Leptherpum, Attems, 1931

Bouzan, Rodrigo S., Means, Jackson C., Ivanov, Kaloyan, Almeida, Thaís Melo de, Brescovit, Antonio Domingos & Iniesta, Luiz Felipe M., 2022, Three new species of the Amazonian millipede genus Leptherpum (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae), Zoologia (e 22020) 39, pp. 1-18 : 2-3

Key to males of Leptherpum

1. Anterior edge of paranota of anterior and midbody segments with a prominent acute projection ( Hoffman 1966: fig. 3)................................................................................... ......................... Leptherpum schomburgkii ( Erichson, 1848)

1’. Anterior edge of paranota of anterior and midbody segments lacking an acute projection................................... 2

2. Peritremata positioned medially on the paranota ( Fig. 11 ) .. 3

2’. Peritremata positioned posteriorly on the paranota ( Fig. 12 )..................................................................................... 8

3. Posterior margin of some anterior and midbody paranota (e.g. 5, 9, 10) with two well-defined projections ( Fig. 24 )... 4

3’. Posterior margin of anterior and midbody paranota with a single well-defined projection ( Fig. 36 )......................... 5

4. Metazonites essentially smooth and polished ( Hoffman 1966: fig. 1).................. Leptherpum jeekeli Hoffman, 1966

4’. Metazonites granulated ( Fig. 9 ).......................................... ............................. Leptherpum carinovatum ( Attems, 1898)

5. Prefemoral process of the gonopod elongate, longer than wide; oval ( Fig. 32 ) ........................................................... 6

5’. Prefemoral process of the gonopod with subequal proportions; circular ( Fig. 26 ) ..................................................... 7

6. Outer margin of prefemoral process convex; the secondary process curving upward at approximately 45° ( Fig. 38 ); body rings dark red to nearly black ( Figs 35–37 )........ ...................................... Leptherpum buenovillegasi sp. nov.

6’. Outer margin of prefemoral process slightly concave; the secondary process abruptly curving upward, nearly parallel to the solenomere ( Figs 44–46 ); body rings reddish brown ( Figs 41–43 )............... Leptherpum battirolai sp. nov.

7. Posterior edges of poriferous paranota emarginate beginning at body ring 15 .......................................................... ....... Leptherpum geijskesi Jeekel, 1963 ( Jeekel 1963: fig. 33)

7’. Posterior edges of poriferous paranota emarginate beginning at body ring 10 .......................................................... ........... Leptherpum staheli Jeekel, 1950 ( Jeekel 1950: fig. 4)

8. Marginal projections on the caudal edge of paranota of midbody rings absent ( Golovatch and Hoffman 2004: fig. 2)....... Leptherpum capiberibei Golovatch & Hoffman, 2004

8’. Marginal projections on the caudal edge of paranota of midbody rings present ( Fig. 24 ) ....................................... 9

9. Secondary process of the gonopod robust and spatulate ( Fig. 15 )........................................................................... 10

9’. Secondary process of the gonopod slender and only slightly spatulate at apex ( Fig. 17 ) ................................. 11

10. Prefemur of post gonopodal legs with a ventroapical projection (arrow; Fig. 47 ) ......... Leptherpum huebneri Attems, 1901

10’. Prefemur of post gonopodal legs without a ventroapical projection ............. Leptherpum californicum ( Daday, 1891)

11. Secondary process arising basally from the prefemoral process ................................................................................ ......... Leptherpum loomisi Jeekel, 1963 ( Jeekel 1950: fig. 5)

11’. Secondary process arising medially from the prefemoral process ( Fig. 33 )...................... Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov.

Figures

Figures 9−14. General somatic features of Leptherpum Attems, 1931. (9), (11), (13) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, metazonites, dorsal view. (9) body ring 8; (11) body ring 9; (13) detail of tubercles of body ring 9; (10), (12), (14) Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov. (male holotype, IBSP 7972), metazonites, dorsal view; (10) body ring 8; (12) body ring 9; (14) detail of tubercles of body ring 9. Scale bars: 9−11 = 1 mm; 12 = 2 mm; 13 = 100 µm; 14 = 200 µm.

Figures 23−28. Leptherpum carinovatum (Attems, 1898), male syntype (ZMH). (23) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (24) midbody rings, dorsal view; (25) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (26), (27) left gonopod, mesal view, different gonopod tilt degrees; (28) left gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 23−24 = 5 mm; 25 = 2.5 mm; 26−28 = 100 µm.

Figures 35−40. Leptherpum buenovillegasi sp. nov., male holotype (INPA 396). (35) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (36) midbody rings, dorsal view; (37) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (38) right gonopod, mesal view; (39) right gonopod, ventral view; (40) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 35−37 = 2 mm; 38−40 = 500 µm.

Figures 29−34. Leptherpum tialaura sp. nov., male holotype (IBSP 7972). (29) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (30) midbody rings, dorsal view; (31) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (32) right gonopod, mesal view; (33) right gonopod, ventral view; (34) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 29−34 = 1 mm.

Figures 41−46. Leptherpum battirolai sp. nov., male holotype (INPA 397). (41) anterior body rings, dorsal view; (42) midbody rings, dorsal view; (43) posterior body rings, dorsal view; (44) right gonopod, mesal view; (45) right gonopod, ventral view; (46) right gonopod, ectal view. Scale bars: 41−43 = 2 mm; 44−46 = 500 µm.

Figures 15−18. Gonopodal features of Leptherpum Attems, 1931. (15) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, right gonopod, mesal view; (16) L. carinovatum (IBSP 8300), male, left gonopod, ectal view; (17) L. tialaura sp. nov. (IBSP 7952), male, left gonopod, mesal view; (18) L. tialaura sp. nov. (IBSP 7952), male, right gonopod, ectal view. The arrow refers to the spiniform process. Scale bars: 15−18 = 500 µm.

Figures 47−52. Leptherpum battirolai sp. nov. (47), (48) male holotype (INPA 397). (47) leg of body ring 8, lateral view; (48) sternite of body ring 10, ventral view; (49)−(52) female paratype (INPA 398). (49) epigyne, ventral view; (50), (51) right vulva, ventral view; (52) right vulva, lateral view. Scale bars: 47 = 2 mm; 48−49 = 1 mm; 50−51 = 500 µm.