Dolichoiulus typhlocanaria, Enghoff, 2012

Enghoff, Henrik, 2012, Three new species of Dolichoiulus millipedes from the underground of Gran Canaria, with notes on the circumscription of the genus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 15, pp. 1-12 : 3-5

Dolichoiulus typhlocanaria sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2A , 3A, B , 4A, B

Diagnosis

A blind species of Dolichoiulus . Differs from other blind Dolichoiulus species as shown in Table 1 . Differs from the other blind Dolichoiulus on Gran Canaria in size ( Figs 1 , 5 ). Differs from D. oromii sp. nov. in lacking metazonital setae, in having only marginal preanal pilosity, and in having a terminal projection on the mesal ridge of the anterior gonopod. Differs from D. longunguis sp. nov. and the widespread D. typhlops in having clearly slenderer anterior gonopods ( Fig. 3A, B , cf. Fig. 3D ).

Etymology

The name (noun in apposition) refers to the blindness of this species from Gran Canaria.

Type locality

GRAN CANARIA (Canary Islands), Barranco del Draguillo.

Material examined (all from Canary Islands: Gran Canaria)

Holotype

♂, Barranco del Draguillo , UTM 28R 4561/30913 (27°56’45’’N, 15°26’45”W), MSS, 26 Dec. 2006, H. López leg. ( DZUL).

Paratypes

3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same locality, 16 Aug. 2007, H. López leg. (1 ♂, 1 ♀ DZUL; 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ZMUC); 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same locality, 26 Dec. 2010, H. López leg. ( ZMUC); 9 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, same locality, 30 Dec. 2011, H. López leg. ( DZUL).

Referred (non-type) material

2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Cueva de la Luna, UTM 28R 4478/30873 (27°54’36’’N, 15°31’48”W), 23 Dec. 2006, GIET leg. ( ZMUC); 2 ♂♂ Cueva de los Arrepentidos, UTM 28R 4482/30878 (27°54’51’’N, 15°31’35”W), 26 Dec. 2006, GIET leg. ( DZUL); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Los Majateles, UTM 28R 4505/30915 (27°56’08’’N, 15°30’10”W), MSS, 26 Dec. 2010, H. López leg. ( DZUL).

Total material

21 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀ (1 ♂, 1 ♀ analyzed).

Description

♂: L 14-20 mm, H 1.03-1.26 mm, L/H 13-16, 33-52 podous rings + 1-2(3?) apodous rings in front of telson.

♀: L 15-20 mm, H 1.17-1.41 mm, L/H 12-16, 36-52 podous rings + 2 apodous rings in front of telson.

COLOUR. The preserved specimens are uniform whitish yellow. Defence glands in part visible by transparency as dark spots.

HEAD. No eyes. 4 supralabral setae. Setae on gnathochilarial stipes: 3 apical, 2-3 (♂) / 0 (♀) nonapical. Length of antennae 156% of H in ♂, 124% of H in ♀.

BODY RINGS. ( Fig. 2A ) Prozonites posteriorly furrowed, at least in specimens from Cueva de la Luna. Metazonites unvaulted, with c. 12 striae per dorsal quarter. Ozopore c. ⅓ metazonite length behind suture. Limbus cell length c. 4× width; their free margin with a few tiny denticles (as in Enghoff, 1992: figs 28-29).

LEGS. Length 94% of H in ♂, 78% of H in ♀. Claw: length 6-8% of leg, length/height 3.4-5.2. Accessory claw 0.4× shorter than claw.

PREANAL RING. Without a projection, pilosity marginal.

Male

MANDIBULAR STIPITES. Without lobes.

LEGS. Second pair with ventral pads on postfemur and tibia. Postfemoral pads tiny, tibial pads small on midbody legs. Second pair with coxal pores.

ANTERIOR GONOPODS. ( Fig. 3A, B ) Slender, basal shaft more than half as broad as distal bowl. Ridge with a terminal projection. Lateral prominence distinct. Bowl slender, rounded-triangular. Apical denticles distinct.

POSTERIOR GONOPODS. ( Fig. 4A, B ) Mesomerital process almost as long as opisthomerite, straight. Opisthomerite slender, straight. Anterior process short, triangular, pointed. Posterior process longer, slender.

Female

RECEPTACULUM SEMINIS. A stalked sphere (as in Enghoff 1992: fig. 48).

Distribution and habitat

Endemic to Gran Canaria. Known from two caves and three MSS in the east-central part of the island.

Figures

Fig. 1. Size diagram for Dolichoiulus typhlocanaria sp. nov. The diagram shows number of podous (leg-bearing) body rings (p.r., x axis) and vertical body diameter in mm (y axis). For a given number of podous rings D. typhlocanaria sp. nov. is thicker than the two other species (see Fig. 5), and females are thicker than males.

Fig. 2. A. D. typhlocanaria sp. nov., male from Cueva de la Luna, midbody rings. Scale 0.1 mm. B. D. oromii sp. nov., detail of posterior margin of midbody ring, showing diagnostic setae. Scale 0.05 mm.

Fig. 3. Anterior gonopods, posterior views. A. D. typhlocanaria sp. nov., specimen from Barranco Draguillo. B. D. typhlocanaria sp. nov., specimen from Cueva de la Luna. C. D. oromii sp. nov. D. D. typhlops Ceuca, 1973, specimen from La Palma, right anterior gonopod. ad: apical denticles, lp: lateral prominence, mr: mesal ridge, p: projection. Scales 0.1 mm (A-C), 0.01 mm (D).

Fig. 4. Posterior gonopods, mesal views. A. D. typhlocanaria sp. nov., specimen from Barranco Draguillo. B. D. typhlocanaria sp. nov., specimen from Cueva de la Luna. C. D. oromii sp. nov. ap: anterior process, pp: posterior process, mp: mesomerital process. Scales 0.1 mm.

Fig. 5. Size diagram for Dolichoiulus oromii sp. nov. and D. longunguis sp. nov. The diagram shows number of podous (leg-bearing) body rings (p.r., x axis) and vertical body diameter in mm (y axis). For a given number of podous rings D. oromii sp. nov. is thicker than D. longunguis sp. nov. but thinner than D. typhlocanaria sp. nov. (see Fig. 1); specimens of D. oromii sp. nov. from East-Central Gran Canaria are thicker than those from the Northwest (El Sao), and females are thicker than males.