Megaphyllum erythronotum (Latzel, 1884) Latzel, 1884

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 : 59-60

Megaphyllum erythronotum (Latzel, 1884) comb. nov.

Figs 2a–f

Julus austriacus var. erythronotus Latzel, 1884: 299 .

Julus austriacus var. erythronotus: Daday 1889: 22 , 26, 31, 35, 54. Brachyiulus austriacus var. erythronotus: Verhoeff 1897b: 113 . Brachyiulus banaticus Verhoeff, 1899 : Verhoeff 1899a: 191–192, Fig. 23. syn. nov. Chromatoiulus banaticus: Attems 1927: 223 , 238–239, Figs 326–327. Chromatoiulus (Chromatoiulus) banaticus: Attems 1940: 306 .

Megaphyllum banaticum: Enghoff & Kime 2009 .

Material examined. Romania: Inv. No. 3091, 1♂, 3♀, Julus austriacus var. erythronotus Syntypen, Südungarn (Herkulesbad) [Băile Herculane], leg., don. Latzel (NHMW); 1♂ gonopods, slide preparation, Mehadia, 1850, leg. Kraus, det. Attems (NHMW); 2♂, 1♀, Julus austriacus var. erythronotus Latz. Det. Dr. Daday Jenő, Szt. Helena [ Sfânta Elena, Caraş-Severin County, Banat], leg. Dr. Tömösváry Ödön, My 1307, 830/1888 (HNHM).

Distribution. Romania: “Cernathale” [Râul Cerna, Dunăre, i.e. Cerna river, a side river of the Danube] in the Banat, “Cetatea Boli near Petroseny” [i.e. Castle of Boli, referring to a cave near Petroşani and to a watchpost in front of the cave] (type localities) (Verhoeff 1899a).

Diagnosis. Differs from all consubgeners by the very wide reddish longitudinal dorsal band on dark grey background present in both sexes, and by the very large, flat, triangular posterior solenomere process (psp) ( Figs 2b, 2d ).

Opisthomere (2a–b, 2d) without a well-developed anterior process; posterior process (pp) as high as the solenomere. Anterior solenomere process (asp) dwarfed by the very large posterior solenomere process (psp).

Body length and height: males: 39.2–40.2mm, 2.6–3.2mm; female: 48.7mm, 4mm.

Remarks. Investigation of Julus austriacus var. erythronotus Latzel, 1884 syntypes showed that they are subjective senior synonyms of the later described M. banaticum . The name given by Latzel (1884) refers to the longitudinal reddish dorsal band in both males and females. Verhoeff (1899a) named the species after the distribution range. This species has hardly been mentioned in publications since the original description.

The individual from St. Helena had setiform filaments on the opisthomere’s flagellum-conducting lamella.

The female deposited in the HNHM was in bad condition, so vulva structure could not be illustrated.

Figures

FIGURES 2 a – f. Megaphyllum erythronotum male from Sfânta Elena, Banat, Romania. (2 a) Gonopods, posterior view; (2 b) left gonopods, mesal view; (2 c) right promere, meso-posterior view; (2 d) right opisthomere, lateral view; penis, (2 e) posterior and (2 f) left lateral views. Abbreviations: asp: anterior process of the solenomere, pp: posterior process, psp: posterior process of the solenomere, P: promere. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.