Buziniphilus antiquus, Edgecombe & Minelli & Bonato, 2009

Edgecombe, Gregory D., Minelli, Alessandro & Bonato, Lucio, 2009, A geophilomorph centipede (Chilopoda) from La Buzinie amber (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian), SW France, Geodiversitas 31 (1), pp. 29-39 : 31-36

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5252/g2009n1a3

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/564587D5-9614-8629-FCE7-FE5DFBE4FBBA

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Buziniphilus antiquus
status

sp. nov.

Buziniphilus antiquus n. sp. ( Figs 1-4 View FIG View FIG View FIG View FIG )

Chilopoda indet. – Perrichot et al. 2007a: fig. 2A.

HOLOTYPE. — BUZ 1.8 (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris), complete specimen, probably immature.

ETYMOLOGY. — Antiquus, with reference to the age of the species, one of two known Mesozoic geophilomorphs.

DIAGNOSIS. — As for the genus.

TYPE LOCALITY. — La Buzinie amber, subunit A2 of Perrichot et al. (2007b), Champniers, département de la Charente, France ; Early Cenomanian fide Perrichot et al. (2007b). Note that previous labelling of the holotype as Late Albian ( Perrichot et al. 2007a: fig. 2) is an error.

DESCRIPTION

Body length c. 12 mm; maximum body width c. 0.4 mm (excluding legs).

Cephalic plate only slightly domed, subrectangular, about 1.2 times as long as wide, anterior margin weakly convex or angled, lateral margins evenly convex, posterior margin weakly concave ( Fig. 2A View FIG ). Setae of the cephalic plate shorter than those on basal antennal articles; setae apparently sparse on dorsal surface of cephalic plate; cuticular scutes well marked on anterior and anterolateral part of cephalic plate ( Fig. 2B View FIG ).

Antennae well separated at their bases ( Fig. 2C View FIG ). Each antenna composed of 14 articles, 3.3 times as long as cephalic plate, filiform, maintaining even width along entire length, not noticeably attenuate distally ( Figs 1B View FIG ; 3B View FIG ); setae arranged in two or three whorls on each article ( Fig. 1E View FIG ), much more numerous and scattered on article XIV; article XIV nearly twice as long as wide, 2.2 times as long as penultimate article XIII ( Fig. 1A View FIG ).

Clypeus: areolation apparently uniform, at least on central part, only a few short setae present.

Second maxillae: apical claw of telopodite well developed, slightly curved, tapering into either a point or a flattened tip ( Fig. 2D View FIG ); a few robust setae at tip of tarsus near claw.

Forcipular segment: forcipular tergum narrower than tergum of first pedigerous segment so that pleurites are partially visible from above ( Fig. 2A View FIG ). Exposed part of coxosternum about 1.6 times as wide as long; coxopleural sutures gently convex outwards, evidently convergent backwards for most of their length. Trochanteropraefemur about as long as wide, apparently lacking distomedial tooth. Two distinct intermediate articles, both without teeth. Hinge between trochanteropraefemur and tarsungulum along entire outer side of forcipula ( Fig. 2A View FIG ). Tarsungulum about 2.3 times as long as wide at base, strongly narrowing to a slender tip that is uniformly curved, non-dentate basally, with smooth inner margin. Calyx of poison gland apparently cylindrical, short, extending into femur ( Fig. 2E View FIG ). Closed forcipulae lying entirely behind anterior margin of cephalic plate.

Trunk with 41 pedigerous segments, marked by gradual widening of trunk to a maximum on segments XIII-XVII, then gradual narrowing posteriorly ( Fig. 1B, D View FIG ). Tergal setae moderately long; single row of c. 5 or 6 setae across praeterga; setae arranged in two rows across metaterga, including those at anterolateral and posterolateral angles ( Fig. 4A View FIG ). Sterna in posterior part of trunk bearing at least four main setae. Sterna without evident posterior apodemes articulating into anterior sockets (so called “carpophagus” structures), and without other kinds of sockets. Sternal pores apparently absent ( Fig. 4B View FIG ).

Trunk legs: telopodites, to the exclusion of those of the last pair, composed of five podomeres. First pair of legs only slightly smaller than the remaining legs. In legs I-XL, one main whorl of a few setae a short distance distal to midlength of praefemur, femur and tibia; tarsus with a setal whorl at about midlength and few setae on distal half ( Fig. 3A View FIG ). Praetarsal claws simple, slender, slightly curved, with tiny basal spines, uniform on legs I-XL ( Fig. 1C View FIG ).

Last pedigerous segment: metatergum subtrapezoidal, about 1.7 times as wide as long, about 1.2 times as long as penultimate metatergum, lateral margins rounded, posterior margin gently convex backwards ( Fig. 4E View FIG ). Sternum subtrapezoidal, wider than long, lateral margins convergent backwards, posterior margin evidently concave backwards ( Fig. 4C View FIG ); a single row of setae across its anterior quarter, apparently four in total (inferred from two setae on right half). Last leg slightly shorter and slightly thicker than those on preceding segments, the telopodite composed of six podomeres, including two tarsal articles ( Figs 3A View FIG ; 4C View FIG ). Coxopleura only weakly swollen, coxal pores and coxal organs undetected. Podomeres with ratio of length (measured on ventromedial aspect), praefemur 0.8, femur 1.0, tibia 0.9, tarsus I 0.9, tarsus II 1.1. Chaetotaxy of the last leg on ventral side as in Figure 3A View FIG ; setae similar in length and density to those on other legs. Last legs without claws, but tarsus II apparently bearing a small, blunt tubercle.

Terminal segments: intermediate tergum with rounded posterior margin, bearing a few moderately long setae. Putative intermediate sternum possibly detectable as a very short sclerite. First genital sternum slightly more than twice as wide as long, posterior margin weakly medially convex; one seta (presumably one of a pair) on posterolateral part of sternum; no distinct pleurites detectable, i.e. sutures between sternum and pleurites apparently lacking ( Fig. 3A View FIG ). Putative gonopods represented by a pair of short, rounded, uniarticulate projections from posterior margin of first genital sternum, the two either separated from each other or connected medially by a very short bridge.Telson evidently swollen and longer than the first genital sternum, with pair of anal valves separated by shallow, rounded embayment; anal organs and pores undetected.

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