. 4. — A–B. Solaenodolichopus pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931), QM S74856. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of midbody rings of ♂. — C–I. S. vittatus (Verhoeff, 1924). Dorsal (C-F) and lateral (G-I) views of midbody rings of ♂; QM S74767 (C, H), QM S74855 (D), QM S74836 (E, G), QM S74876 (F), QM S5946 (I). Scale bars: 2 mm.

Fig. 3. — A–B. Solaenodolichopus rubriventris Verhoeff, 1928, ♂, QM S74690. A. Right ventrolateral view of ring 7 showing swelling (arrow) just anterolateral to aperture. B. Ventral view of aperture showing gently convex extensions (arrows) on either side of medial extension on anterior margin of aperture. — C. S. walesius Verhoeff, 1928, ♀, AM KS.16152, posteroventral view of epigyne showing raised end (arrow). — D. S. teres (Verhoeff, 1924), paralectotype ♀, NHRS KAS1000000007, left ventrolateral view of anterior rings showing distolateral process on leg 2 coxa (arrow) just medial to raised end of epigyne. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 5. Solaenodolichopus pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931). A. Anterior lateral view showing reach of gonopod telopodites, QM S74856. B. Posterior view of gonopods, WAM T52345. C–D. Lateral (C) and posterior (D) views of leg 2 coxal process in ♀, QM S74857. Scale bars: A–B = 2 mm, C–D = 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Localities for named Solaenodolichopus species as of February 2014. — A. Australia showing location of map B (rectangle). — B. S. teres (Verhoeff, 1924) (star), S. sulcatus (Verhoeff, 1928) (crosses) and S. walesius Verhoeff, 1928 (open triangles), other species (filled squares); rectangle shows location of map C. — C. S. pruvoti (Brolemann, 1931) (open squares), S. rubriventris Verhoeff, 1928 (crosses) and S. vittatus (Verhoeff, 1924) (open triangles). Maps A–C are geographic projections; approximate north-south map extents are 900 km for B and 220 km for C.