Mimops orientalis Kraepelin, 1903

Lewis, John G. E., 2006, On the scolopendromorph centipede genus Mimops Kraepelin, 1903, with a description of a new family (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha), Journal of Natural History 40 (19 - 20), pp. 1231-1239 : 1232-1235

Mimops orientalis Kraepelin, 1903

( Figures 1–13 )

Mimops orientalis Kraepelin 1903, p 62 , Figures 21–24.

Mimops orientalis: Attems 1930, p 248 , Figures 325–327.

Holotype: China, Süd Schensi (5 Shaanxi Province), August 1903, ZMUH.

Description of holotype

Length 45 mm. Head plate about as long as wide ( Figure 1 ), very finely punctate with posterior margin overlying tergite 1. A single unpigmented ocellus (‘‘weissen Augenfleck’’, Kraepelin 1903).

Left antenna damaged, right with 17 antennomeres. Antennomeres at most 1.5 times as long as wide, the basal six glabrous dorsally, the following ones appear to have lost many setae. Kraepelin (1903) stated that the basal seven antennomeres are glabrous, the following only setose laterally, almost glabrous dorsally and ventrally.

Clypeus partially obscured but without the transverse row of setae seen in Cryptops . Pretarsus (claw) of second maxilla pointed and without accessory spurs. Not hooked as in Cryptops .

Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternum, with a lenticular plate delimited by an oblique suture on each side ( Figure 2 ). The plates lack teeth but each has a prominent seta behind the anterior margin. Forcipular trochanteroprefemur with a low median lobe in the position of the median process or tooth of scolopendrids.

Tergite 1 with anterior transverse (ring) sulcus but no longitudinal sutures ( Figure 1 ). Tergites 2–20 with paramedian sutures. These are poorly developed on tergite 3. (Kraepelin stated that they are incomplete anteriorly on this tergite.) There are longitudinal sulci lateral to the paramedian sutures, more pronounced on the long tergites ( Figure 3 ). Tergite 21 with small spines ( Figure 4 ) and with a narrow posterior median depression. Sternites ( Figure 5 ) with complete paramedian sulci from 3 to 19, almost complete on 2. Sternite 21 attenuated posteriorly, almost triangular with peripheral spines ( Figure 6 ).

Each coxopleuron with an oval pore field of many small pores. Without setae but with small scattered spines. The coxopleural process digitiform and also covered with small spines ( Figures 6, 7 ).

All legs with two-segmented tarsi. Two tibial spurs on legs 1–18, 19 with one, 20 without. Legs 2–20 each with two tarsal spurs. Not observable on leg 1. Anterior legs with very few spines ventrally on the prefemur and femur and a distal transverse row dorsomedially on the prefemur, femur, and tibia ( Figure 8 ). Leg 19 with prefemur, femur, and tibia spined dorsally, medially, and ventrally, and tarsus 1 with spines dorsomedially (Kraepelin gives femur, patella, and tibia, and proximal tarsus of 19 and 20 thickly ‘‘dornkörnig’’). Leg 20 with prefemur and femur spined on all surfaces ( Figure 9 ), tibia on all but the medial surface and tarsus 1 spined dorsally and medially. Pretarsal accessory spurs (claw spines) present.

Ultimate legs ( Figure 10 ), which are detached, have the prefemur and femur covered in very small spines, except for a median ventral strip ( Figures 11, 12 ). The tibia spined on all but the median ventral and medial surfaces, and tarsus 1 has a few dorsomedial spines. Each spine is associated with a short seta.

The ventral pore-free strip of the prefemur, femur, and tibia of one terminal leg lies in a groove which is continued on to tarsus 1 as a shallow gutter. On the other leg the grooves are very shallow. Pretarsal accessory spurs are absent.

There are nine pairs of small round or oval spiracles (absent on segment 7). The spiracle cup filled with humps ( Figure 13 ), resembling those of the Otostigminae . The spiracles require further investigation.

Figures

Figures 1–7. Mimops orientalis holotype. (1) Head and tergite 1 and 2. (2) Left tarsungulum and part of forcipular coxosternum. (3) Tergite 12. (4) Tergite 21. (5) Sternite 7. (6) Terminal segments, ventral view (coxopleural pores not shown). (7) Detail of coxopleural process. cpl, coxosternal plate; oc, ocellus. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figures 8–13. Mimops orientalis holotype. (8) Leg from anterior trunk. (9) Part of prefemur and femur of leg 20 to show spinulation. (10) Ultimate leg. (11) Part of prefemur of ultimate leg to show spinulation. (12) Detail of spines on prefemur of ultimate leg. (13) Spiracle of segment 3. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (8–11); 0.5 mm (13).