Orthomorpha subelevata, Likhitrakarn, Natdanai, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Panha, Somsak, 2011

Likhitrakarn, Natdanai, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Panha, Somsak, 2011, Revision of the Southeast Asian millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893, with the proposal of a new genus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 131, pp. 1-161 : 93-95

Orthomorpha subelevata sp. n. Figs 103105

Holotype.

♂ (CUMZ), Malaysia, Kedah State, Gunung Baling, 6°06'N, 101°29'E, 27.02.2008, leg. C. Sutcharit.

Paratypes.

2 ♀ (CUMZ), same data, together with holotype. 1 ♂ (CUMZ), Malaysia, Perlis State, Kaki Bukit, 7°04'32"N, 100°20'55"E, 28.03.2011, leg. R. Chanabun. 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (CUMZ), Penang State, Penang Dam, 5°41'08"N, 100°28'65"E, 26.03.2009, leg. C. Sutcharit. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv. (CUMZ), Perak State, Gunung Genting, 4°35'58"N, 102°20'04"E, 30.03.2009, leg. C. Sutcharit.

Name.

To emphasize the strong similarity to Orthomorpha elevata sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Comes closest to Orthomorpha elevata sp. n., but differs in the paraterga lying below the dorsum, coupled with pleurosternal carinae present at least as a caudal denticle until segment 16 (♂) or 13 (♀) (see also Key below).

Description.

Length 40-42 (♂) or 41-45 mm (♀), width of midbody pro- and metazona 3.0-3.7 and 4.0-5.6 mm (♂), 3.0-4.2 and 4.9-6.1 mm (♀), respectively. Holotype 3.95 mm long, 3.9 and 4.0 mm wide on midbody pro- and metazona, respectively.

Coloration of alcohol material after long-term preservation brown to dark brown with contrasting whitish calluses, lateral parts of paraterga close to calluses and, some times, entire epiproct, as well as light yellow to yellow-brown legs and epiproct; two paramedian spots divided by a narrow, brown or grey-brown axial stripe on prozona and central parts of metaterga slightly lighter than background, light brown, except for an infuscate cross composed of transverse sulcus and axial line, the latter often extending from collum to tip of epiproct (Fig. 103A-G).

All other characters as in Orthomorpha elevata sp. n., except as follows.

Antennae barely reaching end of segment 3 (♂) or 2 (♀) dorsally. Ribs at caudal margin of metaterga often vague, sometimes represented by low bosses. Axial line always visible on collum, as well as on following prozona, metaterga and epiproct. Paraterga very strongly developed (Fig. 103A-G), but always lying below dorsum. Transverse sulcus incomplete on metatergum 4, complete, but not reaching bases of paraterga on metaterga 5-18. Hypoproct (Fig. 103G) subtrapeziform, caudal margin with two stronger and well-separated setiferous knobs.

Sterna densely setose. Legs long and slender, slightly incrassate in ♂, midbody ones ca 1.7-1.8 (♂) or 1.2-1.3 times (♀) as long as body height; ♂ tarsal brushes visible on legs 1-8, thereafter absent.

Gonopods (Figs 104 & 105) virtually same as in Orthomorpha elevata sp. n.

Remark.

This new species is rather widespread in northern Malaysia (Map 2).