Megaphyllum projectum Verhoff, 1894

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 : 62

Megaphyllum projectum Verhoff, 1894

Figs 4a–l

Diagnosis. M. projectum differs from all consubgeners by the longitudinal anterior process of the opisthomere (ap) (i.e. directed parallel to main opisthomere body, best seen from lateral view, see Fig. 4f ) together with the cockscomb-like posterior solenomere process (psp), best seen from mesal view ( Fig. 4k ).

The species shows sexual dimorphism in body colour: males are uniformly dark grey, while females are brownish-yellow with two bright dorsal bands divided by a wide dark band.

Remarks. Type species of the genus Megaphyllum and one of the most frequent Megaphyllum species in Central European deciduous forests. Originally, Verhoeff described five nominal subspecies: M. p. alticolum (Verhoeff, 1897), M. p. deubeli (Verhoeff, 1899) , M. p. dioritanum (Verhoeff, 1907) , M. p. kochi (Verhoeff, 1907) and the nominotypical subspecies M. p. projectum Verhoeff, 1894 . Their validity was discussed by Lazányi & Korsós (2011) where only three of them proved to be valid. This is the only species within the subgenus Megaphyllum sensu stricto for which valid subspecies are recognized. They are further discussed in separate sections.

Figures

FIGURES 4 a – l. Megaphyllum projectum. (4 a – d) M. p. deubeli male from Băile Borşa, Maramureş Mts, Romania: right gonopods, (4 a) posterior and (4 b) mesal views; (4 c) left promere, meso-posterior view; (4 d) left opisthomere, lateral view. (4 e and 4 g – i) Megaphyllum projectum kochi male from Bukova, Malé Karpaty, Slovakia: (4 e) gonopods, posterior view; penis, (4 g) posterior and (4 h) right lateral views. (4 i) M. p. kochi female from Sanssouci, Germany: right vulva, posterior view (setae omitted). (4 f and 4 j – l) M. p. projectum male [originally Julus austriacus syntype, ZMB 1846]: (4 f) right gonopods, lateral view; (4 j) gonopods, posterior view; (4 k) right gonopods, mesal view. (4 l) M. p. projectum female from Haragistya, Aggtelek National Park, Hungary: right vulva, posterior view (setae omitted). Abbreviations: ap: anterior process, asp: anterior process of the solenomere, ca: central ampulla, ct: connecting tube; pa: posterior ampulla, pp: posterior process, psp: posterior process of the solenomere, sl: serrated lobe, P: promere. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.