Abacion texense ( Loomis, 1937 )

McAllister, Chris T. & Shelley, Rowland M., 2010, Distribution of Abacion texense (Loomis, 1937), the only milliped species traversing the Rio Grande, Mississippi, and Pecos rivers (Callipodida: Abacionidae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (124), pp. 1-8 : 2-4

Abacion texense ( Loomis, 1937)

Lysiopetalum lactarium (not Say, 1821): Bollman 1893:183. Kenyon 1893a:16; 1893b:161. Gunthorp

1913:164; 1921:88. Chamberlin 1931:98. Callipus lactarius (not Say, 1821): Chamberlin 1918:369. Spirostrephon texensis Loomis 1937:109-110 , fig. 16n; 1944:168. Chamberlin and Mulaik 1941:60. Spirostrephon texense: Chamberlin 1942a:16 , fig. 28. Spirostrephon jonesi Chamberlin 1942b:17 . Tynomma messicanum Chamberlin 1943a:33 . Loomis 1968a:70. Spirostrephon lactarium (not Say, 1821): Chamberlin 1943b:145. Abacion texense: Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958:110 . Loomis 1959:161-162; 1966:52 1968a:70; 1968b:388.

Causey 1963:78. Reddell 1965:161; 1970:104. Stewart 1969:384. Shelley 1984:986-987, figs. 10-11.

Bueno-Villegas et al. 2004:589. Stoev et al. 2008:12. Stoev and Shelley 2009:163. Abacion texensis: Hoffman 1999:198 .

Type specimen. Male holotype ( NMNH) collected by O. F. Cook in December 1905 at Pierce , Wharton Co., Texas ; no paratypes were officially designated.

Diagnosis (adapted from Shelley, 1984). Gonopodal postfemur short, divided proximad; branch “A” subquadrate, much shorter than branch “B”; solenomere subspiniform, shorter than and poorly demarcated from branch “B”; tibiotarsus with sides narrowing to subacuminate tip, reflexed apically.

Habitats. Habitats include beneath limestone rocks, decaying pine logs and bark, rotting oak logs, railroad ties, and in mixed deciduous litter; elevations range from sea level to 1,620 m (5,400 ft). In Texas, A. texense is commonly encountered in cave, sinkhole, and spring habitats; the Terrell Co. individual was under a decaying Ashe juniper ( Juniperus ashei J. Buchholz ) log on desert soil and limestone. In addition to juniper, dominant vegetation included prickly-pear cactus ( Opuntia sp. ), Vasey oak ( Quercus pungens Liebm. ), Torrey yucca (Yucca torreyi Shafer), and mesquite ( Prosopis glandulosa Torrey ).

Distribution (Fig. 1). We modify the latest range statement ( Stoev and Shelley 2009) as follows: “Occurring in every US state from southern Minnesota and eastern Nebraska southward to Louisiana and Texas, continuing southward across the Rio Grande into northeastern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and most of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The distribution extends across the Mississippi River into Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana, spreads westward in Texas to the panhandle, and crosses the Pecos River near its confluence with the Rio Grande.” Abacion texense forms the northern, western, and southern boundaries for both the genus and family, so in addition to Shelley’s (1984) spot map, borders of its range are depicted in ordinal and familial maps ( Shelley 1989:382, fig. 1; Shear et al. 2003:3, fig. 1; Stoev et al. 2008:3, fig. 2). Stoev and Shelley (2009:164, fig. 4) show that A. texense is the lone ordinal component in Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.

Even larger ranges have been projected. Shelley (1984) suggested occurrence in central Nebraska, southeastern South Dakota, and the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, but we have sampled in the last without encountering callipodidans and believe that A. texense does not occur there. From 2006 to 2008 CTM sampled in northwestern, northcentral, and northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota without finding this milliped, which we now believe does not inhabit the first two regions. Occupation of the last two is plausible because of their moister, verdant, riparian habitats and locations between the Minnesota and Nebraska sites. Shelley (1984) also suggested occurrence farther west in Texas, in the Davis Mountains, Jeff Davis Co., but we have also investigated this inselberg and worked westward to El Paso without finding a callipodidan. Consequently, we believe that the Terrell Co. locality is at or very near the true western boundary of the species, genus, and family. To the east, Hoffman (1999) and Stoev et al. (2008) predicted discovery in Alabama and Tennessee, and although no-one has yet searched these areas, the northeastern Mississippi locality, in Alcorn Co., implies occurrence in the northwestern corner of Alabama and the southwestern periphery of Tennessee.

Published range statements. “Great Plains from Ames, Iowa, and Lincoln, Nebraska, through Kansas, Oklahoma, and western Missouri, south as far as Kerr, Bandera, and Wharton Counties, Texas, east through Arkansas and Louisiana to Rankin County, Mississippi” ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958). On the advice of N.B. Causey, Loomis (1968a) expanded the area to include Monterrey and Bustamente, Nuevo León, Mexico, and Shelley (1984) added southern Minnesota and Coahuila and Tamaulipas. “Great Plains from Minnesota and eastern Nebraska south to northern Nuevo León, eastward as far as southern Mississippi, doubtlessly also in Alabama and Tennessee” ( Hoffman 1999, Stoev et al. 2008).

Published records. USA: ARKANSAS: Arkansas in general ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a). Boone, Carroll, Clark, Conway, Dallas, Franklin, Hempstead, Jefferson, Madison, Miller, Montgomery, Newton, Pike, Saline, Scott, and Washington cos. ( Causey 1953, McAllister et al. 2002, 2003).

IOWA: Story Co., Ames ( Chamberlin 1942b, Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a, Stoev et al. 2008).

KANSAS: Kansas in general ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a). Anderson, Bourbon, Chase, Cherokee, Cowley, Douglas, Elk, Graham, Greenwood, Jefferson, Marion, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Sumner, and Trego cos. ( Gunthorp 1913, 1921).

LOUISIANA: Louisiana in general ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a, McAllister et al. 2002, Stoev and Shelley 2009). Allen, Caddo, Claiborne, LaSalle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, St. Landry, Tangipahoa , and West Feliciana parishes (pars.) ( Chamberlin 1918; Loomis 1944, 1959; Causey 1953, 1963).

MINNESOTA: Minnesota in general ( Stoev et al. 2008, Stoev and Shelley 2009).

MISSISSIPPI: Southern Mississippi ( Stoev et al. 2008). Northeastern and central Mississippi ( McAllister et al. 2003). Rankin Co. ( Causey 1953, Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a, Stoev and Shelley 2009).

MISSOURI: Western Missouri ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a).

NEBRASKA: Nebraska in general ( Kenyon 1893b, Stoev and Shelley 2009). Eastern Nebraska ( Stoev et al. 2008). Cuming, Lancaster, Sarpy, and Saunders cos. ( Kenyon 1893a, Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a).

OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma in general ( Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958, Loomis 1968a). Comanche Co. ( Chamberlin 1931).

TEXAS: Texas in general ( Stoev and Shelley 2009). Eastern Texas ( McAllister et al. 2002). Angelina, Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Camp, Cherokee, Comal, Dallas, Edwards , Guadalupe, Harris, Kendall, Kerr, Lampasas, McCulloch, Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, Shelby, Smith, Tarrant, Travis, Uvalde, Wharton, and Williamson cos. ( Loomis 1937, 1959, 1966, 1968a; Chamberlin and Mulaik 1941; Chamberlin 1943b; Chamberlin and Hoffman 1958; Reddell 1965, 1970; Stewart 1969; Shelley 1984; Hoffman 1999; Stoev et al. 2008).

MEXICO: COAHUILA: northeastern Coahuila ( Stoev and Shelley 2009). El Nacimiento, and 2 km (1.6 mi) S and 10 km (6.3 mi) SE Musquiz ( Stoev and Shelley 2009).

NUEVO LEÓN: northern Nuevo León ( Stoev et al. 2008, Stoev and Shelley 2009). Bustamente ( Loomis 1968a). 4.8 km (3 mi) W Bustamente ( Stoev and Shelley 2009). Monterrey ( Loomis 1968a, Stoev et al. 2008). Chipinque Mesa near Monterrey ( Chamberlin 1943a, Loomis 1968b, Bueno-Villegas et al. 2004; Stoev and Shelley 2009). Horsetail Falls above Cercado ( Loomis 1966, 1968b). 32 km (20 mi) S Sabinas Hidalgo ( Stoev and Shelley 2009). 32.9 km (20.6 mi) N Montemorelos ( Stoev and Shelley 2009). Santiago ( Stoev and Shelley 2009).

TAMAULIPAS: Municipio de Ocampo, 18 km (11.3 mi) NW Chamal ( Stoev and Shelley 2009).

Projected Occurrences and New Records. USA: ARKANSAS: western 1/3 rd of the state. Clark, Conway, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Montgomery, Newton, Pike, Polk, Scott, and Washington cos. ( FMNH, FSCA, NCSM, NMNH, UGCA). Easternmost record: Lawrence Co., Imboden, M, F, 1928, B.C. Marshall ( NMNH).

IOWA: All except southeastern 1/3 rd of the state, but known from only two localities. Boone Co., Boonesboro, F, July 1867, J.A. Allen ( MCZN). Story Co., Ames, M, F, 27 April 1957, L. Hubricht ( VMNH).

KANSAS: eastern 2/3 rd of the state. Douglas Co., Baldwin City, M, F, 1900, J.C. Bridwell ( NMNH). Harvey Co., N of Newton, M ( NMNH). Westernmost record: Graham Co. ( Gunthorp, 1913).

LOUISIANA: Statewide. Acadia, Allen , Ascension, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula , Concordia, Evangeline, Franklin, Jefferson , Iberia, Landry, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Tammany, Tensas, Vernon, West Feliciana, and Winn pars. ( FSCA, MCZN, NCSM, NMNH, VMNH).

MINNESOTA: southern 1/3 rd of the state. Houston Co., 2M, 11F, 21 May 1938, C.E. Mickel ( UMSP). Rock Co. , Luverne, M, 4F, 13 September 1935, M.S. Telford ( UMSP) ; and Beaver Creek, M, 19 June 1938, Nicholson-Peterson ( FSCA). Northernmost record for the species, genus, family, and order in the state, North America , and the Western Hemisphere : Hennepin Co., Minneapolis, M, F, 16 May 1931, W.J. Gertsch ( NMNH) .

MISSISSIPPI: western 2/3 rd of the state, angling northeastward in the north. Hinds Co., 6.4 km (4 mi) NE Jackson, Mayes Lake, MM, FF, 30 March 1958, S. Lazell ( FSCA). Pearl River Co. , along MS hwy. 26, 3M, 12F, 2 March 1969, D.C. Moriz, G. Eberle, G. Alvarez ( FSCA). Eastern- and northernmost record ; easternmost record of the species: Alcorn Co., 22.5 km (14.1 mi) S Corinth, M, 3F, 1958, N.B. Causey ( FSCA) .

MISSOURI: western 1/3 rd of the state but known only from the southern periphery. Barry Co., 11.3 km (7.1 mi) S Cassville, Cliff Notch Cave, M, 2 April 1981, J.E. Gardner ( NCSM). McDonald Co., Noel, M, 11 April 1975, W. F. Rapp ( INHS). Stone Co., Cape Fair, F, 17 April 1954, Bagby ( FSCA). Easternmost record: Oregon Co., Alton, M, F, W.F. Rushton ( FSCA).

NEBRASKA: eastern 1/4 th of the state. Cass Co., South Bend , M, F, F.C. Kenyon ( NMNH) ; and Weeping Water, F, M.H. Muma ( NMNH). Northernmost record: Cuming Co., West Point ( Kenyon 1893b). Westernmost record: Jefferson Co. , Reynolds, M, 31 July 1982, W.F. Rapp ( MCZN) .

OKLAHOMA: statewide except for the panhandle. Adair, Cherokee, Choctaw, Garfield, Kiowa, Latimer, LeFlore, Major, Mayes, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie, Sequoyah, and Stephens cos. ( FSCA, MLBM, NCSM, OSEC, UCMC, WASC). Westernmost record: Ellis Co., Lake Lloyd Vincent, F, 14 October 1967, D.C. Arnold ( OSEC).

TEXAS: eastern and central regions extending westward into the panhandle and across the Pecos River. Angelina, Austin, Bandera, Bell, Bexar, Bowie , Brazoria, Burnet, Cameron, Cass, Cherokee , Colorado, Comal, Dallas, Edwards, Ellis, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hardeman, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Irion, Jasper, Jim Wells , Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimball, Lampasas, Live Oak, Llano, Nacogdoches, Newton, Palo Pinto, Polk, Real, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Patricio, San Saba, Smith, Sutton, Tarrant, Taylor, Tom Green, Travis, Tyler, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Walker, Wharton, Williamson, and Wilson cos. ( AMNH, FSCA, MCZN, NCSM, NMNH, TMMC, VMNH, WTAM). Westernmost records: Randall Co., Palo Duro