Ommatoiulus pseudoflagellatus Akkari & Enghoff, 2012

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 : 33-35

Ommatoiulus pseudoflagellatus Akkari & Enghoff n. sp.

Figs 72–77

Material. Holotype: 1 ♂, Andalusia, Cádiz Province, west side of Grazalema Benamahoma, Riverbank Rio del Bosque , 36º45'N, 5º28'W, under bark of Eucalyptus , 5.ii.2008, H. Reip & K. Voigtländer leg. ( ZMUC) . Paratypes: 2 ♀♀, same data as the holotype ( ZMUC) .

Diagnosis. A most peculiar species, somehow comparable with O. armatus , O. baileyi , O. dorsovittatus and O. fuentei in the presence of a voluminous solenomerite with two main lobes separated by a serrated furrow; however, differing from all other Ommatoiulus species by the combination of a mesal solenomertial process strongly bent distally and protruding into a pointed process, a reduced mesomerite and a flagelloid paracoxite.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the particular configuration of the paracoxite, resembling a ‘flagellum’.

Description. Male: L: 26.4 mm, H: 2.5 mm, 46 PR+2 AR+T. Females: L: 21.–22.5 mm, H: 2.5–2.9 mm, 42–45 PR+ 1 AR+ T. Eyes composed of 35 black ocelli arranged in 8 vertical rows. General colour with greyish to light purple prozonites and light yellowish metazonites, becoming brownish dorsally. Frontal part of the head and collum dark tawny-brown, labral zone yellowish, mouthparts bright yellow. Antennae dark brown, legs tawnybrown; preanal ring dark brown, anal valves blackish. Ozopores small, circular, openings at ca. their diameter behind suture, suture complete, curving at ozopore level; prozonites with irregular oblique striation; metazonites with regular striation.

Telson: Preanal ring with a hyaline upturned process and a horizontal caudal projection bearing 5+5 setae on the tip and 2+2 on the sides; subanal scale with a triangular apex and 5+5 setae; anal valves with 4+4 long setae on the surface, a marginal row of several short setae and a submarginal row of ca.10+10 longer ones.

Gonopods. Promerite (P) narrow basally, broadest at midlength, lateral margin (Lm) expanded in a big rounded lobe ( Fig. 72), gradually narrowing distad, apically with a small lateral jagged process (Jp); mesal ridge (Mr) broad and protruding distally in a rounded lobe, rudimentary telopodite absent or indistinct. Posterior gonopod: Mesomerite (Ms) broadest at the basis, gradually narrowing distad, mesal margin bent at blunt angles at about 2/3 length ( Figs 74, 76), distal third curved, tapering apically and pointing anteromesad. Solenomerite (S) large, extending beyond the other branches, composed of a uniformly broad, folded lateral process (Lp), apically with a rounded lobe bearing scattered serrations, and a long mesal process (Mp) with a folded, lateral margin showing numerous rows of spikes on the internal fringe (If) ( Fig. 77), apically bent 90° in a rounded angle, protruding into a transparent process (Lap) covered with numerous spikes on the surface and the margin, pointing laterad ( Figs 73, 76). Both lateral and mesal processes furrowed and connected distally by a serrated membrane covered by several spikes; fovea (F) located at the basis of the mesal process ( Fig. 74), seminal groove (g) running from the fovea posterodistad up to the extremity of the mesal process of the solenomerite. From the lateral basis of the mesal process emerges a flagelloid process which we interpret as the paracoxite (Px), running along the fold, between the jagged internal fringes of the mesal process, ending subapically at the level of the apical flexion ( Figs 73, 77).

Distribution. Known only from type locality in Cádiz Province in Andalusia.

Habitat. Found under bark of Eucalyptus .

Comments. The gonopods of O. pseudoflagellatus are quite different from those of all other Ommatoiulus species , and we had great difficulties homologising the various processes of the posterior gonopod with the normal components of an Ommatoiulus gonopod. One might argue that the species is so deviating that it should be placed in is own new genus. However, awaiting further ongoing revisionary work on Ommatoiulus and, hopefully, additional material of O. pesudoflagellatus , we classify it, for the time being, in the same genus as the other Andalusian schizophyllines.