Scolopocryptops sukuyan, Chagas-Jr & Edgecombe & Minelli, 2023

Chagas-Jr, Amazonas, Edgecombe, Gregory D. & Minelli, Alessandro, 2023, An unknown segment number in centipedes: a new species of Scolopocryptops (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) from Trinidad with 25 leg-bearing segments, Organisms Diversity & Evolution (New York, N. Y.) 23 (2), pp. 369-380 : 371-372

Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp.

( Figs. 2a and b , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11, 12 , 13, 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ).

Typematerial: Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad. Holotype: AMNH IZ 00357038 , Arima: Blanchisseuse Rd: 4 km marker, David A. Brody , July 14, 26, 1978 . Paratypes: AMNH IZ 00357039 , circa mile post 15 on North Range road from Arima to Blanchisseuse , E.N. Kjellesvig-Waering, November 30, 1963 ; AMNH IZ 00357040 , Saint George Co, Arima, Las Lapas Rd. (off Blanchisseuse road, N. AWNC), L.N. Sorkin , 23.vii.1979, leaf litter, u. rock, wood ; FSCA, St. George Co., Arima Ward, Simla & vic., G.B. Edwards, 20–23-viii-1986, beat vegetation. Specimen data directly copied from labels apart from standardizing the order of locality, collector, and date .

Diagnosis: Scolopocryptops species with 25 leg-bearing trunk segments ( Fig. 2a, b ); coxosternal tooth plates formed by two short thickened chitinous bands; sternites 2(3) to 18(19) with incomplete short paramedian sutures at anterior margin; coxopleural processes short; ventral spinous process of the prefemur short (small) located in basal portion, and with tip curved inward, dorsomedial spinous process very short or absent.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to a mythical creature — a vampire — from the Caribbean islands. In Trinidad and Tobago this is known as Sukuyan.

Figures

Fig.2 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad. a Habitus dorsal. b Habitus ventral. Scale bar 5 mm

Fig.3 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad.Cephalic plate, dorsal view.Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.4 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad.Forcipular coxosternum, ventral view.Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.5 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad. Coxosternal tooth plate, ventral view.Scale bar 0.5 mm

Fig.6 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad.Tergite 25, dorsal view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.7 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad.Sternite 25, ventral view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.8 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad. Segment 25 showing the coxopleuron, lateral view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.9 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., holotype, AMNH IZ 00357038, Trinidad. Prefemur of the ultimate pair of legs showing the ventral spinous process, lateral view. Scale bar 2 mm

Fig.10 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad.Cephalic plate, dorsal view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.12 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad.Tergites 7 to 9, dorsal view.Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.14 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad.Tergite 25, dorsal view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.15 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad.Sternite 25, ventral view. Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.16 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad.Segment 25 showingthe coxopleuron,lateral view.Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.17 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp., paratype, AMNH IZ 00357039, Trinidad. Prefemur of the ultimate pair of legs showing the ventral spinous process,lateral view.Scale bar 1 mm

Fig.18 Scolopocryptops sukuyan n. sp. Live animal photographed on 13 February 2021, at 10.74566° N 61.232681° W, Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, Trinidad. Photo courtesy of Mark Hulme