Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967

Enghoff, Henrik & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., 2014, Redescription of Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967, and the relationships of the genus Iberoiulus Mauriès, 1985 (Diplopoda, Julida, Blaniulidae), Zootaxa 3869 (2), pp. 153-158 : 154-156

Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967

Studied material. Cueva VR-9, 26.VII.2013, Villaluenga del Rosario, Cádiz, GIEX leg., 26.VII.2013, 1 ♀; same data but 30.VI.2013, 1 ♀ and 2 juveniles; same data but 26.VII.2013, 5 ♀, 6 adult ♂, 3 juvenile ♂; same data but 19.V.2013, 24 ♀, 9 ♂ and 6 juvenile ♂.

Diagnosis. Differs from its only known congener, I. breuili , by being blind, larger, and having larger apical lobes on the anterior gonopod coxal processes.

Descriptive notes. Overall body shape very slender, length/diameter ratio>30 ( Fig. 1 ).

Males with gonopods, i.e., ‘copulatory’ males: 41–73 podous + 2–5 apodous rings. Length up to 31 mm, diameter 0.75–1.13 mm.

Males without gonopods, i.e., juvenile or intercalary males: 37–69 podous 1–5 apodous rings. Length up to 36 mm, diameter 0.53–1.00 mm.

Females: Up to 71 podous + 6 apodous rings. Length up to 36 mm, diameter up to 1.25 mm.

See also Fig. 4 .

In all other characters, the new specimens agree with Ceuca’s description. Thus, the anterior gonopods ( Fig. 2 B,C) have long, separate coxal processes which apically have a stout, triangular lateral expansion, and the posterior gonopods ( Fig. 2 D.E) are very long and slender with a small apical flange. Of particular importance for the discussion of relationships of Iberoiulus are certain characters which were not described by Ceuca (1967):

- I. cavernicola does not have a horizontal flange on the ventral edge of the seventh male pleurotergite ( Fig 2 A), such as was described for Acipes by Enghoff (1983).

- I. cavernicola has a prominent groove running along the entire length of the posterior gonopod ( Fig. 2 D), similar to that described for Acipes by Enghoff (1983).

- The vulval invaginations reach back to ring 4. The vulval operculum ( Fig. 3 ) is similar to that seen in Acipes spp.: long, apically emarginated and with a rugged surface. Operculum and bursa are only loosely attached to each other (as in Acipes ).

Infection with Laboulbeniales and other ectoparasitic fungi. Several specimens are infected by ectoparasitic fungi of the genus Troglomyces , order Laboulbeniales ( Santamaria et al. 2014, Enghoff & Santamaria submitted.). In addition fungi resembling the genus Amphoromorpha Thaxter ( Blackwell & Malloch 1989, Santamaria 1995) were found on a few specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967. A: female. B: male front end, scanning electron micrograph. Scales: 2 mm (A), 0.1 mm (B).

FIGURE 2. Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967. A: body rings 7 and 8 (with legs), ventral view. B: gonopods in situ. C: anterior gonopods, posterior view. D: posterior gonopods (the strong curling is an artefact due to preparation (drying) for SEM). E: tip of posterior gonopod. Scales: 0.1 mm (A, B, C), 0.05 mm (D, E).

FIGURE 3. Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967, female, vulva. op: operculum, bu: bursa. Scale: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967. Number of podous rings and midbody vertical diameter of the studied specimens. “ juv. / intercalary males ” refer to all specimens with reduced legs, but no gonopods on body ring 7.