Allopauropus inusitatus, Scheller, 2009

Scheller, Ulf, 2009, New species of Pauropoda (Myriapoda) from Tasmanian temperate rainforests, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66 (2), pp. 289-329 : 292-294

Allopauropus inusitatus sp.nov.

( Figs. 12–24 )

Material Examined. Holotype. Ad. 9 (female), Bruny Island , Mount Mangana, (43°22.1'S, 147°17.0'E), litter, 9.iv.1989 ( PG).

Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 2 ad. 9 (male, female), 1 juv. 6, 2 juv. 3. Loc. 8, Sandspit River, (42°42.1'S, 147°51.5'E), litter, 11 ad. 9 (5 male, 6 female), 1 juv. 6, 1 juv. 3, 22.v.1989 ( PG) .

Other material (7 specimens). Loc. 7, moss on log, 1 ad. 9 (female), 17.v.1989 ( HM) . Loc. 12, leaf litter, 1 juv. 3, 9.iv.1989 ( PG) , and in moss, 1 ad. 9 (female), 9.iv.1989 ( JD) , and in moss on dead log, 1 ad. 9 (female), 1 juv. 6, 2 juv. 3, 4.iv.1989 ( JD, PG) .

Diagnosis. Allopauropus inusitatus is easily recognised and well delineated by the combination of good characters in the shape of the temporal organs, anal plate, the T 3, the antennae and legs. It is closest to A. sphaeruliger Remy , described from the Ivory Coast ( Remy, 1948) and later found in Gambia, Gabon, Angola, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius and also in Asia, Pondichéry, Sri Lanka and Japan and in South America in Brazil. It is distinguished from that species by the shape of the temporal organs (only slightly visible in tergal view in inusitatus ; but clearly visible in sphaeruliger ), the shape of the tergal antennal branch (1.4-)1.6 times as wide as long; not 2.0(-2.8), the number of tergal setae on tergite V (6+6; not 6+4), trichobothrium T 3 (with simple pubescence and distal ovoid swelling, not with branched pubescence and distal swelling absent) and some pygidial characters (setae a 1 clavate, not cylindrical; the proportion a 2 /a 3 about 0.1, not 0.5–0.8; appendages of the anal plate directed posteriorly and with short pubescence, not club-shaped, strongly pointing outwards, with long pubescence hairs).

Description. Length.- (0.96-)1.23(-1.24) mm.

Head.-Tergal setae short to medium length, somewhat clavate, annulate, blunt; lateral ones subcylindrical, annulate. Relative lengths of setae, 1st row: a 1 =10, a 2 =(9-)10(-12); 2nd row: a 1 =(9-)10(-11), a 2 =9(-12), a 3 =6(-9); 3rd row: a 1 =9(-12), a 2 =9(-13); 4th row: a 1 =10(-14), a 2 =10(-15), a 3 =(13-)15(-16), a 4 =10(-14); lateral group setae: l 1 =(13-)14(-16), l 2 =13(-16), l 3 =(16-)19(-20). The ratio a 1 /a 1 -a 1 in 1st row (0.7-)0.8(-0.9), 2nd row (0.6-)0.7(-0.9), 3rd row (0.7-)0.8(-0.9) and 4th row 0.6(-0.9). Temporal organs small and laterosternal with narrow anterosternal extension the distal part of which raised from head surface; their length in tergal view 0.4(-0.5) of their shortest distance apart; small aperture at posterior margin between l 1 and l 2. Head cuticle distinctly granular and with transverse suture anterior of 3rd row of setae.

Antennae. Segment 4 with 4 subcylindrical annulate blunt setae; their relative lengths: p =100, p' =(85-)96(-104), p'' =(85-)92(-96), r =(48-)53(-62). The p''' seta rudimentary, u absent. Tergal seta p (0.6-)0.8 of the length of tergal branch t. The latter fusiform, (1.4-)1.6 times as long as its greatest diameter and (0.8-)0.9 of the length of sternal branch s, that branch (1.4-)1.7 times as long as its greatest diameter; anterodistal corner of s truncate. Seta q subcylindrical, annulate, blunt, (almost as long as-)1.0(-1.2) times as long as s. Relative lengths of flagella (basal segments included) and basal segments: F 1 =100, bs 1 =9(-10); F 2 =(43-)47(-49), bs 2 =7(-8); F 3 =(83-)87(-95), bs 3 =7(-9). The F 1 (4.2-)4.6(-4.8) times as long as t, F 2 and F 3 which are thinner than F 1 are 1.5(-1.9) and (3.5-)4.2(-5.0) times as long as s respectively. Distal calyces subhemispherical; distal part of flagellar axes widened only just below calyces. Globulus g (1.2-)1.3(-1.4) times as long as wide; 5(-6) bracts, capsule small, bottom convex; width of g 0.4(-0.5) of the greatest diameter of t. Antennae almost glabrous, minute pubescence on basal segments of flagella only.

Trunk. -Setae of collum segment (subcylindrical-) somewhat clavate, annulate, blunt, furcate but with rudimentary glabrous blunt secondary branches; sublateral ones (1.2-)1.4 times as long as submedian ones; sternite process short, with shallow anterior incision (or almost blunt); appendages barrel-shaped with flat caps; process and basal segment of appendages with distinct, almost erect pubescence.

Setae on tergites thin, cylindrical, annulate, blunt decreasing in length posteriorly. There are 4+4 setae on tergite I, 6+6 on II-V, 4+2 on VI. Submedian posterior setae on VI 0.1(-0.2) of their distance apart and (0.9-)1.0(-1.1) times as long as pygidial setae a

1

. Tergites with short dense pubescence.

Relative lengths of bothriotricha: T 1 =100, T 2 =(82-)?(-118), T 3 =(75-)82(-98), T 4 =(90-)101(-110), T 5 =(81-)95(-100). They have thin, simple, straight axes, T

3

with distal swelling.

Pubescence hairs on T 1, T 2, T 4 and T 5 oblique in proximal 1/3, more outwards erect; T 3 with oblique hairs, very short on proximal half, longer and in whorls on nodulated axis below distal swelling.

Genital papillae (paratypes) glabrous, conical, with convex inner and outer sides, 1.4–1.7 times as long as their greatest diameter; seta 0.4–0.5 of the length of organ.

Legs.-Setae on coxa and trochanter of leg 9 similar, simple, subcylindrical, annulate, blunt. More anteriorly, these setae with glabrous blunt rudiments of secondary branches. Coxal seta on leg 2 in male not divergent. Tarsus of leg 9 short, thick, barrel-shaped, (1.9-)2.1(-2.2) times as long as its greatest diameter. Setae subcylindrical, annulate, proximal seta thin, its length 0.2 of the length of tarsus and (0.6-)0.7(-0.8) of the length of distal seta; the latter distinctly thicker than proximal seta. Cuticle of tarsus with short but distinct pubescence.

Pygidium. Tergum.-Posterior margin between st rounded and with shallow median indentation. Relative lengths of setae a

1

= 10, a

2

=10(-15), a

3

=(106-)107(-129), st =5(-7). The a

1

and st straight and clavate, the former striate and the latter with short pubescence; a 2 cylindrical, annulate, somewhat curved inwards; a 3 thin, subcylindrical, tapering, striate-annulate, pointing outwards and curved inwards. Distance a 1 -a 1 (2.5-)2.7(-4.8) times as long as a 1; distance a 1 -a 2 (2.2-)2.3(-3.7) times as long as distance a 2 -a 3; distance st-st (7.6-)9.5(-11.0) times as long as st and (1.0-)1.1(-1.5) times as long as distance a

1

-a

1

. Cuticle glabrous.

Sternum.-Posterior margin between b 1 with a broad indentation and a small posteromedian lobe below anal plate. Relative lengths of setae (a 1 =10): b 1 =(43-)47(-55), b 2 =(17-)18(-23), b 3 =(14-)15(-33). The b 1 subcylindrical, tapering, striate, distally annulate; b 2 and b 3 subcylindrical annulate. The b 1 about as long as their distance apart; b 2 (0.4-)0.6 times as long as distance b 1 -b 2, b 3 (0.3-)0.4 of their distance apart. Anal plate (1.1-)1.2 times as broad as long, glabrous, spatulate, anteriorly constricted and posteriorly protruding into a median lobe being somewhat longer than broad, lobe with small posteromedian incision, lateral margins of plate anterior of posterior lobe strongly convex; two appendages protrude from sternal side at the base of the posterior lobe, being 0.7 of the length of plate, cylindrical but with small distal swelling, curved inwards and shortly pubescent.

Etymology.-From Latin inusitatus = unusual, extraordinary (shape of the temporal organs).

Distribution in Tasmania. Allopauropus inusitatus was found at three sites only, indicating a south-eastern range.

Figures

Figs. 12–24. Allopauropus inusitatus sp.nov., holotype 12–19; 21–24, paratype 20: 12, head, median and right part, tergal view; 13, left temporal organ, sternal view; 14, temporal organ, posterior part; 15, left antenna, sternal view; 16, collum segment, median and left part, sternal view; 17, tergite VI, posterior part; 18, T; 19, T; 20, genital papillae and seta on coxa of 2nd pair of legs; 21, seta on coxa of 9th pair of legs; 22, tarsus of 1 3 9th pair of legs; 23, pygidium, posteromedian and left part, sternal view, to the right setae a (above) and st; 24, anal plate, lateral view. Scale line 1 a for figure 20; b for figures 18,19; c for figures 12–14, 16, 17, 21, 22; d: 15, 23, 24.Figs. 39–43.