Tasmaniosoma bruniense, Mesibov, 2010

Mesibov, Robert, 2010, The millipede genus Tasmaniosoma Verhoeff, 1936 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania, Australia, with descriptions of 18 new species, ZooKeys 41 (4), pp. 31-80 : 48-49

Tasmaniosoma bruniense sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2925D795-06EF-47EF-86CF-EB6BA3949921

Figs 6E , 11; map Fig. 24

Holotype. Male, Australia, Tasmania, Cuthberts Road, South Bruny Island , 43°23'57"S 147°17'53"E (EM240946) ± 25 m, 340m, 27 October 2009, R. Mesibov, QVM 23 :51631.

Paratypes. 1 stadium VI male, Mt Tobin , South Bruny Island, Tas, 43°23'55"S 147°19'12"E (EM258947) ± 100 m, 6 February 2001, K. Bonham, QVM 23 :51634 ; 3 males, 6 females, 3 stadium VI males, 1 stadium VI female, Staffords Road , South Bruny Island, Tas, 43°26'11"S 147°17'20"E (EM233905) ± 25 m, 1 July 2009, S. Tassell, QVM 23 :51633 .

Other material. 1 male, details as for holotype but 43°23'55"S 147°17'59"E (EM242947) ± 25 m, 360m, 26 October 2009, in 95% ethanol.

Diagnosis. Metatergites without tubercles, small rounded teeth posterolaterally on paranota, male leg 6 with triangular extension basally on prefemur, solenomere the longest telopodite process, with broad and flattened tip notched into two extensions.

Description. Male/female approximate measurements: length 14/ 13 mm, ring 12 paranota width 1.7/ 1.7 mm. Live and recently preserved specimens mainly dark brown, paler ventrally and in patches on paranota and sometimes medially at rear of metatergites; legs pale, light brown distally.

Most non-gonopod details as for T. armatum , but relative widths tergite 6>5>4>(2,head)>3>collum, ring 12 paranota 1.4 × as wide as prozonite, male sternites ca 1.2 × longer than wide. Most paranota with small rounded tooth at posterior corner, some paranota with second, smaller, rounded tooth just medial to corner; paranota decreasing in width from ring 11, ring 16 paranota merely a thickening without marginal groove, ring 17 without trace of paranota. Leg 6 with tarsus ca 1.5 × as long as femur; prefemur with unusually long brush setae and thin, triangular projection on posterior surface, directed basally ( Fig. 6E ). Ring 2 pit deep, wide, rim not well-defined posteromedially. Ring 6 sternite with legs 6 closer together than legs 7; short, thin leg 6 tab with brush of fine setae; leg 7 tab long, thickened, with brush of fine setae; anterior margin of sternite with a few long, fine setae.

Gonopod telopodite (Fig. 11) tapering distally from laterally swollen lower portion; divided into four main processes at ca 2/3 telopodite height. Undivided portion with posterior surface roundly ridged longitudinally, base posteriorly extended as thin shelf, concave

Figure ||. Tasmaniosoma bruniense sp. n., paratype male ex QVM 23:51633. Lateral A, anterior B, medial C and posterior D views of left gonopod telopodite. Setation only shown in A, dashed lines mark course of prostatic groove. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

distally. Four distal processes comprise: (a) long, mediolaterally flattened, apically acute, slightly sinuous process arising on posteromedial surface; (b) short, somewhat flattened posterolateral process with rounded-truncate tip; (c) large solenomere arising on anterolateral surface, slightly flattened mediolaterally, the apex bent posteriorly and curving laterally, the tip bifid with the prostatic groove terminating in the lower portion; (d) large, apically acute process, slightly flattened mediolaterally, arising just anteromedial to solenomere base, closely pressed to solenomere and reaching nearly as far distally. In addition, a short, acute process arising at ca 1/2 telopodite height on anterolateral surface and terminating just distal to level of solenomere base. Tracts of fine setae posteriorly on posterior longitudinal ridge, and running obliquely from posterobasal shelf to just basal to anterior process on anterolateral surface. Prostatic groove running distally on medial surface of telopodite to just basal to division into processes, then running posterolaterally to enter solenomere base.

Female leg 2 prefemur distally swollen, with small, rounded, tooth-like projection arising midlength on posteromedial surface; sternites as wide as long; posterior margin of epigynum produced as short, wide trapezoid.

Distribution. Known from three sites in wet eucalypt forest with cool temperate rainforest understorey on South Bruny Island, with a maximum distance between sites of ca 5 km ( Fig. 24 ). Co-occurs with T. warra sp. n. at the type locality.

Etymology. Adjective; all known specimens are from Bruny Island.

Remarks. Females and subadults can be recognised by the prominent tooth on the posterior margin of the metatergites, and females can also be distinguished from co-occurring females of T. warra sp. n. by the projection on the leg 2 prefemur in T. bruniense .

Figures

Figure 6. Tasmaniosoma armatum Verhoeff, 1936, topotypical male ex QVM 23:46567, legs 6 A and 7 B. T. australe sp. n., voucher male QVM 23:46573, left leg 6 lateral C and dorsal view D. T. bruniense sp. n., paratype male ex QVM 23:51633, left leg 6 E. T. alces sp. n., paratype male ex QVM 23:46762, legs 6 F and 7 G. Setation not shown; scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Figure 24. A Localities as of 31 January 2010 for Tasmaniosoma alces sp. n. (filled triangles), T. aureorivum sp. n. (crosses), T. australe sp. n. (filled squares), T.bruniense sp. n. (stars), T. hesperium sp. n. (open circles), T. laccobium sp. n. (open triangle), T. maria sp. n. (filled circles) and T. warra sp. n. (open squares). See also Fig. 23. Scale bar = 50 km. (B) Map of Tasmania showing location of main map (rectangle).