Jeekelosoma heptarachne sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F43040BD-C8DA-474A-94CD-A9FB3B9202C6

Figs 5–8

Diagnosis

A species of Jeekelosoma with 17 podous rings, with the ozopores borne on chimney-like outgrowths each provided with several macrosetae, with extremely long legs, and without a horizontal row of tubercles on podous rings 5–17.

Etymology

The name is a noun in apposition, composed of Greek ‘hepta’ (= seven) and ‘arachne’ (= spider). A male of the new species has 28 pairs of long, thin walking legs and thus (somewhat) resembles a row of seven spiders.

Material examined

Holotype MOROCCO • 3; Tazentout, cave Wit Tamdoun; 9 Aug. 1971; C. Ribera leg.; MZB 73-2849.

Paratypes MOROCCO • 3 ♀♀; same collecting data data as for holotype; MZB 73-2849, MZB 71-8589, MZB 71-8590 • 1 ♂; in part mounted on two SEM stubs; MZB 71-8592 • 1 ♀; NHMD 302023 .

Description

Male SIZE. Body length ca 8 mm, max. width 0.63 mm, 19 ‘segments’ (17 podous rings + 1 apodous ring + telson).

HEAD. As in J. abadi, but densely covered by long setae. Length of antennae 3.1 × max. body width. Relative length of antennomeres 2–8: 18 / 20 / 17 / 16 / 20 / 7 / 2.3.

COLLUM. As in J. abadi, but setae much longer.

MIDBODY RINGS (Fig. 6 A–C). Very narrow/elongated, length of metazona equaling maximum width. Body extremely narrow in anterior part, maximum width attained a little behind midbody; from there until and including ring 18 (the apodous ring in front of telson) body parallel-sided. Surface of metazona with very pronounced microcellulate structure, borders between cuticular scutes raised. Metazona with diameter increasing towards rear margin and with a clear constriction at ca ¹/3 of its length, measured from rear margin; posterior margin of rings finely crenulate but without a proper limbus. Each metazona with three rows of long, rather stout setae borne on distinct tubercles; each row on midbody rings with ca 10 setae; anterior row curving posteriad laterally; intermediate row situated just behind constriction. Metazonal setae much longer than in J. abadi (cf. Fig. 2). No horizontal row of tubercles, but lateral parts of anterior row appearing as oblique row of tubercles in lateral view.

OZOPORES (Fig. 6 G–H). On cylindrical peritremata, with 4–5 long, stout setae in a group anterodorsally to pore.

LEGS (Fig. 6C, E–F). Length 2.25 × max. body width. Relative length of podomeres: prefemur: 12 / femur: 30 / postfemur: 7 / tibia: 11 / tarsus: 35 / claw: 2.4. Femora clearly longer than body diameter, no distal swelling. No scopulae.

TELSON. As in J. abadi .

GONOPODAL APERTURE (Fig. 6D). Transverse elliptical, with a small median process originating on posterior margin.

GONOPODS (Figs 7–8). Coxa (cx) slightly convex on anterior surface; prefemoral part (prf) slightly more than half as long as acropodite; mesal acropodital process (map) a simple broad, dorso-ventrally flattened structure; solenophore (sph) as long as map, slender, apically with a subrectangular lamella (sph‑a) with distal corners drawn out into long processes, but without a terminal appendage; solenomere (slm) slender, simple, largely concealed within sph.

Female

Non-sexual characters as in male, except:

SIZE. Body length 10–13 mm, max. width 0.58–0.80 mm.

ANTENNAE. Length in largest female 2.0 × max. body width. Relative length of antennomeres 2–8: 18 / 18 / 16 / 16 / 21 / 7 / 3.

LEGS. Length in largest female 1.8 × max. body width. Relative length of podomeres: prefemur: 13 / femur: 32 / postfemur: 8 / tibia: 11 / tarsus: 34 / claw: 2.4.

Distribution and habitat

Known only from “Tazentout, cave Wit Tamdoun”. This cave (Bichain 2008) is also home to a rove beetle Domene cantonsi Español, 1972 known only from this and two further Moroccan caves (Hernando 2007), and to an endemic North African terrestrial isopod, Trichoniscus soloisensis Vandel, 1959 (Cruz 1991) .