Cryptops (T.) amicitia, Schileyko & Iorio & Coulis, 2024

Schileyko, Arkady, Iorio, Etienne & Coulis, Mathieu, 2024, A synthesis on the scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) of Martinique, with description of Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) amicitia n. sp. and new data on some Neotropical scolopendromorphs, Zootaxa 5486 (4), pp. 563-599 : 578-582

Cryptops (T.) amicitia n. sp.

Figs 20–27

Locus typicus: Lesser Antilles, Martinique Island, Schoelcher, Plateau Clarck, PF, 531 m a.s.l., lat. 14.68206, long. -61.10365, 21.03.2017.

Holotype: as locus typicus, leg. MC, det. EI & AS, 1 spm ( MNHN, 212-P8G).

Paratypes: 1 spm, TE, Saint-Joseph, Plateau Perdrix, PF, 550 m a.s.l., lat.14,68827, long. -61,08061, leg. MC, 03.06.2018 ( CAEC, 203); 1 spm, PFT, Schoelcher, Plateau Concorde, PF, 582 m a.s.l., lat.14,67913, long. -61,10634, leg. Patrick Marechal, ??.??.2014 ( CAEC, 173); 1 spm, TE, Le Lorrain , Morne Platine, PF, 451 m a.s.l., lat.14,75906, long. -61,06978, leg. MC, 27.04.2016 ( CBGP, FAUN 17347 ) ; 1 spm, TE, Schoelcher , Plateau Concorde, PF, 582 m a.s.l., lat.14,67913, long. -61,10634, leg. MC, 03.05.2016 ( CAEC, 216); 1 spm, TE, Ajoupa-Bouillon, SF, 272 m a.s.l., lat.14,80537, long. -61,11318, leg. MEJ, 03.05.2018 ( CBGP, FAUN 17348 ) ; 1 spm, TE, Ajoupa-Bouillon, SF, 272 m a.s.l., lat.14,80537, long. -61,11318, leg. MEJ, 12.06.2018 ( CAEC, 800); 1 spm, TE, Le Lorrain, Rivière Sylvestre, PF, 260 m a.s.l., lat.14,77525, long. -61,06527, leg. MC, 21.11.2017 ( CBGP, FAUN 17349 ) .

Other recent material (damaged specimens). 1 spm, TE, Le Lorrain, Morne Platine, PF, 451 m a.s.l., lat.14,75906, long. -61,06978, leg. MC, 19.10.2016 ( CAEC, 264); 1 spm, TE, Le Lorrain, Rivière Sylvestre, PF, 260 m a.s.l., lat.14,77525, long. -61,06527, leg. MC, 21.11.2017 ( CAEC, 177); 1 spm, TE, Saint-Joseph, Rivière Rouge, PF, 394 m a.s.l., lat.14,71807, long. -61,06686, leg. MC, 18.04.2016 ( CAEC, 192); 1 spm, TE, Le Lorrain, Rivière Sylvestre, PF, 260 m a.s.l., lat.14,77525, long. -61,06527, leg. MC, 21.11.2017 ( CAEC, 178); 1 spm, HC, Fond-Saint-Denis, Plateau Boucher, PF, 682 m a.s.l., lat.14,71862, long. -61,10059, leg. ML, 10.03.2020 ( CAEC, 16225); 1 spm, HC, Macouba, Maison du Moine, PF, 656 m a.s.l., lat.14,83371, long. -61,16368, leg. ML, 03.03.2020 ( CAEC, 16233); 1 spm, HC, Macouba, Maison du Moine, PF, 656 m a.s.l., lat.14,83371, long. -61,16368, leg. ML, 04.06.2020 ( CAEC, 16244) .

Diagnosis. Antennae usually of 17 articles, 3.7–3.8 times longer than cephalic plate; 2 nd and 3 rd antennal articles with a ring of long setae apically, the following articles with same ring basally. Cephalic plate with complete paramedian sutures ( Fig. 23 ), its posterior margin covered by tergite 1. Clypeus with large rhomboid setose plate ( Fig. 20 ) which bears 2–3 long and 1–3 very short setae. Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite strongly bilobed with 6+6 (to 8+8) long marginal and a few submarginal setae.

Tergite 1 ( Fig. 23 ) with well-developed anterior transverse suture; tergite 2 lacks paramedian sutures, tergites 5–20 with complete ones. Sternites 2–19 with incomplete median longitudinal sulcus and with transverse ridge between the coxae ( Figs 21, 22 ); sternites 3–8(9) with X-shaped trigonal sutures ( Fig. 21 ). LBS 2–19 with vertically divided katopleurae. Basal articles of legs with a few long, enlarged setae ventrally; pretarsal accessory spines rudimentary.

Ultimate LBS: oval coxopleural pore field with ca 70 visible pores and bordered posteriorly by a wide poreless area ( Fig. 24 ). Ultimate prefemur and femur both with numerous long and enlarged (i.e. spur-like) setae medially and ventrally ( Fig. 25 ). Ultimate tibia with 8–11 and tarsus 1 with 3(4) saw teeth ( Figs 25 , 26 ).

Derivation of name. We name this species after the Latin word “ amicitia ”, i.e. “friendship”, dedicating this name (which is a feminine noun) to the good traditions of collaboration and friendship among myriapodologists around the world.

Description of the adult holotype (MNHN, 212-P8G).

Body length ca 23.5 mm. Color in ethanol: uniformly light yellow; body with sparse (but well recognizable) long setae, both sternites and legs are visibly more setose.

Antennae 5.7 mm long, composed of 15+16 articles, reaching the posterior margin of tergite 5 when reflexed (3.8 times longer than the cephalic plate). Three basal antennal articles both dorsally and ventrally with some long setae (numerous even on first one, Fig. 20 ); in both second and third articles long setae form a ring close to apical end of article; all following articles with basal ring of long setae. Two basal antennal articles with a few short setae, more numerous on the third and very dense on all following ones. Basal articles cylindrical (or slightly conical); 10 th article ca 3 times longer than wide.

Cephalic plate 1.5 mm long, with complete paramedian sutures ( Fig. 23 ); its posterior margin covered by tergite 1. Clypeus with large rhomboid setose plate which bears 3 long setae and 1 very short one, and is well delimited by sutures ( Fig. 20 ); 1 seta at each side of setose plate. Labrum with a row of 13 prelabial setae and a single median tooth.

Forcipular segment ( Fig. 20 ): coxosternite with an extremely short median suture, which may be considered absent; anterior margin of coxosternite strongly bilobed with 8+7 (long and relatively enlarged) marginal and a few submarginal setae. Chitin-lines not visible. Tarsungula long and slim.

Tergite 1 ( Fig. 23 ) with well-developed anterior transverse suture, lacking paramedian sutures. Tergite 2 lacks visible paramedian sutures, the latter half-complete in anterior part of tergites 3 and 4 ( Fig. 27 ); tergites 5–20 with complete paramedian sutures. Tergites 3 and 19 with poorly-developed and tergites 4–18 with normally developed lateral crescentic sulci. Lateral margination virtually absent on tergites 1–19, poorly visible on 20 and well-developed on tergite 21; some posterior tergites with well-visible pretergite.

Sternites 1–21 trapeziform; sternites 2–19 with incomplete but well recognizable median longitudinal sulcus and with well-developed characteristic transverse ridge between the coxae ( Figs 21, 22 ). Sternites 3–8 with well recognizable X-shaped trigonal sutures ( Fig. 21 ), the latter poorly developed on sternite 9. Lateral projections of the anterior corners of the endosternites hardly visible, being poorly developed in sternites 1–9.

Katopleure divided vertically; visible on LBS 2–19.

Legs: basal articles sparsely setose, with a few long and enlarged setae ventrally. Legs 1–19 with a moderately visible division between tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 (some legs are somewhat flexed at this joint), tarsus of leg 20 definitely bipartite. Pretarsi long, thin and pointed, accessory spines rudimentary, but well visible.

Ultimate LBS: tergite 21 longer than wide, its sides slightly curved and posterior margin forming an acute angle being pointed caudally ( Fig. 24 ); its caudal half with shallow longitudinal median depression. Visible part of sternite 21 wider than long, narrowed towards the slightly concave posterior margin ( Fig. 24 ). Coxopleural pore field oval, visibly longer than sternite 21, consisting of ca 90 pores (of them only ca 70 are visible, i.e. not covered by sternite 21) and bordered posteriorly by a wide poreless area ( Fig. 24 ). 2–3 minute setae within the pore field and a few enlarged ones at both poreless area and posterior margin of coxopleuron.

Ultimate legs ( Figs 25 , 26 ) ca 6.2 mm long (prefemur–1.4 mm, femur–1.3, tibia–0.9, tarsus 1–0.6, tarsus 2–0.9), width of prefemur 0.45 mm. All articles of these legs with scattered, very long and thin setae; median and ventral surfaces of both prefemur and femur with numerous long and enlarged (spur-like) dark brown setae ( Fig. 25 ). Tibia with a pair of definitely curved dorsodistal spinous processes, tarsus 1 with these processes very short and not pointed ( Fig. 25 ). Femur lacks saw tooth, tibia with 8–10 and tarsus 1 with three saw teeth ( Figs 25 , 26 ).

Variability. Length of adults 20–23.5 mm, maximal one ca 26 mm. Antennae 3.7–3.8 times longer than the cephalic plate, usually composed of 17 articles, in some specimens of 14–16 (or even 12) (possibly as a result of damage). 10 th antennal article ca 2.75–3 times longer than wide.

Cephalic plate 1.4–1.6 mm long; cephalic paramedian sutures complete, but two specimens have them somewhat less developed and interrupted in their median third. In two softened (probably due to poor preservation in less concentrated alcohol) specimens, posterior margin of cephalic plate not covered by tergite 1. In a few specimens clypeal setose plate with 2 long and 2 (or 3) very short setae. Number of prelabial setae varies from 12 to 14. Anterior margin of coxosternite with 6+6 to 8+8 marginal setae.

Several specimens have paramedian sutures much shortened on some anterior tergites (ca 1/5–1/6 of tergal length in tergite 2 and ca 1/ 3 in tergites 3 and 4). Lateral crescentic sulci may be poorly developed on tergite 19. In some specimens tergite 21 with incomplete (ca ¾ of its length) and shallow longitudinal caudal depression; lateral margination may be very poorly developed or absent on tergite 20. Poorly developed traces of X-shaped trigonal sutures may be present on sternite 10.

Coxopleural pore field with ca 70–90 pores and 1–7 setae within it. Length of ultimate legs 6–6.7 mm. Tibia with 8–11 and tarsus 1 with three saw teeth in six specimens which have the ultimate legs; in single specimen (which kept only one ultimate leg), tarsus 1 with 4 saw teeth. Dorsodistal spinous processes of ultimate tarsus 1 are virtually not developed in some paratypes.

Ecology in Martinique. All specimens were found in preserved tropical rainforests at altitudes 270–600 m, so this species seems to be stenotopic. C. (T.) amicitia is currently considered to be a strict endemic to Martinique (a study in neighboring Dominica and Saint Lucia Islands should be carried out to confirm this status).

Range. Endemic to Martinique (Lesser Antilles).

Remarks. This new species differs readily from C. (T.) martinicensis by: much lesser number (8–9 vs 13–15) of sternites with characteristic trigonal sutures (all of them are X-shaped in C. (T.) amicitia ), an absence (vs presence) of paramedian sutures on tergite 1 (species specific character in the genus Cryptops ), half-complete (vs complete) paramedian sutures on tergites 3, 4 and absence (vs presence) of the dorsodistal spinous processes on the ultimate both prefemur and femur.

C. (T.) amicitia n. sp. definitely differs from C. (T.) iheringi (which widely occurs in the coastal regions of Southeastern Brazil) by absence of paramedian sutures on tergites 1 and 2, a lesser number of sternites with Xshaped trigonal sutures, rudimentary (vs long and well-developed) leg’s pretarsal accessory spines and absence of spur-like setae at the posterior part of the coxopleural pore field. Also the average size of C. (T.) iheringi is significantly larger than that of the new species.

C. (T.) amicitia n. sp. definitely differs from C. (T.) sarasini furcatus ( Ribaut, 1923) by the total absence (vs well-developed, W-shaped anteriorly) of paramedian sutures of tergite 1 and by X-shaped trigonal sutures on sternites 3–8 (vs on sternite 4 only).

Figures

FIGURES 20–25. Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) amicitia n. sp., holotype, 212-P8G (MNHN). 20. Head, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. 21. LBS 3–4, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.3 mm. 22. LBS 13–14, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.4 mm. 23. Head + LBS 1, dorsally. Scale bar: 0.4 mm. 24. LBS 20–21, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. 25. Right ultimate leg, medially. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 26–31. Cryptops (Trigonocryptops) amicitia n. sp., holotype, 212-P8G (MNHN). 26. Left ultimate leg, laterally. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. 27. LBS 3 and 4, dorsally. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Cryptops (T.) martinicensis Schileyko, Iorio & Coulis 2018. 28. General view of live specimen, dorsally. No FAUN 17334 (CBGP-CIRAD). 29. LBS 17, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. 30. LBS 16 and 17, ventrally. Scale bar: 0.4 mm. 31. Right ultimate leg, dorso-laterally. Scale bar: 0.3 mm.