Guipuzcosomatidae Antić & Mauriès, 2022

Antić, Dragan & Mauriès, Jean-Paul, 2022, Two new species of the previously monospecific genus Guipuzcosoma Vicente & Mauriès, 1980 from Spain, with establishment of Guipuzcosomatidae fam. nov. (Diplopoda: Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 5093 (2), pp. 142-168 : 146

Family Guipuzcosomatidae Antić & Mauriès , new family

Type genus: Guipuzcosoma Vicente & Mauriès, 1980 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. The newly established family undoubtedly belongs to the suborder Craspedosomatidea . However, considering that the higher classification of the entire order is obviously very chaotic, it is difficult to assign it to a suprafamiliar place at the moment. In any case, it seems to us that Guipuzcosomatidae fam. nov. can find its place within any of the two superfamilies Anthroleucosomatoidea (primarily Anthogonidae and Vandeleumatidae ) and Cleidogonoidea since it can be compared to some of their families. We believe that it is superfluous to compare this family with the representatives of other superfamilies of the suborder Craspedosomatidea or with the remaining three suborders, viz., Chordeumatidea, Heterochordeumatidea and Striariidea, since it seems they have nothing in common to the newly established family.

Guipuzcosomatidae fam. nov. differs from the member of the superfamilies Anthroleucosomatoidea and Cleidogonoidea by the following combination of characters: male pregonopodal legs 3–7 not incrassate and without tarsal papillae; postgonopodal legs 10 and 11 with coxal sacks, additionally leg 10 with short trochanteral and leg 11 with short coxal process, no other peculiarities; gonopodal sternum of both anterior and posterior gonopods poorly developed and poorly chitinized, mainly membranous; anterior gonopods with striking second pair of angiocoxites starting laterally from coxites, with two branches one with a few very long, flagelliform processes; colpocoxites of the anterior gonopods strongly developed, divided, strongly chitinized, only with rounded membranous remnants; posterior gonopods modified, not leg-like, without articulation and with well-developed, partially chitinized colpocoxites. Fortunately, in many taxa from the superfamilies Anthroleucosomatoidea and Cleidogonoidea vulvae are known, but in none of them they are medially fused, as it is in Guipuzcosomatidae fam. nov. where vulvae are characterized with a striking, chitinized and massive medial bursal structure posteriorly, as one of the possible autapomorphies.

For more detailed comparison of the new family with some members of Chordeumatida see the discussion.