Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) cooperi Chamberlin, 1942

Chagas-Jr, Amazonas, 2016, A systematic appraisal of the types of ten species of Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae, Otostigminae), Zootaxa 4147 (1), pp. 36-58 : 43

Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) cooperi Chamberlin, 1942

( Figures 15–17 )

Otostigmus cooperi Chamberlin, 1942: 125 –126;

Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) cooperi Bücherl, 1974: 112 .

Type material examined. Holotype ( Figs 15–16 ) and paratype NMNH 2061590 , Panama, Chilibrillo Cave A., 15.vii.1941, K. W. Cooper.

Redescription of holotype. Length: 95 mm from the anterior margin of the cephalic plate to the posterior margin of tergite 21. Antennae damaged, missing several articles (17 articles); two basal articles and the basal part of the third article glabrous. Cephalic plate smooth, without sutures and depressions. Coxosternal tooth-plates, wider than longer, with 4+4 teeth, the three inner teeth are closer to each other than to the external tooth; a strong seta on each plate (not described). Coxosternite with a transverse suture at the base of the tooth plate and a median longitudinal suture; transverse suture is laterally bifurcate (not described). Margin of the forcipular trochanteroprefemoral process with one, two or three short denticles, and the tip pointed (not described).

Tergites 1–2 smooth; tergites 3–4 with low rugosities (first two dorsal plates nearly smooth, but plates from third onward densely and finely granular or scabrous); tergite 5 with an incomplete short paramedian suture at posterior border; tergites 6–20 with complete paramedian sutures (not described); tergites 4–21 with a median longitudinal keel (in the middle and posterior region the plates present a distinctly elevated median longitudinal ridge) ( Fig. 17 ); tergites 6–20 with a keel median to each paramedian suture (not described); tergites 5–21 marginate (plates of the posterior region have the lateral margins elevated and rounded). Posterior margin of tergite 21 convex (caudal margin obtusely angular), with posterior longitudinal depression and three longitudinal keels, the median shorter than the laterals (dorsal surface with a wide median longitudinal furrow that is divided anteriorly by median ridge). Sternites 4–18 with two depressions arranged medially at center (at middle of plate with a pair of shallow depressions); anterior and posterior sternites with barely visible depressions; sternites 5–18 with three small, weakly rounded depressions arranged transversely at posterior margin (not described). Sternite 21 with posterior margin slightly concave (narrowed caudad), almost straight (caudal margin weakly incurved), shorter than the preceding sternite, and with a median longitudinal sulcus (a median longitudinal furrow).

Coxopleuron without spines (entirely without processes and spines). Pores of the coxopleuron of several sizes. Pore-field covers almost entire coxopleuron; posterior end of the coxopleuron poreless. In the poreless area there is a lateral sulcus. Posterior margin of coxopleuron forming very short process, which is rounded apically.

Left leg 1 with one femoral and one tibial spur; legs 1–4 with two tarsal spurs (first three pairs of legs with two tarsal spurs); legs 5–19 with one, and 20 and 21 without tarsal spurs. Prefemur of ultimate legs without sexual appendix (femora of anal legs in female smooth, entirely lacking spines).

Remarks. This species was collected on a wall of the main chamber of Chilibrillo Cave, in Panama. It has been compared to a female of O. scabricauda , but it differs from the latter by dorsal ridges, body size, and color ( Chamberlin 1942). In fact, the holotype and paratype of O. cooperi share some features with females of O. pococki , but not with females of O. scabricauda . The first two tergites of O. cooperi and O. pococki are smooth, tergites 3 or tergites 4 are weakly rugose, and tergites 5–21 have three longitudinal keels (one medial and two lateral). In O. scabricauda , the tergites are smooth from tergites 1–12, and have scattered tubercles from tergites 13–20, but never have complete keels. The body length of the holotype of O. cooperi is 95 mm, and in O. pococki 70 mm ( Kraepelin 1903). However, there are many specimens of O. pococki from Venezuela and Colombia slightly larger or smaller than the holotype of O. cooperi ( Bücherl 1950, Chagas-Jr et al. 2014). The olive green color with lighter green sides and legs described for O. cooperi is also very similar to the color found in specimens of O. pococki , as pointed out by Bücherl (1950). Therefore, O. cooperi is hereby considered as a junior synonym of O. pococki .

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 17. Otostigmus (P.) cooperi. Holotype NMNH 2061590, female. 15. Habitus, (dorsal view). 16. Habitus, (ventral view). 17. Tergites 9 and 10 showing the keels. MLK—Median longitudinal keel. Scale bars 10 mm, except fig. 17 scale bar 1 mm.