Amastigogonus michaelsae, Mesibov, Robert, 2017

Mesibov, Robert, 2017, Iulomorphid millipedes (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Iulomorphidae) of Tasmania, Australia, ZooKeys 652, pp. 1-36 : 13-15

Amastigogonus michaelsae sp. n. Figs 4E, 6F

Holotype.

Male, Douglas Creek, Tas, -42.5139 147.7767 ± 100 m [label "EN 637 927" (= 55G 563700 5292700, AGD66)], 210 m a.s.l., 24 April 1991, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:54374; dissected, with head and anterior rings in genitalia vial.

Paratypes.

2 males, Montgomery Road, Tas, -42.6863 147.7111 ± 50 m, 330 m a.s.l., 21 June 2016, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:54548.

Other material.

11 males and 1 probable female from 8 unique localities; details in Suppl. material 1.

Diagnosis.

Like Amastigogonus peninsulensis sp. n. in having a relatively broad, gently tapering pseudoflagellum; distinguished by the pseudoflagellum tip directed distally rather than posteriorly and with a prominent, posterodistally directed tooth basally on the posterior margin.

Description.

Mature males observed with (55+1) rings, 3.3 mm midbody diameter to (66+1) rings, 3.4 mm. Cardo not deeper posteriorly. Leg 7 (only) with elongated coxa. Prefemoral pad ca 3/4 femur length. Striae on posterior metazonites reaching 3/4 ozopore height.

Coxite process on anterior gonopod (Fig. 6F) with posterodistal margin not extended and folded over. Telopodite without pronounced medial thickening, but with usual row of setae from near posterior margin to midline at telopodite apex, continued basally as group of sparse setae (not shown in Fig. 6F) behind tip of pseudoflagellum. Pseudoflagellum ca 1/3 telopodite width at base, curving slightly posteriorly and tapering gradually to rounded, posteriorly directed apex, and with short, sharp, posterodistally directed tooth at ca 1/4 pseudoflagellum height on posterior margin.

Distribution.

Eucalypt forest in southeast Tasmania from Coles Bay south to the Nugent area, including Maria Island (Fig. 7C), from sea level to at least 590 m. Possibly parapatric with Amastigogonus danpicola sp. n. near Swansea, parapatric or overlapping with Amastigogonus orientalis sp. n. west of Triabunna.

Name.

For the ecologist Karyl Michaels, who trapped specimens in the previously little-sampled dry forests of southeast Tasmania; noun in the genitive case.

Remarks.

Most of the non-type males are partial or fragmented specimens.