Megaphyllum rhodopinum (Verhoeff, 1928)

Lazányi, Eszter & Vagalinski, Boyan, 2013, Redefinition of the millipede subgenus Megaphyllum sensu stricto Verhoeff, 1894 and neotype designation for Megaphyllum austriacum (Latzel, 1884) (Myriapoda: Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae), Zootaxa 3741 (1), pp. 55-100 : 85

Megaphyllum rhodopinum (Verhoeff, 1928)

Figs 16a–g

Brachyiulus (Chromatoiulus) rhodopinus Verhoeff, 1928: 33 –34, Fig. 6. Brachyiulus rhodopinus: Verhoeff 1937: 106 –108.

Brachyiulus unilineatus rhodopinus: Verhoeff 1937: 106 –108, 117, Fig. 14 . Chromatoiulus unilineatus rhodopinus: Strasser 1966b: 330 , 358, 381. Chromatoiulus rhodopinus: Strasser 1967: 285 ; 1974: 290.

Chromatoiulus (Chromatoiulus) rhodopinus: Strasser 1969: 159 .

Megaphyllum rhodopinum: Enghoff & Kime 2009 ; Lazányi et al. 2012: 14, 22–23, 28, 41.

Material examined. Bulgaria: 1 ♂, Slavyanka Mt., between Paril vill. and Tsarev Vrah peak, ca. 2000 m a.s.l., leg. P. Beron & S. Andreev (NMNHS).

Distribution. Bulgaria (Vagalinski & Stoev 2007); Greece (Strasser 1967, 1974; Lazányi et al. 2012).

Diagnosis. The species differs from the two closest species M. sjaelandicum (Meinert, 1868) and M. tauricum (Attems, 1907) by the more widely rounded and simple promere without lobes or indentation ( Figs 16a–c ), and by the very thin, tapering posterior opisthomere process (pp) ( Figs 16a–b ).

Opisthomere’s ( Figs 16a–b, 16d ) posterior process (pp) slender, apically pointed, shorter than the solenomere. The finger-like anterior solenomere process (asp) longer than the posterior one (psp). Apical posterior hump (ph) hardly distinguishable.

Uniformly brown animals, with no dorsal longitudinal lines. Body length and height: males: 21.2–32.5mm, 1.6–2.2mm; females: 35.4–42mm, 2.9–3.4mm.

Remarks. This species is known only from the eastern parts of the Balkan Peninsula. Nearly a decade after the original description (Verhoeff 1928) Verhoeff lowered rhodopinum to a subspecies of M. unilineatum (Verhoeff 1937) . Strasser (1967) elevated it to species rank when he discussed the unilineatum -group (i.e. M. (u.) unilineatum , M. (u.) hercules , M. (u.) rhodopinum ), which was supported by Lazányi et al. (2012).

Figures

FIGURES 16 a – g. Megaphyllum rhodopinum. Male from near Shabran Peak, Slavyanka Mt., Bulgaria: (16 a) gonopods, posterior view; (16 b) right gonopods, mesal view; (16 c) right opisthomere, meso-posterior view; (16 d) right opisthomere, lateral view. Males from near Proastio, Kavala county, Greece: penis form (16 e) posterior and (16 f) left lateral views, (16 f *) another penis, right lateral view. Female from the first locality: (16 g) left vulva, posterior view (setae omitted). Abbreviations: ah: anterior hump; ap: anterior process, asp: anterior process of the solenomere, ca: central ampulla, ct: connecting tube; h: hump, op: operculum, pa: posterior ampulla, pp: posterior process, psp: posterior process of the solenomere, P: promere. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 14 a – g. Megaphyllum transsylvanicum and Megaphyllum kievenese. M. transsylvanicum syntype male from Transylvania, Romania, ZMB 4380: (14 a) gonopods, posterior view; (14 b) left gonopods, mesal view; (14 c) left promere, meso-posterior view. M. transsylvanicum male from Dobrostan, Bulgaria: (14 d) left opisthomere, antero-lateral view. M. kievense male, after Lohmander (1928): (14 d *) opisthomere. M. transsylvanicum. male from Fruska Gora, Serbia: penis, (14 e) posterior and (14 f) right lateral views. M. transsylvanicum. female from Sinemorec, Bulgaria: (14 g) right vulva, posterior view (setae omitted). Abbreviations: ah: anterior hump, asp: anterior process of the solenomere, ca: central ampulla, ct: connecting tube; pa: posterior ampulla, ph: posterior hump, pp: posterior process, psp: posterior process of the solenomere, rp: rod-like process, P: promere. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.