Takashimaia ramungula Miyosi, 1955

Published, First, 2007, The Mecistocephalidae of the Japanese and Taiwanese islands (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha), Zootaxa 1396, pp. 1-84 : 66-68

Takashimaia ramungula Miyosi, 1955

Figs. 77–80

[1] Takashimaia ramungula Miyosi 1955b — Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan 16–19: 171 (original description); fig. 3

[2] Takashimaia ramungula: Takano 1980 — Atypus 76: 53

Takashimaia ramungula: Murakami 1993 — List Species Anim. Japan 5: 105

Takashimaia ramungula: Shinohara 1999 — Pictorial Keys Soil Anim. Japan: 709; fig. 7 (703)

Takashimaia ramungula: Bonato et al. 2003 — Syst. Entom. 28: 550, 551

Diagnosis. See the diagnosis of the genus (monospecific genus).

Type material. Holotype: female, 34 mm long, subadult ( Miyosi, 1955b).

Type locality. ‘Saraga­Mine, Ehime­Ken’, Shikoku ( Miyosi, 1955b).

Depository of type material. Originally deposited at Matsuyama Kita Koto Gakko, Matsuyama ( Miyosi, 1955b), but apparently lost (K. Ishii, pers. comm.).

Material examined. 21 specimens: 1 male, adult (51 mm), 3 males, subadult (32, 35 and 38 mm), and 1 female, adult (45 mm) from Odamiyama , Ehime pref., Shikoku, 5. VI .1997, K. Ishii leg., coll. AM; 1 female, subadult (27 mm), from Mt. Ishizuchisan, Ehime pref., Shikoku , 30.VII.1986, T . Tanabe leg., coll TT; 1 male, adult (16 mm) and 2 females, adult (both 18 mm), from Satamisaki, Sata­cho, Kimotsuki­gun , Kagoshima pref., Kyushu , 30.VII.1986, T . Tanabe leg., coll. AM and TT; 1 male, subadult (14 mm), from Osaki, Nishinoomote­shi, Tanegashima Id., Kumage­gun, Kagoshima pref., Ryukyu Ids , 14.XI.1986, A. Moroto leg., coll. AM and TT ; 2 females, subadult (17 and 18 mm) from along Okabu­hodo, 1020­1120 m, Yakushima Id., Kumage­gun, Kagoshima pref., Ryukyu Ids , 28.VII.1980, A. Moroto leg., coll. AM and TT ; 1 male, adult (52 mm), from along Hanayama­hodo, 1400 m, Yakushima Id., Kumage­gun, Kagoshima pref., Ryukyu Ids , 26.IV.1986, A. Moroto leg., coll. AM ; 1 male, subadult (30 mm), from along Miyanoura­hodo, 1635 m, Yakushima Id., Kumage­gun, Kagoshima pref., Ryukyu Ids , 27.VII.1986, A. Moroto leg., coll. TT ; 1 male, adult (17 mm), 6 males, subadult (10, 13, 13, 13, 13 and 14 mm), 3 females, adult (14, 15 and 17 mm), 1 female, subadult (15 mm), and 1 juvenile (6 mm), from Mt. Nishime, Okinawa, Ryukyu Ids , collected 6.VII.2001, 22.XI.2001 and 27.II.2003, S. Karasawa leg., coll. AM .

Description. Body length of adults between about 1.5 and 5 cm. Body colour yellow, without dark patches; head and forcipular segment darker. Head 1.3–1.8 times as long as wide; frontal line rounded. Antennae about 2.9–4.3 times as long as the head width. Apical sensilla about 12 µm long. Clypeus: a single plagula covering most of the clypeus, areolation only present along the anterior margin; few patterned setae and a few sensilla on each side, in the antero­medial part of the clypeus. Labrum: anterior ala triangular, medial margin reduced to a vertex; posterior margin of each side­piece slightly sinuous. Spiculum present, buccae without setae. Mandible: about 6–7 lamellae; first lamella with 4–5 teeth; average intermediate lamella with 11–12 teeth; basal tooth shorter than the first tooth of the first lamella. First maxillae: anterior corners of coxosternum not projecting; each medial projection about 1.8–2.4 times as long as wide, internal margin with some setae, distal lobe clavate; each telopodite about 3.0–3.5 times as long as wide. Second maxillae: article I of telopodite about 2.5–3.5 times as long as wide; article III about 3.2–4.0 times as long as wide; apical claw present, abruptly sharpened into an elongated point. Forcipules: article I and III each with a tooth; article II untoothed or with a small tubercle; tarsungulum without basal tooth, but with a well­developed tooth emerging more distally, on the dorso­internal side of the tarsungulum. A total of 45 leg­bearing segments. Sternal sulcus not furcate. Last leg­bearing segment: sternum trapezoid, 0.9–1.2 times as wide as long; a few short additional setae on the ventral side of the telopodites in both sexes.

Distribution in the considered area.

Honshu: Funakata, Tateyama, Chiba pref.; Amatsu, Amatsukominato­machi, Awa­gun, Chiba pref.; Miyake­jima, Izu­shoto, Tokyo [2] (transcribed from Japanese).

Shikoku: ‘Saraga­Mine’ (type locality) [1]; ‘ Omogo , Takanawa­San’ [1]; Odamiyama; Mt. Ishizuchisan (new) .

Kyushu: Satamisaki, Sata­cho, Kimotsuki­gun (new).

Ryukyu Islands: Osaki, Nishinoomote­shi, Tanegashima Id. (new); Okabu­hodo, Yakushima Id. (new); Hanayama­hodo, Yakushima Id. (new); Miyanoura­hodo, Yakushima Id. (new); Mt. Nishime, Okinawa (new).

General distribution. Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Ryukyu Islands.

Remarks. The genus Takashimaia is currently monospecific but, as the size of adults varies within an unusually large range, further investigation will possibly reveal a greater, but as yet unknown, taxonomic diversity.