Megaphyllum sjaelandicum (Meinert, 1868)

Mikhaljova, Elena V., Nefediev, Pavel S. & Nefedieva, Julia S., 2007, New data on millipedes of the family Julidae (Diplopoda, Julida) from Altai, Siberia, Zootaxa 1541, pp. 57-63 : 62-63

Megaphyllum sjaelandicum (Meinert, 1868)

Fig. 19

Material examined: 1 male, 1 female ( IBSS) from Russia, Siberia, Republic of Altai, Shebalino District, Kumalyr, 85° 34' – 51° 10', Larix sibirica park-like forest, 1050 m a.s.l., collected 14 August 2005 by A.S. Babenko; 1 male, no. 50 ( PSU) from Russia, Urals, Perm Province, Kishertsky District, "Predural'e" protected territory, Kamen' Mezhevoy, southern slope, steppe part, limestone, collected 31 May 1996 by N.S. Mazura; 2 males, 1 female, no. 102 ( IBSS), 1 male, no. 102 ( PSU) from Russia, Perm Province, Kachka village, new Betula forest, pitfall traps, collected 2–13 June 2001 by S.L. Esyunin.

Remarks. This species is distributed in Central and Eastern Europe. Hitherto the easternmost known records are from the Ural Region ( Komlev & Esyunin 1996). This is the first record of the species in Siberia. This species appears to be variable. The mesal side of the gonopod promere in a male from Altai has a small projection distally ( Fig. 19 ). The gonopod promere is devoid of such a projection in males from European countries and the Ural Region. In addition, the gonopod flagella are somewhat longer, and the gonopod mesomere processes are somewhat more obtuse in a male from Altai in comparison with ones in males from the Urals.

A still undescribed species referred to as Megaphyllum aff. sjaelandicum was recorded in the West (= Rudnyi) Altais, East Kazakhstan ( Golovatch 1992). It seems plausible that it too belongs to M. sjaelandicum , taking into account the variability of latter species.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Megaphyllum sjaelandicum (Meinert, 1868), male. Gonopod promere, front view. Scale in mm.