Lissodesmus plomleyi, Mesibov, 2005

Mesibov, Robert, 2005, The millipede genus Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania and Victoria, with descriptions of a new genus and 24 new species, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 103-146 : 122-123

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F70083BA-29DD-4E6E-AEF3-19C31465A5A7
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8064801
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BDAA31-F553-FFB0-8470-F0A448F58B49
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lissodesmus plomleyi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lissodesmus plomleyi View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 64, 69plo, 70plo, 71plo, 76 (map) Lissodesmus sp. NE4.— Mesibov, 1996: 16.— Mesibov, 1998: 155.

Material examined. Holotype. Male, Australia, Tasmania. East of Rattler Hill , EQ743353 (41°13'49''S 147°53'12''E), 650 m, 18.i.2005, R. Mesibov, QVM 23 View Materials :45893. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. Male , Rattler Hill, EQ744353 (41°13'48''S 147°53'15''E), 650 m, 6.ix.1990, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 15466, dissected; female, Rattler Hill , EQ744353 (41°13'48''S 147°53’15”E), 650 m, 7.ix.1990, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 15468; female, Rattler Hill , EQ744353 (41°13'48''S 147°53'15''E), 650 m, 8.ix.1990, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 15467; male, Ben Nevis, EQ538147 (41°25'02''S 147°38'37''E), 890m, 15.iii.1993, QVM 23 View Materials GoogleMaps : 15465, dissected; male, Caldbeck Creek , EQ471205 (41°21'55''S 147°33'47''E), 850 m, 26.xii.1994, R. Mesibov & T. Moule, AM KS91184 GoogleMaps (formerly QVM 23 View Materials :17758) GoogleMaps .

Description. Male c. 11 mm long, H = 1.2 mm. In alcohol, under low magnification very pale brown in body colour with darker brown speckling in narrow transverse band posteriorly on metatergites. Antennae short, clavate ( Fig. 69 View Figure 69 plo), about 1.75X a socket diameter apart. Paranota reduced, R = 1.4 ( Fig. 70 View Figure 70 plo), posterior corners not turned up. Legs robust, tarsus longer than femur, tibia with prominent ventral distal swelling ( Fig. 71 View Figure 71 plo). Epiproct with prominent paired, bluntly rounded projections. Telopodite ( Fig. 64 View Figure 64 ) widest near solenomere origin, reaching just past leg 6 when retracted. Solenomere arising at one-third the telopodite height, directed posterodistally at a small angle to telopodite axis, curving gradually laterally, terminating with small subapical projection at about one-quarter the prefemoral process height. Tibiotarsus roughly parallel to solenomere and about as wide but shorter, rod-like and pointed. Femoral process arising at level of solenomere origin, blade-like, forked at just over half its length; anterior branch basally pressed close to prefemoral process, directed distally, pointed and terminating at one-third to half the prefemoral process height (distal to solenomere tip); posterior branch short, wide, pointed, arising from anterior branch at right angle. Prefemoral process at origin nearly as wide as telopodite base, slightly sinuous in anterior view, curving gradually posteriorly from about half its height, the distal third with a few very long, straight teeth on mesal edge directed basally and posterobasally and on lateral edge posterobasally. Uncus prominent, deeply notched distally, arising from mesal side of prefemoral process at one-quarter to one-third the process height (distal to solenomere tip).

Distribution and habitat. Known from wet forest at three localities above 600 m in north-east Tasmania; the maximum distance between the localities is c. 30 km ( Fig. 76 View Figure 76 ). The L. plomleyi range has been carefully searched for millipedes and this species appears to be genuinely rare.

Etymology. In honour of Brian Plomley (1912-1994), Tasmanian scientist and scholar who encouraged biological research in north-east Tasmania.