Theatops Newport, 1844

Schileyko, Arkady A., Vahtera, Varpu & Edgecombe, Gregory D., 2020, An overview of the extant genera and subgenera of the order Scolopendromorpha (Chilopoda): a new identification key and updated diagnoses, Zootaxa 4825 (1), pp. 1-64 : 24-25

(!) Theatops Newport, 1844

Figs 33–37

Type species. Cryptops posticus Say, 1821 (by subsequent designation).

Diagnosis. Spiracles (figs 1AB in Vahtera et al. 2012b, fig. 5 F in Bonato et al. 2017) on macrosegments, LBS 7 with or without spiracles. Coxopleuron ( Fig. 37 ) usually with a spine at the place of corresponding process. Prefemur and femur of the ultimate legs ( Figs 33, 37 ) with or without spines; pretarsus not shorter than corresponding tarsus 2 (in T. posticus (Say, 1821) longer than the two tarsal articles together), circular in cross section (i.e. not blade-like ventrally).

Number of species. 6 ( Bonato et al. 2016).

Remarks. Treated as a genus in Di et al. (2010: 51), Edgecombe & Bonato (2011: 395), Vahtera et al. (2012a: 5), Bonato et al. (2017: 1).

Edgecombe & Koch (2008: 894) described the pretarsus of maxillae 2 in both T. erythrocephalus (C.L. Koch, 1847 ) and T. posticus as “two curved processes, one above the other”. The most recent account on Theatops — Di et al. (2010) —contains no information on structure of maxillae 2. A re-studied adult (Rc 6489) of T. spinicaudus Wood, 1862 demonstrates not “two curved processes” but a pretarsus and a much shorter ventral projection (see also Diagnosis of Plutoniumidae above) whereas in two adults (Rc 6488, 6493) of T. posticus the ventral projection is nearly as long as the pretarsus.

Figures

FIGURES 33–39. Theatops posticus (Say, 1821); Sad. Rc 6488; 33 ultimate and penultimate LBS + ultimate legs dorsally; Theatops spinicaudus Wood, 1862; Ad. Rc 6489 34 head + LBS 1 dorsally; Theatops erythrocephalus (C. L. Koch, 1847); ZMB 3393 35 apical part of maxilla 2 laterally; Theatops spinicaudus Wood, 1862; Ad. Rc 6489 36 head + forcipular segment ventrally; Theatops posticus (Say, 1821); Sad. Rc 6488 37 LBS 21 + ultimate legs ventrally; Tonkinodentus lestes Schileyko, 1992; Holotype ad. Rc 6358 38 ultimate + penultimate LBS dorsally 39 cephalic plate + LBS 1 dorsally; (cst)—forcipular coxosternite, (cx)—coxopleuron, (ds)—depigmented eye spot, (p2)—non pectinate pretarsus of maxilla 2, (pf)—prefemur, (pr)—trochantero-prefemural process, (pts)—pretarsus, (T1)—tergite 1, (t2)—tarsus 2, (tp)—forcipular tooth-plate, (ust)—ultimate sternite, (ut)—ultimate tergite, (vp)—short ventral projection of pretarsus of maxilla 2.