Cryptops (Trichocryptops) malaccanus Verhoeff, 1937

Lewis, John G. E., 2016, On the Cryptops subgenus Trichocryptops Verhoeff, 1937, with a discussion of the problems of differentiating Cryptops species (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Cryptopidae), Zootaxa 4139 (4), pp. 575-584 : 577

Cryptops (Trichocryptops) malaccanus Verhoeff, 1937

( Figs 1 – 6)

C. (T.) malaccanus Verhoeff, 1937 , 221 Plate 14, figs 14–16. Peninsular Malaysia; Singapore.

Material examined. ZMB Kat. Nr. 13350. Fundort Malacca (2105) det Verhoeff. Three specimens (1–3) 17, 26 and 21 mm respectively.

Description. (Verhoeff’s (1937) data in parentheses). Length 18 – 26 mm. Colour: head brownish orange, trunk light brown or brown. Subcuticular black pigment laterally and medially on tergites 3 – 5, 7 or 8, a little pigment medially on TT 16 – 20 in specimen 1 and 3 which also has lateral pigmentation on TT20 and 21 (uniform chitin yellow, no green or black pigment).

Antennal articles 17+17 (18!). The basal two with scattered long setae, article 3 with long and short, 4 and subsequent with dense short and basal whorl of long setae. Cephalic plate without sutures (with very short sutures (“ Nahtansätzen ”), the posterior margin overlapped by T1. Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite virtually straight with 4+5 ( Fig. 1 ) or 5+5 (5+6), submarginal setae in an irregular row. (Poison duct thick, calyx twice as long as wide, lying in the anterior region of the trochanteroprefemur).

Tergites with a median keel with a sulcus on each side. Paramedian sutures incomplete from T4 to T7, complete from TT6, 7 or 8 (from 4 limited to the posterior quarter, complete from 7). Well-marked lateral crescentic sulci from TT3 – 20. Tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment with a triangular posterior margin, the apex rounded, a median depression in its posterior third. Sternites moderately to strongly punctate. Cruciform sulci: the transverse from SS3 – 19 narrow, almost reaching sternite margins; the longitudinal from SS2 – 18 wide and truncated with median sulcus. Posterior margin of sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment straight or slightly concave ( Fig. 2 ).

Coxopleural pore-field occupying anterior 61 – 65% of coxopleuron (40% pore-free) with about 25 pores in spm 1, 47 in spm 3 (30–35). Posterior edge of coxopleuron with 7 – 9 setae and 4+2+1 to 5+2+ 2 in pore-free strip, 13 in pore-field in spm 1 ( Fig. 3 ).

Ultimate leg prefemur and femur with fine setae dorsally and with slightly thicker setae on other surfaces ( Fig. 4 ). Prefemur without longitudinal medial glabrous area. Tibia and tarsi with fine setae. Saw teeth 1+7–10+5–6 (1 – 2+7 – 9+5 – 6).

Legs 1–19 setose, with divided tarsi, the joint fine but clear. Accessory spines long, between approximately 26 and 34% the length of the pretarsus (Fig. 6). Leg 20 with very dense short fine setae ventrally on prefemur, femur and tibia, these articles somewhat swollen in spm 1 and spm 2, less so in spm 3.

Remarks. Verhoeff remarked that the species appeared to be common (häufig) and recorded it from Telom Valley near Gunong Siku, Pahang, 1500 m ; Kuala Terla , Telom Valley, Pahang 1300 – 1500 m and Singapore, Bukit Timah.

Cryptops (T.) malaccanus closely resembles Nepalese C. doriae , differing in that the pretarsal accessory spines although long, are of equal rather than unequal length and in that the ultimate leg lateral, ventral and medial setae are “slightly thicker” ( Fig. 4 ) than the fine dorsal setae rather than “strong” as in C. doriae (Fig. 5) but this may be a matter of degree. The sternite median longitudinal sulcus is narrow in C. doriae , broad and truncated with a median groove in C. malaccanus .

I do not consider these differences sufficient to retain C. malaccanus as a separate species and it is proposed that it be regarded as a junior subjective synonym of C. doriae as currently understood. Both C. malaccanus and C. doriae have been recorded from Peninsular Malaysia.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Cryptops (T.) malaccanus. 1. Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite spm 1. 2. Ultimate sternite spm 1. 3. Right coxopleuron lateral view spm 1. 4. Lateral prefemoral seta from loose ultimate leg. Figure 5. C. doriae. Seta from ultimate prefemur spm 1 Upper Simbua Khola Valley, Nepal. Figure 6. C. (T.) malaccanus. Pretarsus of locomotory leg spm 2. Scale bars: Fig. 1 = 0.25 mm, Figs 2 & 3 = 0.5 mm, Figs 4 – 6 = 0.1 mm.