Hemilepistus cristatus Budde-Lund, 1885

Kashani, Ghasem M., Sari, Alireza & Hosseinie, Shidokht, 2010, Terrestrial isopods of the subgenus Hemilepistus (Hemilepistus) Budde-Lund, 1879 (Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Iran, Zootaxa 2549, pp. 54-68 : 57-60

Hemilepistus cristatus Budde-Lund, 1885

Figs 2 D–F, 4

Hemilepistus cristatus Budde-Lund, 1885: 153 .– Borutzky, 1945: 193.– 1978: 34.– Lincoln, 1970: 121. Hemilepistus uljanini Borutzky, 1955: 216 .– 1958: 1469.– 1961: 26.

Material examined. Robate Gharebil, 37˚20.3'N, 56˚15.5'E, 6 May 2008, 7 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1030); [30 km] N of Gonbad Qaboos, 37˚25.6'N, 55˚06.0'E, 10 September 2008, 5 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1031); Gonbad to Maraveh Tappeh, 37˚42.9'N, 54˚53.0'E, 10 September 2008, 9 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1032); Gonbad to Marave Tappeh, 37˚56.1'N, 55˚22.9'E, 10 September 2008, 3 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1033); Hemmatabad, 37˚54.4'N, 55˚42.3'E, 10 September 2008, 5 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1034); Marave Tappeh, 37˚54.2'N, 55˚56.6'E, 10 September 2008, 6 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1035); Bojnourd to Raaz, 37˚41.7'N, 56˚55.2'E, 11 September 2008, 6 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1036); Robat Gharebil, 37˚20.3'N, 56˚15.5'E, 11 September 2008, 3 specimens ( ZUTC Iso.1037).

Additional material. Iran, [3 km] S of Marave Tappeh, 37˚54'N, 55˚56'E, 28 June 2001, leg. T. Osten, det. H. Schmalfuss ( SMNS 1158); Persia, Serdscen, leg. Lessona, det. Arcangeli, misidentified as H. crenulatus , syntypes, more than 50 specimens ( MRST Is-371); Persia, Serdscen, syntypes, 2 specimens ( BMNH 1956.10.10:156–157); Persia, Serdscen, Norman collection, cotypes, 4 specimens ( BMNH 1911.11.8:10443–46); Turkmenia, Ashkhabad, leg. Walter in Budde-Lund collection, det. R. J. Lincoln, misidentified as H. klugii , 5 specimens ( BMNH 1921.10.18:4097–4101).

Remarks. Based on the pattern and number of tubercles on the head, this species is more similar to H. klugii than any other species (compare Fig. 2 D and 5A). Contrary to Budde-Lund (1885), Arcangeli (1932) contended that these species are synonymous based on comparison of specimens from Serdscen and Tehran at MRST. Examination and comparison of these material with the specimens from different localities and dates in Iran clearly showed that these are distinct species, based on the following criteria: the number of large tubercles on the head in H. cristatus is usually more than those in H. klugii and there are always many smaller tubercles on the head; large tubercles in mature individuals of H. cristatus , as opposed to tubercles in H. klugii that are nearly of the same size, are different in size and posterior tubercles are conspicuously larger than anterior ones; postero-lateral tubercles on the head as well as the lateral tubercles on the pereonites usually merge to form cube-shaped tubercles; posterior tubercles on pereonite 1–2 are large and form an upright crest in both sexes (in H. klugii , only in males if at all); size of tubercles on pereonite 3 is markedly smaller than that on pereonites 1–2 (not much smaller in H. klugii ); the largest individuals of H. cristatus (19 mm) are smaller than adult specimens of H. klugii (22 mm), which is reflected on the diameter of their nest entrance (personal observations).

In his review of the subgenus, Lincoln (1970) placed the specimens from Serdscen in H. cristatus but he identified the specimens from Ashkhabad as H. klugii . Examination of material by G. M. K. revealed that the latter belongs to H. cristatus , and the data on geographical distribution support this identification. Schmalfuss (2003) questioned the presence of this species in Iran while its type locality in Budde-Lund (1885) recorded as Serdscen in Persia.

Distribution. Southern Turkmenia; Northeast Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Hemilepistus aphganicus. A – C. male, 20 mm; Hemilepistus cristatus. D – F. Male, 16 mm. A, D. head and four first pereonites, dorsal view; B, E. head and first four pereonites, lateral view; C, F. pleon.