Scolopendrellopsis persicus Scheller

Scheller, Ulf, Kavianpour, Mohammad Reza & Esfandiari, Mehdi, 2011, First record of Symphyla (Myriapoda) from Iran, with description of a new species in Scolopendrellopsis (Scolopendrellidae), Zootaxa 3041, pp. 66-68 : 66-68

Scolopendrellopsis persicus Scheller n. sp.

Figs 1 –7

Type locality. Iran, Esfahan Province, Shareza, 32 ˚ 0 3ʹ43.79ʺN 51 ˚ 50ʺ33.61ʺE.

Type specimen. Holotype. ad(Ƥ),, 12 Mars 2009, leg. M.R. Kavianpour. - 1 specimen.

Diagnosis. S. persicus n. sp. may be closest to the wide-spread S. subnuda ( Hansen, 1903) but the new species has fewer head setae and thinner central rod. Good distinguishing characters are the shape of the central rod of the head, very thin in S. persicus , distinct in S. subnuda , the shape of the post-antennal organs, ovoid in S. persicus , not subspherical, the shape of the posterior appendages of the tergites II and III, more slender in S. persicus than in S. subnuda and the cerci are more setose in S. persicus than in S. subnuda .

Derivation of name. From the Latin persicus = Persian (referring to the position of the collecting site).

Description (by first author). Length. 1.55 mm.

Head. Longish, 1.4 times as long as broad, with broadest part at articulation points of the mandibles, which are concealed under margins of head. Posterior part of central rod thin but distinct, 1.1 times as long as much thinner anterior part; frontal and median branches lacking. Dorsal side of head sparsely setose, setae thin, short, of subequal length. Diameter of post-antennal organ 0.5 of greatest diameter of 3rd antennal segment, entrance tube very short. Palp of first maxilla bud-like with one point only, 1.7 times as long as the greatest diameter. Cuticle of central and posterior part of dorsal side of the head almost glabrous, anterolateral part between post-antennal organ and margin of head with rounded granules.

Antennae. 0.1 of the length of the body, both 16 segments. First segment cylindrical, thinner than following segments, 1.1 times as long as greatest diameter; setae in one whorl, inner setae longer than outer ones, longest seta ¼ of the length of the greatest segment diameter. Second segment about as long as wide with seven setae evenly spaced around the segment, inner setae distinctly longer than outer setae. Chaetotaxy of 3rd segment as on preceding one. Setae longest on proximal segments, longest of them ~3 times longer than longest setae on distal segments. Proximal and median parts of the antennae with only primary whorl of setae, a secondary whorl in median and subdistal part but never complete. Circular sensory organs on dorsal side of segments 11 and 12, bladder-shaped organs on segments 13-15; small spined organs on dorsal side (but most of them hidden under foreign particles). Apical segment subspherical with wide connection to preceding segment. All segments with short pubescence.

Trunk. Twenty-one dorsal tergites and subtergites. 1st tergite rudimentary with 6 thin setae in one transversal row. 2nd tergite entire complete, broader than long, with two narrow posterior extensions, these about as long as the tergite; tergite almost glabrous, short pubescence on margins of the posterior extensions. Anterior part with 8 setae, each extension with one apical seta only. 3rd tergite entire but with anterolateral indentations; anterior part with 6 setae in a transversal row, posterior part with two posteriorly directed extensions, these 2.5 times as long as the breadth at base, length 0.6 of interdistance; posterior part with an anterior transversal row of setae and three setae in connection with the extensions as on preceding segment. Thirteen tergites with paired posterior extensions, the latter longest on anterior tergites, length of extensions 0.3 of interdistance on tergite XIV. No seta between apical and inner basal setae. Tergites almost glabrous. Anterolateral setae not larger than other setae.

Legs. First pair of legs short, 3-segmented: tarsus about as broad as long with two almost straight claws, at least three short setae, pubescence indistinct. Tarsus of last pair of legs 2.6 times as long as greatest diameter, four dorsal setae, long protruding, longest seta as long as the greatest diameter of tarsus, two shorter ventral setae distally: anterior claw longest and with broader base than posterior claw, the former 1.2 times as long as the latter and as long as the diameter of tarsus. Tibia 1.3 times as long as wide with at least three setae. All legs with sparse but distinct pubescence.

Habitat. Garden with pomegranate trees and grape vines, in soil.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Scolopendrellopsis persicus n. sp., adult Ƥ, holotype. 1. Head and tergites I-IV, dorsal view. 2. Antenna, segments 1 – 3, dorsal view. 3. Antenna, segment 10, dorsal view. 4. Leg 1. 5. Tarsus of last pair of legs. 6. Left cercus, dorsal