Ommatoiulus inconspicuus (L. Koch, 1881 )

Akkari, Nesrine & Enghoff, Henrik, 2012, Review of the genus Ommatoiulus in Andalusia, Spain (Diplopoda: Julida) with description of ten new species and notes on a remarkable gonopod structure, the fovea, Zootaxa 3538, pp. 1-53 : 25

Ommatoiulus inconspicuus (L. Koch, 1881)

Figs 55–60

Julus inconspicuus L. Koch, 1881: 673–674

Julus nigritarsis L. Koch, 1881: 674

Schizophyllum (Bothroiulus) ibizianum Verhoeff, 1924: 107–108 , figs 12–14

Ommatoiulus inconspicuus: Enghoff and Vicente 2000: 195–196

Material. 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀, 1 immature, Andalusia, Almería, El Palmer , 28.xii.1969, J. Alvarez leg. ( MNCN) .

Diagnosis. Most similar to O. niger , O. ibericus and O. hoffmani n. sp., differing from these species by having the paracoxite distally constricted in an much slender apical part with a clavate tip and by the structure of the solenomerite which has a very broad anterior lamella curved laterad and bearing strong apical serrations.

Description. Male: L: 32 mm, H: 2.7 mm, 50 PR+2 AR+T. Females: H: 3.5–4.3 mm, 47 PR+1–2 AR+T. Colour yellowish, faded after a long stay in alcohol. Telson: anal valves with 1 marginal row of short serate, a submarginal row of longer ones and 3–4 setae on the disc; subanal scale triangular and setose; preanal ring with a short caudal projection bearing a small hyaline process and 2–2 setae on the lateral sides and 3–4 on the tip.

Gonopods: Promerite ( Fig. 55) sub-rectangular with an apical lateral digit-shaped process (Dg) which is rounded, very prominent, and truncate at the level of the apical notch (no); mesal ridge (Mr) uniformly broad, distally protruding and folded; rudimentary telopodite (T) conspicuous, triangular and located distally. Posterior gonopod: Mesomerite (Ms) ( Figs 56–58) simple, longer than promerite, uniformly slender, apically bent anteriad and bearing two small apical small hooks (h1, h2) ( Fig. 57); Solenomerite (S) broad at base, with a jagged lamella (jl) bordering anteriorly the process and rising at midlength as a serrated edge ( Fig. 56); solenomerite slightly narrowed at this level, then distally expanded in broad, laterally folded lamella which is ramified into 1) a posterior blunt, strongly crinkly conical process (Cn) bearing scattered spikes in the apical part ( Figs 59, 60), 2) a small, apically pointed conical process (Cp) lodging the opening of the seminal groove ( Figs 59, 60) 3) an anterior lamella (Als) with jagged surface ( Figs 57–59), marginally serrated with strong spines and bearing subapically a big curved spine (St1). Seminal groove (g) running posteriorly from the fovea (F) located at the base up to process Cp ( Fig. 56). Paracoxite (Px) stout, strongly constricted in the apical third, protruding in a hammer-like process with a clavate apex curved mesad ( Figs 57, 58).

Distribution. O. inconspicuous was described from the Balearic Islands: Menorca (L. Koch 1881), Ibiza ( Verhoeff 1924), Cabera, Ibiza, Menorca and Menorca ( Enghoff and Vicente 2000). It has also been recorded from the Spanish mainland, however, without accurate locality information ( Enghoff and Vicente 2000). The present record from Almería, Andalusia, thus constitutes the first precise record of the species from continental Spain.

Habitat. Recorded from pine forest on sand dunes and stony-gravelly ground, scattered bushes, garrigue vegetation on limestone ( Enghoff and Vicente 2000).

Comments. This species was described twice by Koch (1881) as Julus inconspicuus and Julus nigritarsis , both from Menorca (Balearic Islands), based on external morphology of female specimens. Enghoff and Vicente (2000) examined type specimens of Koch’s two nominal species and synonymized both under O. inconspicuus . Schizophyllum ibizianum Verhoeff, 1924 , described from another Balearic Island, Ibiza, they found to be yet another synonym of the same species.