Megaphyllum margaritatum ( Fanzago, 1875 )

Lazányi, Eszter, Vagalinski, Boyan & Korsós, Zoltán, 2012, The millipede genus Megaphyllum Verhoeff, 1894 in the Balkan Peninsula, with description of new species (Myriapoda: Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae), Zootaxa 3228, pp. 1-47 : 16-17

Megaphyllum margaritatum ( Fanzago, 1875)

Julus margaritatus Fanzago, 1875: 150 –151, no figures.

Chromatoiulus margaritatus: Attems 1927: 239 –240, Figs 328–329; Ceuca 1992: 426. Chromatoiulus aetnensis: Attems 1927: 224 .

Brachyiulus (Chromatoiulus) aetnensis Verhoeff, 1910b: 232 –236, Figs 31–32. Brachyiulus (Italoiulus) garganensis Verhoeff, 1932: 490 –491, Fig. 21 . Brachyiulus (Italoiulus) aetnensis: Verhoeff 1932: 491 .

Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) garganensis: Attems 1940: 308 .

Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) aetnenis: Attems 1940: 308 .

Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) margaritatus: Attems 1940: 308 ; Strasser 1974: 290, 296–297; 1976: 613. Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) margaritatus var. keratea Strasser, 1974: 277 , Figs 75–76. Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) margaritatus var. keratea: Strasser 1976: 620 . Chromatoiulus margaritatus kerateus: Ceuca 1992: 426 .

Chromatoiulus (Italoiulus) margaritatus var. epirotica Strasser, 1976: 620 , Figs 63–65. Chromatoiulus margaritatus epiroticus: Ceuca 1992: 426 .

Megaphyllum margaritatum: Enghoff & Kime 2009 .

Material examined. HNHM: Greece: 233, 2ƤƤ, 2009/79, Larisa county, Ossa Mts., beech forest, 975m, N39°48.087’ E22°45.666’, 0 9.04.2009, leg. LD, JK & DM.

Distribution in the Balkans. Greece: Attika: Keratea, Epirus: Elati ( Strasser 1974, 1976).

World distribution. Widespread in Italy ( Foddai et al 1995).

Remarks. Although far from Keratea, the gonopods of the newly collected males resemble var. keratea Strasser, 1974 . The flagella of the gonopod promeres of both males have a remarkable furcated apex (fl on Fig. 9 ).

Synonymy of M. aetnense , M. garganense and M. margaritatum has been discussed for a long time, especially by Strasser. Strasser & Minelli (1984) left the question open, writing that „…synonymy of margaritatum Fanz. , aetnense Verh. and garganense Verh. is possible, but not sure…”. As we did not have enough individuals, we cannot add new information to this topic. However, if we accept the synonymy of these forms, the species seems to be very variable. In addition, the form creticum , one of the previous variants of M. margaritatum was elevated to species level several years ago ( Ćurčiċ et al 2001). A thorough revision may produce similar results with other forms as well. Until then, M. margaritatum and M. cretica are the only two species in the subgenus Italoiulus .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Megaphyllum margaritatum (Fanzago, 1875) from Greece, Ossa Mts., male, right gonopod promere, caudal view (scale bar: 0.2 mm). Abbreviation: fl: flagellum.

FIGURES 19 – 21. Megaphyllum taygetanum (Attems, 1903). Variation of lateral caudal processes of the gonopod opisthomere: (19) left opisthomere, Greece, Paradisa, meso-caudal view (sensu Attems (Strasser 1967 )); (20) left and right opisthomeres, Greece, Garea, meso-caudal view; (21) rigth and left opisthomeres, Greece, Tetrazi Mts., latero-caudal view (sensu Strasser (1967 )) (scale bar: 0.2 mm). Abbreviation: lcp: lateral caudal process.