Amastigogonus hardyi (Chamberlin, 1920)

Mesibov, Robert, 2017, Iulomorphid millipedes (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Iulomorphidae) of Tasmania, Australia, ZooKeys 652, pp. 1-36 : 11-12

Amastigogonus hardyi (Chamberlin, 1920) Figs 3A, B, D, E, 5C, 6D

Euethogonus hardyi Chamberlin 1920: 166. Jeekel 1971: 109.

Amastigogonus hardyi Hoffman 1972: 204 (new combination), figs 6-8. Jeekel 1981: 43. Korsós and Read 2012: 45.

Amastigogonus nichollsii Verhoeff 1944: 43, figs 1-5. Hoffman 1972: 204 (synonymised with Amastigogonus hardyi ).

Holotype of Euethogonus hardyi .

Male, Tasmania, date unknown, G.H. Hardy, MCZ 4817. Illustrated by Hoffman (1972); not examined.

Paratypes of Euethogonus hardyi .

At least 1 female, details as for holotype, MCZ 4818. Not examined.

Lectotype of Amastigogonus nichollsii

(here designated). Male (slide mount of gonopods), Mt Nelson, Tasmania, date and collector unknown, ZMB 12642a (= Verhoeff collection slide 3777). Illustrated by Verhoeff (1944); material examined as image.

Paralectotypes of Amastigogonus nichollsii .

1 female, same collection details, ZMB 12642; not examined. Verhoeff (1944: 44) describes a second male specimen, but this has not been located; this male is another paralectotype.

Other material.

3 males and 3 females from 2 unique localities; details in Suppl. material 1.

Diagnosis.

Like Amastigogonus fossuliger in having the pseudoflagellum with a narrow, tapering, pointed tip; distinguished by the prostatic groove following a straight course on the pseudoflagellum rather than having an S-bend, and by the lack of a dense field of short setae on the telopodite behind the pseudoflagellum tip.

Description.

Three mature males examined: (52+3) rings, 2.8 mm midbody diameter, (61+1) rings, 3.1 mm and (65+1) rings, 3.2 mm. Cardo not deeper posteriorly. Leg 7 (only) with elongated coxa. Prefemoral pad ca 1/2 femur length. Striae on posterior metazonites reaching ca 1/2 of ozopore height (Fig. 5C).

Coxite process on anterior gonopod (Fig. 6D) with small portion of posterodistal margin extended as rounded tab and folded over laterally. Telopodite with single row of prominent setae on posterior side of medial thickening and short row on anterior side near apex. Pseudoflagellum ca 1/2 telopodite width at base, slightly extended posteriorly at base, then gradually tapering to sharp, posterodistally directed point.

Distribution.

Currently known only from eucalypt forest at two sites in the Hobart metropolitan area (Fig. 7B) in Tasmania: Mt Nelson (including 1973 collections at this type locality for Amastigogonus nichollsii ) and Mt Rumney.

Remarks.

The types of Euethogonus hardyi were collected by the entomologist George H. H. Hardy, probably during Hardy’s tenure as Assistant Curator of the Tasmanian Museum in Hobart, 1913-1917 ( Marks 1991: 216). Hoffman (1972) examined and illustrated the Euethogonus hardyi holotype and assigned the species to Amastigogonus . The locality given for the types is simply “Tasmania” ( Hoffman 1972: 204). Chamberlin (1920: 166-167) did not specify the number or gender of the Euethogonus hardyi paratypes.

Two males and one female of Amastigogonus nichollsii were presumably sent to Verhoeff by G.E. Nicholls, collector of the Amastigogonus fossuliger types. Hoffman (1972) synonymised Amastigogonus nichollsii with Amastigogonus hardyi after comparing Verhoeff’s drawings of slide-mounted nichollsii gonopods with the unmounted gonopods of the hardyi holotype. After examining males from the nichollsii type locality, Mt Nelson (TMAG J5897 and J5926), I agree with Hoffman that nichollsii is a junior synonym of hardyi .