Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) productus Karsch, 1888

Simaiakis, Stylianos Michail & Edgecombe, Gregory D., 2013, Scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) in the Natural History Museum (London): A review of the hitherto unidentified species collected in Africa, with remarks on taxonomy and distribution, and a new species of Otostigmus (Parotostigmus), Zootaxa 3734 (2), pp. 169-198 : 179-181

10. Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) productus Karsch, 1888

( Figs 18–21 )

Type material: Lectotype ZMB 926 , male (designated here), S. Thomé ( São Tomé), Gulf of Guinea [ Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Principe], leg. R. Greef . Paralectotype male and female, from same locality and collection.

Material examined. Gulf of Guinea: São Tome Isl., West Africa , 8/11/1932, in rotten wood, Percy Sladen Memorial and Godman Exploration , leg. W.H. T. Tams , 3 exx., BMNH 1933.8.30.240-242; Gulf of Guinea: São Tome Isl., West Africa , 4/11/1932, in rotten wood, Percy Sladen Memorial and Godman Exploration, leg. W.H. T. Tams, 1 ex., BMNH 1933.8.30.243; Gulf of Guinea: Zampalma, Såo Tomé Isl., 13/9/1949, leg. I.L.J. Galbraith, 9 exx., BMNH 1950.3.7.127-136. ( Fig. 8 ) .

Type locality. São Tomé. The identification of Rolas as the type locality in Chilobase ( Minelli et al. 2006) refers to a syntype ( ZMB 927) that is here identified as O. (P.) coltellus rather than O. (P.) productus . Karsch (1884: 55) referred to the Rolas specimen as a “monströses Exemplar” and it was labeled “ O. inermis monstrositas”.

General distribution. West-Central Tropical Africa: Gulf of Guinea ( São Tomé Isl.) (ST).

Remarks. The syntypes of Otostigma productum Karsch, 1888 include two species, one corresponding to the descriptions of the species by subsequent workers in possessing 4+4 teeth on the tooth plates ( Kraepelin, 1903; Attems, 1930), and the other being the species described as Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) coltellus n. sp. A lectotype is selected herein, choosing a mature specimen that corresponds to the description of the species in the influential monographs of Kraepelin and Attems, to stablise the name according to the concept of the species employed since 1903.

In agreement with previous descriptions (compiled by Attems 1930), all based on the type material from São Tomé, the specimens from the same island studied here have 17 antennal articles, four of which are glabrous ( Fig. 18 ), tooth plates with 4+4 teeth ( Fig. 19 ), and two apical spines on the coxopleural process ( Fig. 20 ). Ultimate legs lack prefemoral spines ( Fig. 21 ). Legs 1–19 have been described as bearing one tarsal spur ( Kraepelin 1903; Attems 1930), but in the NHM material legs 1 and 2 or 1–3 may bear two spurs, the remainder to leg 19 consistently bearing one.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Otostigmus (Otostigmus) cuneiventris, O. (Parotostigmus) coltellus n. sp., O. (P.) gemmifer and O. (P.) productus, distribution records of specimens from Africa housed in the NHM collection.

FIGURES 15–21. Figs 15–17. Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) gemmifer Attems, 1928, from Nigeria: Figure 15, cephalic plate and T1, dorsal view, scale bar 0.5 mm; Figure 16, forcipular segment, ventral view, scale bar 0.5 mm; Figure 17, coxopleuron and sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment, ventral view, scale bar 0.5 mm. Figs 18–21. Otostigmus (Parotostigmus) productus Karsch, 1888, from São Tomé: Figure 18, cephalic plate and T1, dorsal view, scale bar 0.5 mm; Figure 19, forcipular segment, ventral view, scale bar 0.5 mm; Figure 20, coxopleuron and sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment, ventral view, scale bar 0.25 mm; Figure 21, tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment and right ultimate leg, dorsal view, scale bar 0.5 mm.