Ommatoiulus andalusius ( Attems, 1927 )

Akkari, Nesrine & Enghoff, Henrik, 2012, Review of the genus Ommatoiulus in Andalusia, Spain (Diplopoda: Julida) with description of ten new species and notes on a remarkable gonopod structure, the fovea, Zootaxa 3538, pp. 1-53 : 5-6

Ommatoiulus andalusius ( Attems, 1927)

Archiulus andalusius Attems, 1927: 282–284 , figs 66–69

Ommatoiulus andalusius: Mauriès 1978: 585

Material. Archiulus andalusius Attems, 1927 , holotype ♂, slide preparation of the gonopods ( NHMW/3164 [Acquisition number 1919]).

Diagnosis. Similar to O. ilicis ( Brölemann, 1897) , O. imminutus ( Brolemann, 1926) and O. terulensis Ceuca, 1974 in the shape of the promerite (narrow, tapering distally and bearing an apical tooth). Sharing with O. imminutus and O. terulensis the presence of a small subapical lateral process on the solenomerite but differing in the absence of distal projection of the mesal ridge in the promerite, in the shape of the solenomerite apex and the shape of the mesomerite.

Descriptive notes. Male with 44 podous rings, 1.5 mm broad, general colour reddish-brown with a narrow black mid-dorsal line; sides with series of blackish spots; antenna smoky-brown, legs reddish-brown ( Attems 1927).

Gonopods: Promerite ( Fig. 1) relatively slender, about 1/3 wide as long, gradually narrowing distally, tip slightly bent laterad and showing an apical tooth (A) pointing posteriorly. Mesal ridge (Mr) gradually disappearing at about mid-length of the promerite, with no spike apically; lateral margin slightly folded at the base (Lm); posterior surface with a triangular rudimentary telopodite (T) located sub-basally and pointing mesad. Posterior gonopods ( Fig. 2) with slender processes; mesomerite (Ms) extending beyond the rest of the gonopod, long, curved, apically hook-shaped with a pointed process pointing posterolaterad; paracoxite (Px) and solenomerite (S) of the same length, paracoxite uniformly broad and curved anteromesad. Solenomerite simple, distally with an acuminate upturned process on the lateral margin (sp); apically with a thickening projecting into a subapical triangular process (ap) pointing mesad, connected to two apical asymmetrical processes (p1, p2) linked by a thin lamella harbouring the opening of the seminal groove (g).

Distribution. Described from Andalusia without exact locality.

Comments. The study of O. andalusius was based on Attems’ (1927) slide preparation of the type material known from an unspecified locality in Andalusia. No further material of the species is known .

Among the species most similar to O. andalusius is Ommatoiulus imminutus ( Brolemann, 1926) described from the Oriental Pyrenees [Material: Ommatoiulus imminutus ( Brolemann, 1926) , 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Spain, Gerona (NE Spain) Del Pasos di Tosas, Verso Molina, Gerona, 13.viii.1975, Valle Moretti leg. (ZMUC)]. Both species show similar brownish colour patterns with a black mid-dorsal line, have 40–44 PR and agree in some of the gonopod structures, especially the shape of the solenomerite and paracoxite (see Brolemann 1926, figs 10–12). However, the two species differ in 1) the shape of the promerite: mesal ridge blunt and totally fusing with the edge of the promerite in O. andalusius while protruding in a spike in O. imminutus and 2) the tip of the mesomerite which is bipartite in O. imminutus while simple and hook-shaped in O. andalusius .

While O. andalusius was described from Andalusia, O. imminutus is only known from the region of the Pyrenees in Gerona Province. The observed similarities might, however, reflect a close relationship between the two species.