Hemilepistus heptneri Borutzky, 1945

Kashani, Ghasem M., 2019, Revision of the terrestrial isopods of the subgenus Hemilepistus (Desertellio) Verhoeff, 1930 (Isopoda: Oniscidea), Zootaxa 4555 (4), pp. 531-547 : 538-539

Hemilepistus heptneri Borutzky, 1945

Figs 7–9

Hemilepistus heptneri Borutzky, 1945: 196 .

Material examined. Holotype, male, 23mm, southern Turkmenistan, Badkhiz (southern part of the Murghab Rivers), 24 June 1942, leg. V. G. Heptner ( ZMMU Mc. 530); paratype, one male, 22 mm, same data as holotype ( ZMMU Mc. 530); Turkmenistan, det. Borutzky 1944, two males, one female and one spec. without pleon ( ZMMU Mc. 531); Turkmenistan, Islam Cheshmeh in Egree-Veke, Badkhiz, 12 June 1942, det. Borutzky 1944, leg. V. G. Heptner, one female ( ZMMU Mc. 533); Mollakara, May 1904, two females (MNB 14914); Krasnowodsk, two females (MNB 14916).

Redescription. Maximum length of both male and female: 23 mm. Color dark brown with pale epimera; pale brown in fixative ( Fig. 7A–C ).

Head with developed rounded lateral and median lobes; vertex with a row of four to six tubercles on the posterior part, median tubercles larger in size ( Fig. 8A ). Antenna long, fifth article of peduncle to flagellum ratio 1.2:1; flagellum with two articles, proximal article about twice as long as distal one ( Fig. 8C ).

Pereon tergite I with rounded hind margin, granulated with a row of four tubercles located on a ridge, two median ones strikingly larger ( Fig. 8A, B ). Pereon tergites II with a row of six tubercles located on a ridge, two median ones markedly larger ( Fig. 8A, B ). Pereon tergites III–VII smooth ( Fig. 7A ).

Pleon smooth, with continuous outline with pereon ( Fig. 7A ); telson short, triangular, with concave sides and acute or rounded apex, slightly surpassing uropod protopodites. Uropod protopodites with distinct incision on lateral margin; exopodites conical as long as telson ( Fig. 8D ).

Pleopod exopodites I–V with monospiracular covered lungs ( Fig. 9B–F ).

Male: Pereopod I merus and carpus with brushes of setae on ventral margin ( Fig. 8E ). Pereopod VII ischium with straight ventral margin; merus and carpus equipped with strong spine setae ( Fig. 8F ).

Pleopod endopodite I straight, distal part slightly bent inward; apex bilobate, inner lobe with a line of small setae on inner margin ( Fig. 9A ). Pleopod exopodite I with short acute hind lobe ( Fig. 9B ). Pleopod exopodite II with concave outer margin, endopodite longer than exopodite ( Fig. 9C ). Pleopod exopodite III–V as in Fig. 9D–F .

Remarks. This species is somehow similar to H. fedtschenkoi and H. elongatus but differs in having the vertex with a few tubercles located in a row on the posterior portion; pereon tergites I and II bearing a row of four and six tubercles, respectively, located on a ridge, two median ones markedly larger.

Distribution. Turkmenistan.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Hemilepistus heptneri; A: female, NMB 14914; B-C: male, ZMMU. A, whole body, dorsal view; B, head and pereon tergites I–III, lateral view; C, head and pereon tergites I–II, dorsal view. Scale = 2mm.

FIGURE 8. Hemilepistus heptneri. A, head and pereon tergites I–II, dorsal view; B, pereon tergites I–IV, lateral view; C, antenna; D, telson and right uropod; E, pereopod I; F, pereopod VII. Scales: A, D = 2 mm; C, E, F = 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Hemilepistus heptneri. A, pleopod endopodite I; B, pleopod exopodite I; C, pleopod II; D, pleopod exopodite III; E, pleopod exopodite IV; F, pleopod exopodite V. Scales = 0.5 mm.