Corresponding author: Robert Mesibov (
Academic editor: S. Golovatch
Mesibov R (2017) A new and unusual species of
In a previous paper (
In this paper I describe a new
Specimens are stored in 80% ethanol in the
Male, Tasman Island, Tasmania, 55G 581536 521818 (GDA94) [
Tasmania: 1 male, 4 females, 1 juvenile, Schouten Island [
Male leg 7 coxa not noticeably elongated or distally swollen; coxite process on anterior gonopod much shorter than telopodite, not protecting pseudoflagellum; pseudoflagellum as in
As for the genus description (
Male with cardo not deeper posteriorly (Fig.
Coxite process on anterior gonopod (Fig.
Schouten and Tasman Islands off the east coast of Tasmania (Fig.
Latin
As with the two known males, the Schouten Island females are smaller than their Tasman Island counterparts: (51+2)–(59+1) rings, 1.5–2.3 mm midbody diameter from Schouten Island, (47+2)–(63+1) rings, 2.3–2.7 mm from Tasman Island. Further, the pseudoflagellum tip in the holotype male from Tasman Island is slightly longer, broader and more medially directed than the tip in the Schouten Island paratype. These are minor differences and I regard the two forms as conspecific.
I doubt that
Outline maps of Australia and Tasmania, and topographic map of part of the east coast of Tasmania showing Schouten and Tasman Islands. Mercator projections; topographic basemap from the Land Information Service Tasmania (
1 | Coxite process of anterior gonopod truncate with apical fossa; cardo deeper in posterior half |
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– | Coxite process laminate with broadly rounded apex; cardo deeper in anterior half |
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2 | Coxite process much shorter than telopodite; no legs with elongated coxae |
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– | Coxite process almost as long as telopodite; elongated coxae on leg 7 only, or on legs 7, 10 and 11 |
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3 | Pseudoflagellum tapering to sharp point |
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– | Pseudoflagellum bluntly rounded, expanded or apparently bifid at tip |
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4 | Pseudoflagellum with distinct anterior shoulder, prostatic groove making sharp S-bend to reach tip; dense field of short, fine setae on telopodite behind pseudoflagellum |
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– | Pseudoflagellum without anterior shoulder, prostatic groove without S-bend; only sparse, stout setae behind pseudoflagellum |
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5 | Pseudoflagellum broad at base, abruptly truncate apically, continued as sharp, pointed tip bent over laterally or medially |
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– | Pseudoflagellum not truncate apically |
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6 | Pseudoflagellum broad at base, gradually tapering to sharp point, not as long as telopodite |
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– | Pseudoflagellum narrow at base, very gradually tapering to sharp point, much longer than telopodite |
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7 | Pseudoflagellum with tip strongly curving posterobasally and with small tooth on apicodistal margin, thus appearing bifid |
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– | Pseudoflagellum with bluntly rounded or expanded tip |
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8 | Pseudoflagellum with tip strongly curving posterobasally |
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– | Pseudoflagellum with tip directed distally or slightly posteriorly |
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9 | Pseudoflagellum with tip slightly expanded apically and truncate, with small tooth medially on distal margin |
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– | Pseudoflagellum gradually narrowing to bluntly rounded tip |
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10 | Pseudoflagellum with tip directed slightly posteriorly and with posterobasal margin extended as bulge |
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– | Pseudoflagellum with tip directed distally and with prominent sharp tooth on posterobasal margin |
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I am grateful to Ben Clark, Luke Gadd and Sue Robinson (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania) and to Lyndon O’Grady, Rohan O’Grady and Ian Ross (Friends of Tasman Island) for their efforts in searching for millipedes on Tasman Island in 2016 and 2017. I also thank reviewer Nesrine Akkari for helpful suggestions.