Nyssodesmus python ( Peters, 1865 )

Golovatch, Sergei I., Korotayeva, Alyona M. & Martínez-Torres, Daniela, 2024, Three species of the millipede family Platyrhacidae from Costa Rica: a new Barydesmus Cook, 1896 and two oldest Nyssodesmus Cook, 1896 (Diplopoda Polydesmida), Zootaxa 5538 (5), pp. 424-438 : 431-432

Nyssodesmus python ( Peters, 1865)

Figs 6–14

Polydesmus python Peters, 1865: 543 (original description).

Platyrrhacus bivirgatus Carl, 1902: 652 , pl. 11 fig. 65 (original description), formally synonymized by Hoffman (1999: 379).

Platyrrhacus bivirgatus — Brölemann, 1905: 342 (descriptive notes, taxonomic comments); Pocock, 1909: 142 (description; new localities; suggested probable synonymy with Platyrrhacus python ).

Nyssodesmus nigricaudus Chamberlin, 1922: 37 , pl. 15, figs 4–8 (original description), synonymized by Hoffman (1999: 379).

Nyssodesmus bivirgatus — Chamberlin, 1922: 40 (new combination).

Platyrhacus python — Attems, 1938: 287.

Nyssodesmus python — Jeekel, 1963: 89 (tentative assignment to Nyssodesmus ); Moritz & Fischer, 1978: 127 (type material and type locality information); Adolph & Geber, 1995: 56 (sizes, biology and behaviour); Hoffman, 1999: 379 (synonymic, taxonomic and distributional comments, erroneously referred to a male holotype); Recuero & Sánchez-Viales, 2018: 264 (synonymic, taxonomic and distributional comments, again erroneously referred to a male holotype).

Type material. Holotype female ( Moritz & Fischer 1978: ZMB 8, dry and pinned, Fig. 6 ).

Additional material examined. 1 male (holotype of N. nigricaudus ) ( USNM 843 , DMT 27 ), Costa Rica, without further information, R.V. Chamberlin det., 1922 ; 1 male, 2 females ( USNM, DMT 19 ), Costa Rica, without further information, R.M. Shelley det., 1991 ; 2 males, 1 female ( NCMNH A3654 , DMT 63 ), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, La Virgen , 10.383333°N, - 84.133333°W, primary rain forest, 190 m a.s.l., 6.II.1976, A. Young leg. , R.M. Shelley det., 1976.; 2 males, 1 female ( VMNH, DMT 93 ), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, Finca La Selva, near Puerto Viejo , 10.416667°N, - 84.000000°W, 100 m a.s.l., 20.II.1976, Prassede Calabi leg. ; 3 males, 3 females ( ZISP MYR_DIP_0000203 and 8-2023), Costa Rica, Heredia Province, La Selva Biological Station , 10.433028°N, - 84.006778°W, 19–26.VI.2023, D.V. Logunov leg. ; 1 male ( VMNH, DMT 94 ), Costa Rica, Limón Province, Cairo , 10.122306°N, - 83.536500°W, 102 m a.s.l., 3.III.1937, H.F. Loomis leg. ; 2 males, 1 female ( USNM 33460 ?, DMT 1 ), Limón Province, Suretka , 9.533333°N, - 82.933333°W, 70 m a.s.l., 31.V.24, J.C. Brandy leg. ; 4 males, 5 females ( USNM, DMT 20 ), Costa Rica, Puntarenas Province, Monteverde area , above town, nr. Alajuela, Guannacaste- Puntarenas border, 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 12–23.III.73, D.R. Whitehead leg. ; 1 male ( AMNH, DMT 28 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde, Rockwell Farm , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1320 m a.s.l., unbaited pitfall traps, in woods, 3.VII.1983, D. Linderian leg. , D. Martínez-Torres det., 2015; 1 male ( AMNH, DMT 29 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 1959, Chas. W. Palmer leg. , R.L. Hoffman det.; 1 female ( VMNH, DMT 92 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde , 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 13.II.1963, C.W. & M.E. Rettenmeyer leg. ; 2 males ( VMNH, DMT 95 ), Puntarenas Province, Monteverde, 40 km N of Puntarenas City , in forest, 10.300000°N, - 84.816667°W, 1400 m a.s.l., 12.VIII.1976, Prassede Calabi leg.

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners primarily by the pale mid-dorsal parts of metaterga with contrasting light paraterga and either light or dark legs, indistinct metatergal granulations and often a short solenomere vestige ( Figs 7 , 8B, 8C , 9B, 9C , 10B, 10C , 11C, 11D , 12C, 12D ).

Distribution. Described only from the type locality. Originally mistakenly stated as coming from Nicaragua ( Cook 1896), but the provenance subsequently rectified to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica ( Moritz & Fischer 1978).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865).Female holotype(ZMB 8). A, B. Habitus, dorsal andventral views, respectively. Scale bar: 10 mm. C. Right paratergum 10, dorsal view, photographed not to scale. D. Original labels. Courtesy O. Werb.

FIGURE 7. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). A, B. Right gonopod of holotype of N. nigricaudus Chamberlin, 1922 (USNM 843, DMT 27), mesal and lateral views, respectively. Abbreviations: lb, lateral branch; sl, solenomere.

FIGURE 8. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). From up to down, two males and one female from La Virgen, Heredia Prov. (NCMNH A3654, DMT 63), together with the original labels. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B, C. Left gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Abbreviations: lb, lateral branch; sl, solenomere. Photographed not to scale.

FIGURE 9. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). Two males from Monteverde, Puntarenas Prov. (VMNH, DMT 95), together with the original labels. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B, C. Left gonopod, mesal and lateral views, respectively. Abbreviations: lb, lateral branch; sl, solenomere. Scale bar: 1 mm (B, C).

FIGURE 10. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). Two males and one female from Finca La Selva near Puerto Viejo, Heredia Prov. (VMNH, DMT 93), together with the original labels. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B, C. Left gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Abbreviations: lb, lateral branch; sl, solenomere. Scale bar: 1 mm (B, C).

FIGURE 11. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). Male from La Selva Biological Station, Heredia Prov. (ZISP 8-2023). A, B. Habitus, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. C, D. Right gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Photographed not to scale.

FIGURE 12. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). Male from La Selva Biological Station, Heredia Prov. (ZISP MYR_DIP_ 0000203). A, B. Habitus, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. C, D. Right gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Photographed not to scale.

FIGURE 13. Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865). Live colour patterns in nature.A, B. Individual females. C, D. Paired couples (male on top). Photographed not to scale. Courtesy flickr.com›photos/tags/nyssodesmuspython/

FIGURE 14. Distributions of Barydesmus truncatus sp. nov. (yellow triangle), Nyssodesmus python (Peters, 1865) (black square), N. cf. python (Peters, 1865) (blank square), and N. alboalatus Cook, 1896, type locality (yellow circle) and additional record (orange circle).