Cryptops melanotypus Chamberlin, 1941

Lewis, John G. E., 2011, A review of the species in the genus Cryptops Leach, 1815 from the Old World related to Cryptops (Cryptops) hortensis (Donovan, 1810) (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, International Journal of Myriapodology 4, pp. 11-50 : 26

Cryptops melanotypus Chamberlin, 1941 Figs 71-73

Cryptops melanotypus Chamberlin, 1941 Pomona Coll. J. Ent. Zool. 33: 42.

Cryptops decoratus : Lewis, 2002 J. Nat. Hist. 36: 95, figs 27-35. Syn. n.

Cryptops decoratus : Lewis, 2007b Phelsuma 15: 18, figs 17-25. Syn. n.

Cryptops decoratus : Lewis, 2010a In: Gerlach & Marusik (eds) The Arachnida and Myriapoda of the Seychelles Islands p. 283, figs 14-15.

Material examined.

NMNH. Holotype. Cryptops melanotypus C. From Philippines at Honolulu Dec 27, 1937 27-387. [In packing material about Den (robium) superbum from the Philippine Islands].

Diagnosis.

Length: 9-16 mm. With or without dark subcuticular pigment. Cephalic plate without sutures. Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite slightly curved and with 2 (3) submarginal setae on each side. Posterior margin of sternite 21 straight or rounded. Coxopleural pore field occupying no more than anterior 60% of coxopleuron, with 6-17 pores, 0-8 setae in coxopleural pore field, 0-3 posterior to it. Ultimate leg prefemur with a longitudinal glabrous area medially. With 4-7 tibial and 3 (4) tarsal saw teeth. Legs 1-20 with two short pretarsal accessory spurs.

Description of holotype.

( Chamberlin’s (1941) data in parentheses where relevant).

Length 9 mm. Tergites 3-20 with dark brown (black) pigment on either side of heart and along lateral edges with patches between tergite 21 with faint median posterior patch. Sternites 2-20 with pigment patches.

Antennal articles 10[r]-16. Cephalic plate without sutures, overlappe by tergite 1. Anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite slightly curved on each side, with 2 long and 2 very short submarginal setae on right and 2 long and 3 very short on left. Those on left appear mostly marginal probably due to distortion (Fig. 71).

Tergites with incomplete median ridge from 7-17, lateral crescentic sulci from 3, incomplete paramedian sulci from 6 but these latter very difficult to determine as the cuticle is wrinkled longitudinally as seen in specimens in early stages of ecdysis (first and subsequent tergites bisulcate, the sulci mostly complete). Traces of paramedian sutures seen only on tergite 10 and 15 in the cleared specimen. Sternite cruciform sulci not observed. Sternite 21 with broadly rounded posterior corners, posterior margin straight.

Coxopleuron with 17 pores, 6 beneath the margin of sternite 21, the pore field occupying the anterior 60% of coxopleuron and without setae. Two setae between pore field and posterior margin on which there are 5 setae. Ultimate legs (loose) with long fine setae, a longitudinal glabrous area medially on prefemur. Tibia with 7, tarsus 1 with 3 sharp saw teeth (Fig. 72). Legs 1-19 with long fine setae, tarsi clearly divided from 17, pretarsal accessory spurs short (Fig. 73).

Distribution.

Philippines, Mauritius, Seychelles.

Remarks.

The holotype is small and delicate, nevertheless most characters are visible. The absence of minute setae from the coxopleural pore field may be a juvenile character. It has a relatively high number of coxal pores and ultimate leg saw teeth for such a small specimen. With the current state of our knowledge it is, however, not possible to separate it from the " Cryptops decoratus " populations from Mauritius and the Seychelles, described above, which I regard as conspecific with it and hence junior subjective synonyms.