Research Article |
Corresponding author: Robert Mesibov ( robert.mesibov@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Sergei Golovatch
© 2015 Robert Mesibov.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Mesibov R (2015) A new genus and species of dalodesmid millipede from New South Wales, Australia (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Dalodesmidae). ZooKeys 517: 141-148. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.517.10187
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Cernethia inopinata gen. n., sp. n. is described from
Diplopoda , Polydesmida , Dalodesmidae , New South Wales, Australia
When establishing the new genus Noteremus from Tasmania (
Here a new species from
The new species is placed in a new genus in Dalodesmidae. The relationships of the new genus, Noteremus, Paredrodesmus and Procophorella to each other and to more typical Australian Dalodesmidae remain a puzzle.
‘Male’ and ‘female’ in the text refer to
Locality details for specimen lots (also available online in
Abbreviations:
Cernethia inopinata sp. n., by present designation.
None.
Superficially resembling Atalopharetra Mesibov, 2005, Bromodesmus Mesibov, 2004 and Victoriombrus Mesibov, 2004 in having reduced paranota and an acrid defensive secretion. Distinguished from these three genera by having head+19 rings vs.head+20 rings body plan, and pore formula 5+7-18 vs. 5+7+9-19 in Victoriombrus and the normal pore formula in Atalopharetra and Bromodesmus. Similar to Noteremus, Paredrodesmus and Procophorella in head+19 rings, pore formula 5+7-18 and a trapezoidal array of spinnerets; distinguished from these three genera in having sphaerotrichomes on male legs.
As for the type species.
Anagram of ‘Catherine’, for the millipede specialist Catherine Car, collector of the type specimens; gender feminine.
Male, Glenbog State Forest near junction of Steeple Flat Road and Snowy Mountains
Male and female
Male with vertex of head bare, frons and clypeus sparsely setose; vertigial sulcus extending ventrally ca. halfway to line joining antennal socket centres; postantennal groove narrow, slightly impressed; antennal sockets separated by about 1.5× socket diameter. Antenna clavate, reaching dorsally to rear of tergite 2; relative antennomere lengths 6>3>2>(4=5), antennomere 6 widest. Collum half-moon-shaped in dorsal outline, anterior margin straight, posterior corner rounded. Relative overall ring widths collum<(head=2,3)<4<(5-15 equal)>16>17>18. Waist on diplosegments shallow, without striations; prozonites and metazonites smooth; metazonites with three transverse rows of sparse, very short, fine setae, mainly missing; limbus with widely spaced, narrow, pointed elements. Ring 2 paranotum with lateral margin straight, lower than collum and ring 3 paranotal margin. Midbody paranota (Figs
Gonopore on short, truncate cone arising distomedially on leg 2 coxa. Leg 6 and 7 bases equally widely separated by shallow concavity, leg 5 bases more narrowly separated; small tab on sternite close to each leg 6 base. Aperture 1/3-1/2 width of ring 7 prozonite, rim posterolaterally greatly extended ventrally (Fig.
Gonocoxae short, truncated-conical, incompletely fused anteriorly in syncoxite, sparse setae on posterolateral and anteromedial surfaces. Cannula swollen at base, tapering abruptly and looping tightly to enter base of telopodite towards
Female more robust than male but shorter, legs thinner and without swellings, paranota not as well developed. Epigynum 1/3–1/2 ring 2 width, slightly raised
So far known only from high-elevation, open eucalypt
Known localities of Cernethia inopinata sp. n. as of 22 June 2015; black dots are for accurately located
Latin inopinatus, ‘unexpected’, for the unexpected presence of sphaerotrichomes (see Introduction).
The gonopod in C. inopinata sp. n. resembles the gonopods of some species of Gephyrodesmus Jeekel, 1983 and Orthorhachis Jeekel, 1985 (Mesibov 2008) in having two large, closely appressed branches at the end of a strongly tapering telopodite. In all species of Orthorhachis the major branching occurs at more than half the telopodite height, in C. inopinata sp. n. and all species of Gephyrodesmus at one-third or less the telopodite height. Cernethia inopinata sp. n. differs from Gephyrodesmus species in having an apically divided solenomere, as opposed to an undivided one. Gephyrodesmus and Orthorhachis species also differ from C. inopinata sp. n. in having a head+20 rings body plan, wide paranota and a square spinnerets array.
The type specimens of C. inopinata sp. n. were first examined in 2007, not long after they were collected. The samples smelled strongly at the time with an odour similar to that of the acrid defensive
I thank Catherine Car for additional information about the C. inopinata sp. n. collections, Graham Milledge (Australian Museum) for specimen loans, advice on specimens and help with registration numbers, and Matt Colloff (