Procophorella bashfordi, Mesibov, Robert, 2003

Mesibov, Robert, 2003, Two new and unusual genera of millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) from Tasmania, Australia, Zootaxa 368, pp. 1-32 : 7

Procophorella bashfordi n. sp.

Fig. 4 , map Fig. 5

Holotype: Male, Weavers Creek , Tasmania, EQ312106 (41°27’19”S, 147°22’24”E), 630m, 19.vii.1994, R. Mesibov, QVM 23 :41384.

Paratypes: Male , details as for holotype, AM KS86295 ; male (dissected), Weavers Creek , EQ319163 (41°24’14”S, 147°22’53”E), 970m, 8.i.1995, R. Mesibov & T. Moule, QVM 23:41387 ; male, Weavers Creek , EQ305133 (41°25’52”S, 147°21’54”E), 620m, 23.iii.1995, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:41388 ; 6 females, Weavers Creek , EQ320110 (41°27’06”S, 147°22’59”E), 530m, 22.iii.1995, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:41496 .

Other material examined: 15 males, 79 females and 29 juveniles. See Appendix for details.

Diagnosis: Differs from P. innupta in having a less flexed telopodite tip and in bearing a prominent, subterminal uncus on the telopodite.

Description: As for the genus. Telopodite base ( Fig. 4 ) concave on the distal surface, the distal portion of the telopodite directed cephalad and distad from the base before curving distad in a smooth arc, a few medium to long setae on the posterior surface to about two­thirds the telopodite length. Tip flattened dorsoventrally (i.e., anteroposteriorly if the telopodite were uncurved), bearing a very small, acuminate and somewhat sinuous solenomerite laterally, pointing distad; more mesally a short, narrow, acutely pointed axial process bent mesad, and a few very small teeth near the mesal edge of the tip; between the solenomerite and the narrow axial process a single blade­like process strongly flexed and slightly curved proximad and laterad. A short, somewhat swollen uncus on the posterolateral surface of the telopodite at about 0.8 of its length, its blunt tip directed proximad.

Distribution and habitat: An uncommon, inconspicuous species in leaf and woody litter in dry eucalypt forest, wet eucalypt forest and Nothofagus rainforest over ca. 7000 km 2 in northern and northeastern Tasmania, from near sea level to at least 1200 m ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology: In honour of Richard Bashford, Tasmanian forest entomologist.

Remarks: Over most of the range of this species there is very little variation in gonopod form. However, three males from the Old Chum Dam area (circled locality in Fig. 5 ) differ in that the strongly flexed process just mesal to the solenomerite is club­like rather than blade­like.

Figures

FIGURE 4. SEM views of gonopods in situ, anterior to the left. (Left) Procophorella innupta n. sp., QVM 23: 41403; scale bar = 0.3 mm. (Right) Procophorella bashfordi n. sp., QVM 23: 41385; scale bar = 0.4 mm.

FIGURE 5. Distributions in Tasmania of Procophorella bashfordi n. sp. (crosses), P. innupta n. sp. (large squares) and unidentified Procophorella females and juveniles (small squares). Circled locality in northeast Tasmania is Old Chum Dam (see text).