Carlopeltis goajirensis ( Jeekel, 2009 ) Romero-Rincon, 2024

Romero-Rincon, Juan, 2024, A review of the millipede genus Carlopeltis Verhoeff, 1938 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Batodesmini), Zootaxa 5424 (5), pp. 554-568 : 558-562

Carlopeltis goajirensis ( Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov.

Figs 4–9 , 13

Alocodesmus alatus goajirensis Jeekel, 2009: 69 , fig 4.

Diagnosis. Adult males of C. goajirensis ( Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov. differ from C. alatus ( Carl, 1914) and C. uraba n. sp. based on the following combination of gonopodal characteristics: prefemoral process (PfP) with apex bifurcate (vs. apex greatly serrated without prominent denticulation in C. alatus ( Carl, 1914) and C. uraba n. sp.) the beginning of the curve of solenomere (S) is marked by an incomplete cingulum (C) (vs. C complete in C. alatus ( Carl, 1914)) ; about the middle of the arch of S with a lobe on the ventral part (vs. absence lobe in C. uraba n. sp) ( Fig. 6 , arrows).

Material examined.

COLOMBIA ● 1 ♂; Tolima, Mariquita, Cataratas de Medina (5°14′40.416′′N, 74°53′6.360′′W), in composite; 20 May 1999; Biology degree students’ leg.; MHN-UPN-MD-42 . ● 2 ♂♂; same data as for proceding; MHN-UPN-MD-227 . ● 2 ♂♂; same locality data as for proceding, pitfall; 19–22 November 2002; F. Blanco et al. leg.; MHN-UPN-MD-3 . ● 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, and 2 juveniles; same locality data as for proceding; 2–5 May 2000, Biology degree students’ leg.; MHN-UPN-MD-53 . ● 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; MHN-UPN-MD-251 . ● 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Tolima, Purificación, Vereda Chenche (3°48′41.5′′N, 74°59′12.8′′W), 329 m asl, daytime hand collection, inside and backyard of a house; 8 January 2024; Y. Romero, J. Ospina and F. Ospina leg.; MHN-UPN-MD-239 . ● 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Meta, Puerto López, Alcaraván Colsubsidio Hotel (4°5′44.093′′N, 73°21′32.067′′W), daytime hand collection, on grassland; 18 February 2024; Kevin López leg., MHN-UPN-MD-260 .

Redescription. Male (MHN-UPN-42). Coloration (preserved in 70% ethanol): Head dark reddish brown 44 to deep orange 51 with a light brown labrum. Antennae moderate orange 53 with tip dark except the sensory cones. Legs with the same coloration but lighter distally in each segment and ventrally. Body rings between light orange 53 and strong orange 50, paranota tip light yellow 56, pleurites brownish black 65 and a middle line with the same lighter coloration that widens at the waist between the prozonite and metazonite ( Fig. 4 ). Body rings: cuticle with irregular microsculpture; metatergite flat; posterolaterally and dorsally directed paranota (at the middle of the body, the ring 1.4 times wider than the prozonite); ozopores lateral, hidden in dorsal view. Sternites between coxa of rings 14–18 with two pairs of acute projections, more evident and larger in the posterior pair ( Fig. 7B ). Gonopod aperture on seventh body ring elliptical, posterior edge without folds ( Fig. 7A ). Legs long (1.0 times the width of the metazonite), femora largest in the last rings, without additional modifications ( Fig. 4 ). Telson posteriorly directed, epiproct elongate, hypoproct oval with pointed end ( Fig. 4B ). Total length: 39. Collum 1.1 long, 3.5 wide. Antennomere lengths (1>7): 0.45; 1.4; 1.09; 1.14; 1.27; 0.93; 0.22. Gonopod aperture 0.91 long, 1.31 wide. Telson 1.9 long.

Gonopods ( Figs 5 , 6 ): gonocoxae (Cx) subcylindrical, several macrosetae on distal dorsal side and four small setae above the cannula (ca) (very narrow that appear to be only two setae); ca hook-shaped. Prefemoral region (Pfe) short, ca 1/2 the size of acropodite, densely setose. Prefemoral process (PfP) long, robust below the secondary process of the prefemoral process (SPr), bifurcate apex into two pointed denticulations, the lateral denticulation larger and longer thar the medial denticulation; SPr with acuminate apex. Solenomere (S) falcate, starting straight and parallel to PfP, the beginning of the curve is marked by an incomplete cingulum (C), about the middle of the arch of S with a lobe on the ventral part ( Figs 6A–B , arrows).

Female (MHN-UPN-MD-251). Body as in male, including the two pair of acute projections between coxa of rings 14–18. Total length: 2.99. Collum 1.6 long, 3.9 wide. Antennomere lengths (1>7): 0.46; 1.14; 1.23; 0.81; 1.1; 0.93; 0.2. Telson, length 0.7. Epigyne rounded with irregular edges. Vulvae ( Fig. 8 ): length 0.68, width 0.9. External valve: length 0.42, width 0.21. Internal valve: length 0.41, width 0.23. Operculum: length 0.23, width 0.28.

Distribution. La Guajira, Tolima, and Meta departments ( Fig. 13 ).

Remarks. Originally, the subspecies Alocodesmus alatus goajirensis Jeekel, 2009 was described under Alocodesmus . Jeekel (2009) possibly was unaware of the creation of the genus Carlopeltis , which was also not listed by Carrillo-Pallares et al. (2022) for the Colombian Caribbean region. That description was based on two poorly preserved males, making it impossible to compare somatic characters with the type species. Jeekel (2009) noted differences in gonopod structure between the type species and C. goajirensis stat. nov. ex Alocodesmus alatus goajirensis at the apex of the PfP and the mesal location of the SPr (vs. lateral in C. alatus ( Carl, 1914)) although the latter comparative diagnosis was poorly described because of an error made in the drawing given by Carl (1914).

A teratological case is recorded for a female (MHN-UPN-239) of C. goajirensis stat. nov., represented by an atrophied leg of the body ring 12. This case shows a full reduction on its size (ca 0. 56 times) in comparation with the size of normal legs ( Fig. 9 ).

It is important to highlight that a small notch at the apex of the lateral denticulation was observed in some gonopods, however, they maintain their diagnostic characters. Analysis of new samples could confirm this feature as a minor variation in the structure of the gonopod in this species.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., male (MHN-UPN-42). A. Habitus in dorsal view. B. Habitus in ventral view. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., A. Male holotype, modified from Jeekel (2009: fig. 4). B. Male (MHN-UPN-MD-239). A. Right gonopod in mesal view. B. Gonopods in situ in ventral view. Abbreviations: C: cingulum, ca: cannula, Cx: gonocoxae, Pfe: prefemoral region, PfP: prefemoral process, S: solenomere, SG: seminal groove, SPr: secondary process of the prefemoral process. Scale bar: (B) = 0.4 mm.

FIGURE 6. Left gonopod of Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., male (MHN-UPN-42). A, B. Mesal view. C, D. Lateral view. Abbreviations: C: cingulum, ca: cannula, Cx: gonocoxae, Pfe: prefemoral region, PfP: prefemoral process, S: solenomere, SG: seminal groove, SPr: secondary process of the prefemoral process. The arrows refer to the lobe at the posterior margin of the solenomere. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., male (MHN-UPN-42). A. Aperture of gonopod. B. Sternites of body rings16 and 17. The arrows point to the pairs of projections of the sternites. Scale bars: 0.7 mm.

FIGURE 8. Left vulva of Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., female (MHN-UPN-MD-251). A. Ventral view. B. Lateral view. Abbreviations: VE: external valve, VI: internal valve, O: operculum. Scale bar: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 9. Carlopeltis goajirensis (Jeekel, 2009) stat. nov., female (MHN-UPN-MD-239). Midbody rings, showing malformed leg of ring 12. Ventral view of left side. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 13. Distribution map of species of Carlopeltis Verhoeff, 1938.