Agathodesmus adelphus, Mesibov, Robert, 2013

Mesibov, Robert, 2013, New species of Agathodesmus Silvestri, 1910 from Australia (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Haplodesmidae), ZooKeys 325, pp. 33-64 : 39-41

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.325.5932

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B79DEF20-095A-2577-C46F-DEFFC4CEA6D8

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Agathodesmus adelphus
status

sp. n.

Agathodesmus adelphus sp. n. Fig. 6A

Holotype.

Male, Mt Bartle Frere, Qld, west slopes, 17°22'57"S, 145°46'45"E ± 500m, 800-1000 m a.s.l., 30 December 1989, G. Monteith, QM S96015.

Paratype.

1 female, details as for holotype, QM S96016.

Other material.

None.

Diagnostic description.

Male and female with head + 20 rings. Colour in alcohol very faintly reddish. Male/female ca 8.0/8.5 mm long; ring 12 maximum diameter ca 0.6/0.7 mm, maximum width ca 0.85/0.9 mm. Metatergal tubercles in 8-10 irregular transverse rows, mostly without setae; metatergal setae short with slightly flared tips; lateralmost two rows of tubercles not enlarged, together forming narrow pseudo-paranotum with 6 marginal tubercles. Male leg 6 coxa with small, rounded, mediodistal projection. Telopodite (Fig. 6A) with pp straight; at in longitudinal plane, short and rounded-triangular; dp directed laterobasally at base; mab concave medially, deeply divided with smaller medial lobe bent posteriorly, tapering and with sharp subterminal tooth on lateral surface; larger, lateral mab lobe widening to thickened, emarginate apex; meb curving strongly behind mab, divided at ca one-third length into 2 thin processes.

Distribution.

Known only from rainforest high on Mt Bartle Frere in tropical north Queensland (Fig. 13A). Possibly co-occurs on Mt Bartle Frere with Agathodesmus quintanus sp. n. and Agathodesmus summus sp. n., although both these species are found at higher elevations on the mountain.

Name.

Latin adelphus, 'brother', a punning reference to the 'Frere' in the name of the type locality; adjective.

Remarks.

Fig. 6A shows two unidentified mites, one on each telopodite. They have not been removed from the holotype.