Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016

Evsyukov, Aleksandr, Golovatch, Sergei & Reip, Hans S., 2018, The millipede genus Julus Linnaeus, 1758 in the Caucasus (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae), Zootaxa 4461 (1), pp. 89-117 : 92

Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016

Figs 1A , 2A , 3A , 4A , 8A–B , 14A , 15A , 16A , 17A , Map 1

Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016a: 243 (D).

Diagnosis. Differs from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters. Promere (pr) with a lamella (la) in middle part, rounded and apically gently angular ( Fig. 8A ). Distal part of opisthomere (op) with small lamellae ( Fig. 8B ). Metazonae with rough and deep striations ( Fig. 16A ). Ampullae of female vulvae (am1 and am2) subequal; female leg-pair 2 (l2) without coxal processes ( Fig. 17A ).

Descriptive notes. See Evsyukov (2016a) and Figs 1A , 2A , 3A , 4A , 8A–B , 14A , 15A , 16A , 17A .

Length of adults 17–19 mm, width 1.4–1.6 mm. Number of segments in adults from 48+1+T to 50+1+T. Body dark brown, more intensely pigmented dorsally, lighter on ventral side; legs brownish yellow; antennae and anal valves reddish brown. Eye patches composed of ca 45 ocelli. Metazonae with rough and deep striae ( Fig. 16A ).

Antennae long and slender, in situ reaching back to body segment 4. Antennomere 5 with a corolla of 8 bacilliform sensilla ( Fig. 1A ). Stipites of gnathochilarium with a paramedian pair of 3–4 setae per group parabasally, below mentum ( Fig. 2A ).

Male leg-pair 1 small, subtriangular ( Fig. 3A ), suture between coxa (cx) and a 1-segmented telopodite remnant (te) weakly expressed; cx without lateral process; te with several thin setae. Male leg-pair 2 with two coxal processes ( Fig. 4A ): anterolateral process (alp) short and slender; main process (mp) long, both the latter slightly diverging. Penes short, moderately bifurcated apically.

All three parts of each gonopod ( Fig. 8B ) forming a tight block. Promere (pr) higher than opisthomere (op), flagella (fl) well-developed, thick and somewhat ribbon-shaped; op with a basal, long, spike-like projection caudally and a thin, twisted and curved outgrowth (lo) laterally; pr without telopodite remnant, narrowed basally, with a lamella (la) laterally, rounded and gently angular apically ( Fig. 8A ). Mesomere (ms) simple, short, rounded at apex. Lateral outgrowth (lo) of op higher than both ms and remaining op ( Fig. 14A ).

Ventral edge of male segment 7 with small curved lamellae bordering the gonopodal aperture ( Fig. 15A ).

Female vulvae (vu) densely setose ( Fig. 17A ). Operculum (op) M-shaped in apical part, bursa (bu) rounded at upper edges, ampullae (am1 and am2) subequal. Female leg-pair 2 (l2) without coxal processes.

Remarks. The species was described, based on material from two localities in the Rostov-on-Don Region, southern Russia ( Evsyukov 2016a). This species is very similar to the European J. scanicus Lohmander, 1925 and J. terrestris Linnaeus, 1758 (cf. Schubart 1934), both in Julus s. str. ( Lohmander 1936), and thus it clearly represents a European element in the fauna of northern Ciscaucasia.

The above shortened description and accompanying illustrations repeat information contained in Evsyukov (2016a), because no new material has been found since. Even though strictly speaking this is a European congener, its provenance from so close to the Caucasus proper warrants its incorporation into the present overview at least for comparative purposes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Antennae in Caucasian species of Julus, lateral views. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936. C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. E: J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910. F: J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936. G: J. dagestanus sp. n. H: J. khostensis sp. n. Scale bar: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 2. Gnathochilaria in Caucasian species of Julus, ventral views. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936. C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. E: J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910. F: J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936. G: J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936. H: J. dagestanus sp. n. I: J. khostensis sp. n. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 3. Male legs 1 in Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016 (A), J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936 (B–D), J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981 (E–F), J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921 (G–I), J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910 (J–M), J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936 (N– P), J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936 (Q–R), J. dagestanus sp. n. (S) and J. khostensis sp. n. (T). A: from the Rostov-on-Don Region. B: from Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar Province. C: from Sakhrai, Adygea Republic. D: syntype from Gagry, Abkhazia, after Lohmander (1936). E: from North Ossetia. F: paratype from North Ossetia, after Golovatch (1981). G: from Maikop, Adygea Republic. H: from Pskhu, Abkhazia. I: from Aksaut, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, after Lohmander (1936). J: from Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar Province. K: from Teberda, Karachaevo-Cherkessia. L: from Mestia, Svanetia, Georgia. M: from Teberda, Karachaevo-Cherkessia. N: from Svanetia, Georgia. O: from near Teberda, Karachaevo-Cherkessia. P: holotype from Olginskoe, Abkhazia, after Lohmander (1936). Q: from North Ossetia. R: syntype from Mount Djuga, Krasnodar Province, after Lohmander (1936). S: holotype from Dagestan. T: holotype from Khosta, Krasnodar Province. Oral views B–O; caudal views A, P. Abbreviations: cx, coxa; te, telopodite remnant. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A–C, E, G, H, J–O, Q, S, T), 0.2 mm (F), not to scale (D, I, P, R).

FIGURE 4. Male legs 2 in Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016 (A), J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936 (B–D), J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981 (E–F) and J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921 (G–I). A: from the Rostov-on-Don Region. B: from Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar Province. C: from Sakhrai, Adygea Republic. D: syntype from Gagry, Abkhazia, after Lohmander (1936). E: from North Ossetia. F: paratype from North Ossetia, after Golovatch (1981). G: from Maikop, Adygea Republic. H: from Pskhu, Abkhazia. I: from Aksaut, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, after Lohmander (1936). Oral views C, E, H; caudal views A, B, D, F, G; mesal view I. Abbreviations: alp, anterolateral process of coxa 2; mp, main process of coxa 2; p, penes; pp, posterior process of coxa 2. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A–C, E, G, H), 0.2 mm (F), not to scale (D, I).

FIGURE 8. Male gonopods in Julus alexandrae Evsyukov, 2018 (A–B from the Rostov-on-Don Region) and J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936 (C–D from Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar Province, E–F from Sakhrai, Adygea Republic, G–H syntype from Gagry, Abkhazia, after Lohmander (1936), I from Sataplia State Reserve, Georgia, after Golovatch (1977)). A, E, G: promere, caudal view. B, D: left gonopods, mesal view. C: promere with flagella, caudal view. F: right gonopods, mesal view. H, I: left gonopods, mesal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm. G, H, I not to scale. Abbreviations: fl, flagellum; la, lamella on promere; lo, lateral outgrowth of opisthomere; ms, mesomere; op, opisthomere; pr, promere; t, mesal tooth on promere.

FIGURE 14. Mesomere and opisthomere in Caucasian species of Julus, oral views. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936. C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. E: J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910. F: J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936 G: J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936. H: J. dagestanus sp. n. Scale bars: 0.3 mm. Abbreviations: fl, flagellum; lo, lateral outgrowth of opisthomere; ms, mesomere; op, opisthomere.

FIGURE 15. Ventral edge of male segments 7 in Caucasian species of Julus. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936 C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. E: J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910. F: J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936. G: J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936. H: J. khostensis sp. n. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 16. Striation on metazonites in Caucasian species of Julus. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936. C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. E: J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910. F: J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936. G: J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936. H: J. dagestanus sp. n. I: J. khostensis sp. n. Pictures taken not to scale.

FIGURE 17. Female vulvae and legs 2 in Caucasian species of Julus. A: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016. B: J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936. C: J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981. D: J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921. Abbreviations: vu, vulva; op, operculum; bu, bursa; am1 and am2, ampulla 1 and ampulla 2; l2, coxa and prefemur of leg 2. Scale bar: 0.3 mm.