Stylopauropoides hetaeros, Scheller, 2009

Scheller, Ulf, 2009, New species of Pauropoda (Myriapoda) from Tasmanian temperate rainforests, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66 (2), pp. 289-329 : 318-320

Stylopauropoides hetaeros sp.nov.

( Figs.155–168 )

Material Examined. Holotype. Ad. 9 (female), Big Sassy Creek , Loc. 7, (42°08.5'S, 147°54.3'E), soil core, 12.v.1989 ( PG, DR).

Paratypes. Mount Michael (41°10.9'S, 148°00.4'E), litter, 1 ad. 9 (male), 1 subad. 8 (female), 2 juv. 5, 4 juv. 3, 1 stad.?, 29.xi.1989 ( HM) . Mount Victoria, Loc. 5, (41°20.4'S, 147°49.9'E), litter, 2 ad. 9 (female), 1 subad. 8 (male), 1 juv. 5, 29.xi.1989, ( RC) . Simons Road , Loc. 17, (41°21.5',147°31.3'), non-myrtle litter, 1 ad. 9 (female), 8.iii.1989 ( PG) .

Other material. 30 specimens. Loc. 1, in moss on dead trunk, 2 ad. 9 (female), 31.iv.1989 ( PG), and in moss on ground , 6 ad. 9 (3 male, 3 female), 2 subad. 8 (male, female), 21.iv.1989 ( HM). Loc. 4, litter , 1 juv. 5, 18.xi.1989 ( RC). Loc. 5, PKD, tree , 1 juv. 5, 25.xi.1989 ( RC). Loc. 6, in moss on ground , 6 ad. 9 (2 male, 4 female), 11.vi.1990 ( ATW), and in pitfall trap , 1 subad. 8 (female), 24–29.xi.1989 ( RC), and in litter , 2 juv. 5, 4 juv. 3, 1 juv. stad.?, 29.xi.1989 ( HM). Loc. 7, soil core , 1 juv. 6, 1 juv. 3, 8.iii.1989 ( PG). Loc. 17, Vilt area, soil core , 1 juv. 5, 5.vi.1989 ( PG) .

Diagnosis. There are many similarities between S. hetaeros and S. duplex (Remy) from New Zealand ( Remy 1956a) particularly in the shape of the setae of the tergal side of the head, the antennal branches, the setae of the pygidial tergum and the general shape of the anal plate. Good distinguishing characters are: the distal part of the branches of the anal plate (with distinct inner process in haeteros, evenly rounded in duplex ); the appendages of the anal plate (in the shape of a nail-head, not clavate); the shape of the setae in the posterior row of tergite VI (clavate, not subcylindrical).

Description. Length. -(0.82-)1.03(-1.27) mm.

Head.-All tergal setae except for a 3 of 2nd row clavate and densely pubescent with short oblique hairs, submedian setae distinctly clavate and sublateral ones weakly, a 3 of 2nd row cylindrical striate; lateral group setae thin cylindrical striate. Relative lengths of setae, 1st row: a 1 =10, a 2 =11(-13); 2nd row: a 1 =11(-12), a 2 =11(-13), a 3 =10(-12); 3rd row: a 1 =11(-12), a 2 =(11-)13(-14); 4th row: a 1 =11(-13), a 2 =(12-)14(-15), a 3 =(13-)14(-15), a 4 =(12-)14(-16); lateral group setae: l 1 =(22-)26, l 2 =18(-22), l 3 =23(-25). The ratio a 1 /a 1 -a 1 in 1st row (1.1-)1.2(-1.4), 2nd row (0.7-)0.8, 3rd row 1.1(-1.2) and 4th row 0.8. Temporal organs in tergal view ovoid, their length (0.6-)0.7 of their shortest distance apart; in the middle, a probable interior vesicle opening outwards with a very small pore in the cuticula; length of vesicle almost 0.2 of the length of the temporal organ. Head cuticle with very dense and short pubescence.

Antennae.-Segment 4 with six cylindrical striate-annulate setae; their relative lengths: p =100, p' =(64-)67(-72), p'' =(44-)57(-59), p''' =(21-)30, r =17(-19), u =? (5-6). Tergal seta p (0.7-)0.8(-0.9) of the length of tergal branch t. The latter fusiform, obliquely truncate distally, branch 2.7(-3.4) times as long as its greatest diameter and 0.9(-1.0) of the length of sternal branch s, that branch (1.5-)1.6(-1.7) times as long as its greatest diameter; posterodistal and anterodistal corners equally truncate. Seta q cylindrical, annulate-striate, tapering, pointed, (0.6-)0.7 of the length of s. Relative lengths of flagella (basal segments included) and basal segments: F 1 =100, bs 1 =(8-)9; F 2 =(87-)94, bs 2 =(8-)9; F 3 =(77-)92, bs 3 =8. The F 1 (2.3-)2.6(-2.7) times as long as t, F 2 and F 3 (1.8-)2.6 and (1.9-)2.5 times as long as s respectively. Distal calyces hemispherical; distal part of flagella axes widened only between calyx and the distal lamella. Globulus g with thick stalk, (1.7-)2.2 times as long as wide; about nine bracts, capsule spherical; width of g (0.5-)0.6 of the greatest diameter of t. Rudimentary globulus on posterotergal side of 3rd segment. Antennae with short pubescence.

Trunk.- Setae of collum segment furcate; primary branch folioform with almost erect short pubescence, secondary branch rudimentary, cylindrical, glabrous. Sublateral setae as long as (-1.1) times as long as submedian ones; sternite process with distinct anterior incision; appendages with flat caps; process and appendages with minute pubescence.

Setae on tergites as submedian setae on tergal side of head and of about the same length on all tergites; 4+4 setae on tergite I, 6+6 on II-V, 4+2 on VI. Submedian posterior setae on VI (0.2-)0.3 of their distance apart and (1.2-)1.6 times as long as pygidial setae a

1

.

Relativelengthsofbothriotricha: T 1 =100, T 2 =(101-)102(-105), T 3 =?(81-138), T 4 =(105-)107(-135), T 5 =(118-)120(-172); all setae with simple straight axes, very thin in all but T 3, the latter distinctly thickened in the middle. Pubescence short and oblique on proximal 1/3 of T 1 and T 2, proximal 4/5 of T 3 and 9/10 of T 4 and T 5; pubescence long erect whorled and partly branched in distal 2/3 of T 1 and T 2, short and erect in most distal part of T

4

and T

5

.

Genital papillae (paratype) short, subcylindrical, rounded distally, 1.5 times as wide as long, glabrous; seta thin, 0.2 of the length of the organ.

Legs.-Setae on coxa and trochanter of leg 9 furcate, densely pubescent, main branch leaf-shaped, broadest in the middle, secondary branch clavate, protruding from a point just below the middle of the primary one and reaching 0.5 of the length of primary branch; these setae more anteriorly, with rudimentary cylindrical glabrous secondary branch. Tarsus of leg 9 almost straight, tapering, (3.0-)3.3(-3.7) times as long as its greatest diameter. Setae with oblique pubescence, proximal one tapering, pointed, distal seta subcylindrical annulate blunt. Proximal seta 0.4 of the length of tarsus and (2.1-)2.2(-2.4) times as long as distal seta. Cuticle of tarsus with very short dense pubescence.

Pygidium. Tergum.-Posterior margin between st almost straight. Relative lengths of setae: a

1

=100, a

2

=(233-)237(-309), a 3 =231(-292), st =65(-81); setae curved inwards; a 1 tapering blunt, a 2 and a 3 tapering pointed, st subcylindrical blunt; pubescence very short in all but st, on the latter longer and whorled; all setae pointing inwards, a 1 and st distinctly, a 2 and a 3 only a little, st thin, somewhat clavate, blunt. Distance a 1 -a 1 (3.1-)3.3(-3.7) times as long as a 1; distance a 1 -a 2 about twice as long as than distance a 2 -a 3; distance st-st (3.0-)3.7 times as long as s and 0.7 of distance a

1

-a

1.

Sternum.-Posterior margin with large median semicircular lobe below anal plate. Relative lengths of setae (a 1 =100): b 1 =212(-357); similar to a 3 of pygidial tergum, but thicker at base and with stronger pubescence, 0.7(-0.9) of their distance apart. Anal plate directed obliquely upwards, about as broad as long, divided longitudinally by a V-shaped incision into two broad fusiform branches, the latter cut squarely and a with distal short inner process directed obliquely inwards; each branch with a short-stalked distal appendage in the shape of a nail-head; pubescence short oblique, most distally and on the appendages longer, longest on the inner processes.

Stage subad. 8. Genital papillae rather well developed, ovoid, seta absent.

Etymology.-From Greek hetaeros = companion (to S. duplex ).

Distribution in Tasmania. As are S. ringueleti and S. erectus , this species may be confined to the northern half of the State.

Figures

Figs. 155–168. Stylopauropoides hetaerosr sp.nov., holotype, 155–161, 164–168, paratype 162, 163: 155, head, median and right part, tergal view; 156, temporal organ, posterior part with pistil, lateral view; 157, left antenna, sternal view; 158, distal part of 3rd antennal segment, tergal view; 159, collum segment, median and left part, sternal view; 160, tergite VI, posterior part; 161, T; 162, T; 163, left genital papilla, anterior view; 1 3 164, seta on coxa of 9th pair of legs; 165, tarsus of 9th pair of legs; 166, pygidium, posterior part, sternal view; 167, pygidial seta a; 168, anal 1 plate, lateral view. Scale line a for figures 160–163, 165; b for figures 155, 156, 159, 164; c for figures 157, 158, 166–168.