Parancistrum Verhoeff, 1943

Vagalinski, Boyan, Lazányi, Eszter & Golovatch, Sergei, 2013, Redescription of the subgenus Parancistrum Verhoeff, 1943, an eastern Mediterranean lineage of the millipede genus Megaphyllum Verhoeff, 1894 (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae: Brachyiulini), Zootaxa 3734 (5), pp. 501-520 : 502-503

Subgenus Parancistrum Verhoeff, 1943

Parancistrum Verhoeff, 1943: 226 . Type species: Brachyiulus adanensis Verhoeff, 1943 (syn. n. of Megaphyllum curvifolii (Verhoeff, 1898)) , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. A subgenus of Megaphyllum differing from other subgenera by the following combination of characters: Opisthomere with a large, flattened, posterior process (pp), a well-developed, slender, club- or spineshaped anterior process (ap), and a rather simple solenomere, with a prominent anterior protrusion (asp). Vulva cylindrical, with a small, entirely apically positioned opening (o); operculum (op) shorter than to subequal to bursa. Subanal scale in males triangular, pointed.

Description. Medium- to large-sized animals, 25–45 mm long and 1.6–3.2 mm high; females usually slightly longer and considerably thicker than males. Body colour pattern usually marked by two lateral and one mid-dorsal dark stripe against a brownish background.

Head with 2 frontal, 4 supralabral and 18–24 labral setae. Antennomeres 3, 4 and 5 subequal in length.

Gnathochilarium typically julid, with 4–5 setae on each lingual plate; promentum rather large, 1/4–2/7 of total length of gnathochilarium. Males with expanded mandibular stipites, each protruding ventro-anteriad into a rounded lobe.

Collum smooth, either with several short scratches at posterolateral corner or with one long stria running along collum’s lateral margin.

Body rings not vaulted; male’s first 3–4 body rings somewhat flattened dorsoventrally, this being more pronounced in certain species. Prozona finely scratched, metazona deeply and densely striated. Male pleurotergum 7 with large shovel-shaped or smaller lobes protruding mesad at border between pro- and metazona. Pre-anal process (= epiproct) long and pointed, sometimes with a hyaline tip turned down, in females usually shorter and stouter. Anal valves (= paraprocts) densely pilose. Subanal scale (= hypoproct) triangular, pointed or faintly blunt, in females sometimes narrowly rounded.

Male leg-pair 1 forming parallel hooks, without tarsal remnants; leg-pair 2 unmodified, with two adhesive pads, one each on postfemora and tibiae; following walking legs with three pads, one each on femora, postfemora and tibiae. Tarsi of mid-body male walking legs shorter than or subequal to tibiae. Legs in females unmodified except for first two leg-pairs being slightly enlarged when vulvae fully developed.

Penis lying deep behind coxae 2, stout, somewhat longer than broad, with well-developed apical lobes slightly turned caudad.

Gonopods more or less slender, in situ considerably protruding outside gonopod sinus. Promere (P) simple, elongated, leaf-like, with a rather deep median groove (g) on its posterior side and a well-developed median ridge (r). Flagellum (fl) from subequal to, to considerably longer than promere, thin; several spini- or setiform filaments (sf) along opisthomere’s flagellum channel (fc). Opisthomere somewhat longer than to subequal to promere, with a massive, flattened, posterior process (pp), a slender, smooth or serrated, spini- or claviform, anterior process (ap), and a rather simple solenomere (s) turned caudad and bearing a marked anterior protrusion (asp), with flagellum channel (fc) opening behind it.

Vulvae robust, markedly cylindrical, with a small, slit-like, apically positioned opening (o); bursa (b) and operculum (op) subequal in height, with well-developed, apical, lamellar protrusions (bl and opl, respectively); setation particularly dense; receptaculum seminis double, consisting of an ovoid or subspherical posterior ampulla (pa) and a wide apodematic tube (at), the former attached to the latter through a long, folded, often spirally twisted connecting tube (ct).

Distribution. Turkey, Israel

Included species. Megaphyllum curvifolii (Verhoeff, 1898) (type species), M. genezarethanum (Verhoeff, 1923) , M. serratum (Verhoeff, 1898) , M. tenenbaumi (Jawłowski 1931) , M. turcicum (Verhoeff, 1898) and M. arcuatum sp. n.

Comment. Attems (1940) assigned the species M. curvifolii , M. genezarethanum (referred to as Chromatoiulus palaestinus ), M. serratum , M. tenenbaumi and M. turcicum to the subgenus Phauloiulus Attems, 1940 he then described. However, by choosing M. lictor Attems, 1904 as the type species, a species actually belonging to Byzantorhopalum Verhoeff, 1932 (Vagalinski & Lazányi, in prep.), as well as by adding therein (in the same paper) also M. crassum (Attems, 1928) , M. glossulifer (Schubart, 1934) , M. karschi (Verhoeff, 1901) , M. montivagum (Verhoeff, 1901) , M. leucadium (Attems, 1929) (referred to as Chromatoiulus leucasius , a misprint), M. pentheri (Attems, 1905) , M. seditiosum (Attems, 1940) , M. tetricum (Attems, 1932) and M. vicinum (Verhoeff, 1903) , Attems instantly made his Phauloiulus a highly heterogeneous assemblage. Moreover, M. curvifolii appears to be a senior subjective synonym of M. adanense , i.e. the type, and so far only constituent, species of Parancistrum . The decision to revive the hitherto monotypic Parancistrum is prompted by the presence of several similar species among Phauloiulus which, together with the synonymized M. adanense , form a natural group that shows certain similarities with Megaphyllum s. str., but is at the same time clearly discernible.