Hirudisoma roseum ( Victor, 1839 )

Golovatch, Sergei, Evsyukov, Aleksandr & Reip, Hans S., 2015, Colobognatha millipedes in the Caucasus (Diplopoda: Polyzoniida, Platydesmida, Siphonocryptida), Zootaxa 3972 (2), pp. 250-266 : 251-257

Hirudisoma roseum ( Victor, 1839)

Figs 1–3 , 9

Leiosoma rosea (recte: roseum ) Victor, 1839: 46 (D).

Polyzonium roseum: Lignau, 1907: 199 (R); Muralewicz, 1911: 3, 10 (M).

Leiosoma roseum: Lignau, 1911: 54 (D, R); 1915: 389 (D, R); Lohmander, 1936: 170 (M), 1939: 144 (D); Kobakhidze, 1965: 395 (R); Ghilarov, 1965: 143, 144 (R).

Leiosoma ponticum Lohmander, 1939: 142 (D), syn. n.

Leiosoma (Polyzonium) roseum: Lang, 1959: 1792 (M).

Hirudisoma roseum: Lokšina and Golovatch, 1979: 382 (M); Talikadze, 1984: 143 (R).

Hirudisoma ponticum: Enghoff, 2006: 178 (M).

Material examined. Neotype (here designated): male ( ZMUM ρ2634), Georgia, Lagodekhi Nature Reserve, 600– 700 m a.s.l., Fagus , Fraxinus , Acer etc. forest., litter, under bark & stones, 5–6.V.1983, leg. S. Golovatch.

4 females, 4 juveniles ( ZMUM ρ2591), RUSSIA, Krasnodar Prov., near Gelendjik, 28.IV.1984, leg. A. Viktorov; 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2592), Krasnodar Prov., Goryachiy Klyuch, 10 km S of Fanagorskoye, near Cave Fanagoriyskaya, mixed Fagus , Quercus , Picea etc. forest, litter, under stones & in rotten logs, 30.X.1981; 3 females ( ZMUM ρ2593), same locality, Fagus , Acer etc. forest, litter & logs, 19.V.1983; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2594), Krasnodar Prov., Severskaya Distr., 2–10 km S of Ubinskaya, Quercus , Fagus , Carpinus etc. forest, 300–450 m a.s.l., litter & under bark, 3–4.VII.1986; 1 male ( ZMUM ρ2595), Krasnodar Prov., Sochi, Dagomys, 250 m a.s.l., Quercus , Carpinus , Fagus etc. shrub, litter, logs, 18.V.1983, all leg. S. Golovatch; 2 males ( ZMUM ρ2596), environs of Sochi, Krasnaya Polyana, 6–8.Vl.1978, leg, V. Dolin; 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2597), Krasnodar Prov., 5.5 km NE of Krasnaya Polyana, lower course of Achipse River, ca 600 m a.s.l., N 43 43' 10", E 40 15' 25", mixed deciduous forest, 19–23.VIII.2014, leg. K. Makarov & A. Matalin; 1 male, 1 female ( ZMUC), Krasnodar Prov., ca 4 km NW of Krasnaya Polyana, SE slopes of Mt Achishko, N43°42.516’, E40°10.534’, 1000 m a.s.l., Castanea & Fagus forest, sifted litter, 19.VII.2011, leg. A. Solodovnikov & M. Kaae; 1 male ( ZMUC), same locality, N43°42’23”, E40°09’41”, 1150 m a.s.l., Fagus & Rhododendron forest, sifted litter, 19.VII.2011, leg. A. Solodovnikov, 1 male ( ZMUM ρ2598), Krasnodar Prov., Caucasian Nature Reserve, near Pslukh, ca 20 km E of Krasnaya Polyana, Mt Kogot, ca 1000 m a.s.l., Fagus & Abies forest, litter, under bark & stones, 18–20.V.1985; 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2599), same locality, Fagus , Quercus , Abies , Picea etc. forest, 1000 m, litter, 11–12.VIII.1986; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2600), same locality, 1400 m, litter, under bark & stones 18–20.V.1985; 5 males, 15 females, 2 juveniles ( ZMUM ρ2601), Krasnodar Prov., Caucasian Nature Reserve, Pasture Abago near Guzeripl, 1100 m a.s.l., Abies & Fagus forest, Rhododendron thicket, litter, under bark & stones, 24–26.V.1985; 1 male, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2602), same locality, Abies & Fagus forest, 1350–1400 m, 24–26.V.1985; 5 males, 17 females, 6 juveniles ( ZMUC), Krasnodar Prov., ca 9 km SW of Mt Fisht, Babuk-Aul, N43°53’26”, E39°49’11”, 560 m a.s.l., Castanea & Fagus forest, sifted leaf litter, 11.VII.2011; 2 females, 5 juveniles ( ZMUC), same locality, N43°54.214’, E39°50.507’, 1200 m a.s.l., Fagus & Rhododendron forest, sifted leaf litter, 14.VII.2011, all leg. A. Solodovnikov; 1 female (HR), Krasnodar Prov., Urushten River valley: right side, 1 km upstream of bridge at Kordon Chernorechye, Acer – Fagus forest with Sambucus , Corylus , Alnus , Ulmus in understorey, N43.9319 E40.6778, 850 m a.s.l., 18.IX.2012; 18.IX.2012; 1 male (AE), Krasnodar Prov., near Mezmai, Zauda Mt., under stones & barks, 23.VII.2011, leg. D. Khisametdinova & Yu. Kotchetov; 1 male, 1 female (AE), near Mezmai, under stones & barks, 23.VII.2011, leg. D. Khisametdinova & Yu. Kotchetov; 1 female (HR), Adygea, Guzeripl: Molchepa riverside 6 km SE (right tributary of Belaya River), N41.6494 E41.7731, 730 m a.s.l., 01.X.2012, all leg. F. Walther; 24 males, 24 females, 4 juveniles (AE), Adygea, Kamyshovaya Polyana, under stones, 24.VI.2011, leg. D. Khisametdinova & S. Kurshakov; 1 female (AE), Adygea, near Nikel, rotten logs, 10.V.2013, leg. D. Khisametdinova & Yu. Kotchetov; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2603), Karachaevo-Cherkessia, ca 30 km S of Kurdjinovo, 4 km N of Damkhurts, Laba River Valley, 1050–1100 m a.s.l., Fagus , Acer , Picea etc. forest, litter & bark, 4.VIII.1986; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2604), Kabardino-Balkaria, Chegem Distr., 5 km S of Upper Chegem, 1700 m a.s.l., Betula , Pinus & Juniperus forest, litter, 12.VII.1986; 3 females ( ZMUM ρ2605), North Ossetia, S of Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz), between Chmi & Baltik, Quercus & Alnus on slope, litter & under stones, 2.VI.1982, all leg. S. Golovatch; 1 male, 1 female (AE), North Ossetia, near Dzinaga, Urukh Canyon, under stones & barks, 12.VIII.2010, leg. A Evsyukov & D. Khisametdinova.

2 females ( ZMUM ρ2610), ABKHAZIA, Gumista Nature Reserve, forest litter, 6.VI.1982, leg. J. Boháč; 2 males, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2606), Sukhumi Distr., Lake Amtkel ca. 16 km N of Tsebelda, 550 m a.s.l., Alnus forest, litter & under bark, 19.VIII.1986; 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2607), Lake Ritsa, 950–1100 m, Fagus , Abies , Picea , Acer etc. forest, litter, under bark & stones, 13–14.VIII.1986; 4 males ( ZMUM ρ2608, ρ2609), Sukhumi Distr., Bzyb River valley, Pskhu, 700–950 m, Fagus , Quercus , Castanea etc. forest, litter, under bark & stones, 15– 16.VIII.1986, all leg. S. Golovatch; 2 males ( ZMUM ρ2611), near Shroma, under bark, 1.V.1971, leg. N. Zalesskaja.

1 juvenile ( ZMUM ρ2612), GEORGIA, Ajaria, E of Kobuleti, 3 km SE of Chakhati, deciduous forest near spring, litter & under stones, 14.X.1981; 1 male ( ZMUM ρ2613), Ajaria, Zelenyi Mys, Batumi Botanical Garden, 13.X.1978, all leg. S. Golovatch; 3 males, 5 females (ZMN), same locality, Betula & Rhododendron forest, 8– 10.IV.1988, leg. D. Logunov; 1 male, 1 female, 1 juvenile ( ZMUM ρ2614), same locality, 10.X.1981, leg. J. Boháč; 8 males, 10 females ( ZMUM ρ2615), same locality, 20–150 m, 30.V.–7.VI.1981; 1 male, 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2616), Ajaria, between Tsikhisdziri & Batumi, gardens, 100 m a.s.l., 30.V.1981, all leg. S. Golovatch & J. Martens; 3 females ( ZMUM ρ2617), Ajaria, Kintrish Nature Reserve, Khekpara River Canyon, 12.X.1984; 3 females ( ZMUM ρ2618), same locality, 2300 m a.s.l., X.1984, all leg. E. Kvavadze; 2 males, 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2619), Kintrish Nature Reserve, Zeraboseli, Rhododendron thicket, 600–800 m a.s.l., 2.VI.1981, leg. S. Golovatch & J. Martens; 3 males, 3 females, 7 juveniles ( ZMUM ρ2620, ρ2621), same locality, Zeraboseli, 800 m a.s.l., Rhododendron thicket, litter, 13.X.1981; 3 males, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2622, ρ2623), same locality, Zeraboseli, 450–600 m, deciduous forest, litter & under stones, 13.X.1981, all leg. S. Golovatch; 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2624), Ajaria, 10 km E of Chakva, near Chakvistavi, litter, 8.V.1987, leg. S. Kurbatov; 1 juvenile (inadvertently lost), Ajaria, near Keda, Picea , Quercus , Fagus etc. forest, litter, X.1975, leg. A. Druk; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2625), Kutaissi Distr., environs of Tskhaltubo, Sataplia Nature Reserve, near entrance to Cave Sataplia I, litter, 27.I.1984, leg. V. Dushenkov; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2626), Sataplia Nature Reserve, forest litter, 27.I.1984 leg. K. Makarov; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2627), same locality, forest litter & under stones, 25.X.1981, leg. S. Golovatch; 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2628), same locality, IV.1973, leg. A. Krivolutsky; 4 males, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2629), Kutaissi, old Pinus platations on slope, litter, 1.II.1987, leg. K. Makarov; 2 males, 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2630), Svanetia, Nenskra River Canyon, Luki N of Khaishi, ca 800 m a.s.l., forest litter, 2.IX.1986, leg. A. Ryvkin; 2 males, 2 females (HR), Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Djvari: road Zugdidi–Mestia at km 33/165, N42.7514 E42.0472, 470 m a.s.l., 26.IX.2012, leg. F. Walther; 14 males, 13 females, 6 juveniles ( ZMUM ρ2631), Georgia, Surami Mt Ridge, Pass Djvari between Gomi & Sachkhere, Alnus , Fagus , Rhododendron etc. forest, 850 m a.s.l., litter, 7.V.1987, leg. S. Golovatch & K. Eskov; 1 male, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2632), Georgia, environs of Mtskheta, 10 km N of Djvari, 800 m a.s.l., Buxus , Fagus , Picea, Taxus etc. forest, litter, 20–21.VIII.1986, leg. S. Golovatch; 2 females ( ZMUM ρ2633), Georgia, Mukhura ca 15 km E of Tkibuli, 700–800 m a.s.l., Castanea , Fagus , Carpinus etc. forest, litter, under bark & stones, 7–9.V.1987, leg. S. Golovatch & K. Eskov; 1 female (HR), Racha- Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Isunderi, road Tsageri–Tskhaltubo, from junction to Isunderi 4.3 rkm towards Tskhaltubo, N42.5119 E42.6372, 320 m a.s.l., 23.IX.2011, leg. F. Walther; 1 male, 4 females ( ZMUM ρ2635, ρ2636), Lagodekhi Nature Reserve, 600–700 m a.s.l., Fagus , Fraxinus , Acer etc. forest., litter, under bark & stones, 5–6.V.1983, leg. S. Golovatch.

1 male ( ZMUM ρ2589), AZERBAIJAN, Zakatali Nature Reserve, 700 m Katekh-Chay River valley, 23.V.1981, leg. S. Golovatch & J. Martens; 1 female ( ZMUM ρ2590), NW above Bash-Layski, ca 20 km NWW of Sheki, 1250 m a.s.l., Fagus , Carpinus , Acer etc. forest, litter. 5.V.1987, leg. S. Golovatch & K. Eskov.

Descriptive notes. Length of adults 6.0–13.0 mm, width 1.6–2.7 mm, with 26–49 podous + 3–2 apodous segments + telson, regardless of sex. Neotype male (from Lagodekhi Nature Reserve, NE Georgia) with 33p + 2a + T, length ca 7.0 mm, maximum width 1.6 mm. Length to width ratio ≤ 6:1.

Live coloration often pink, alcohol material usually light yellow-brown with a very broad yellowish axial stripe and lighter paraterga ( Figs 1 , 2 ). Only antennae darker, usually rusty to purplish brown. Body hirudiform, very clearly flattened dorsoventrally, strongly, but regularly broadened until segment 6 or 7, strongly, but regularly narrowing towards telson on last 6 or 7 segments. Head small, about half as broad as collum, subtriangular, only slightly longer than broad, rostrum subtruncate and short. Ocelli black, convex, 2+ 2 in smaller/younger specimens or 3+ 3 in larger/older samples, on each side of head arranged in a nearly longitudinal line ( Fig. 2 B, D), each ocellus with a long seta at base ( Fig. 2 A). Antennae short, erect, rod-shaped, only very slightly clavate; antennomeres 2–6 subequal in length, 6th thickest.

Collum biconvex, clearly transverse, paraterga almost sharp. Following paraterga mostly subrectangular and narrowly rounded, each with a narrow, slightly sinuate, lateral peritreme delimited by a weak sulcus only dorsally. Tegument smooth, shining, glabrous and translucent. Caudal margin of metaterga very slightly elevated. Ozopores entirely dorsal, small, inconspicuous, lying lateral to peritremal sulcus at about 2/3 of paratergal length, starting from segment 5. Telson coniform, completely concealed from above by plate-like and medially fused last paraterga ( Figs 1 , 2 A–C).

Sterna large, but coxae almost in touch medially ( Fig. 1 B, 2B, D). Legs 6-segmented. Male coxae 1 and 2 each with a ventral brush of short, but stiff setae ( Fig. 3 A, B). Male coxa 2 with a short, tube-shaped, simple, basal, caudomediad directed gonapophysis (g) ( Fig. 3 B). Claws often, but not always phylloid, devoid of accessory structures ( Fig. 3 A, B). Coxal sacks starting from leg 3.

Both anterior (a) and posterior (p) gonopods ( Fig. 3 C–E) 5-segmented. Anterior ones incrassate and stout, tarsus with a short, acuminate, tooth-shaped tip forming a caudomedial gutter for accommodation of a particularly long, subflagelliform, distally serrate posterior gonopod tarsus.

Remarks. This species was originally described from “Natlim-Zéméli en Kahétie” by Victor I. Motschoulsky under his pseudonym T. Victor (Victor 1839). Eventually, this locality represents a slightly misspelled “Natlismtsemeli”, in Georgian meaning “St. John’s”. There are numerous localities across Georgia named “Natlismtsemeli”. In Kakhetia alone, which is the eastern part of Georgia, at least four such localities can easily be traced (https: // maps.google.com/). It is thus impossible to state where exactly Motschoulsky collected the type or types except that it or they came from eastern Georgia. Since the type material of H. roseum is absent from the Motschoulsky Collection, currently kept in ZMUM ( Golovatch 2014), a neotype designation is required from among the near-topotypes stemming from Kakhetia. This is especially necessary so as to be able to verify the species’ identity versus the samples described from Abkhazia by Lignau (1911). Thus, Lohmander (1936) noted the present uncertainty by referring to this species as “ Leiosoma roseum (Victor) Lignau ”.

Since the name Leiosoma Victor, 1839 , established for L. roseum by monotypy, is preoccupied by Leiosoma Stephens, 1829 (Coleoptera) ( Jeekel 1971) , all subsequent mentions of L. roseum (e.g. Lignau 1911; Lohmander 1936; Kobakhidze 1965) are incorrect. Brandt (1840) and Latzel (1884) listed Leiosoma Victor, 1839 as a questionable synonym of Polyzonium Brandt, 1837 ; hence a few references to Polyzonium roseum or Leiosoma (Polyzonium) roseum . Gervais (1847) listed L. roseum among the junior synonyms of the common European Polyzonium germanicum Brandt, 1837 . In contrast, Lignau (1911, 1915) believed that L. roseum was a senior subjective synonym of both Heterozonium hirsutum Verhoeff, 1901 and Polyzonium pallidum (Fanzago, 1875) . The former species had been quite poorly described from near Istanbul, Turkey ( Verhoeff 1901), now also known in Greece and Bulgaria ( Enghoff 2006; Kime and Enghoff 2011). The latter species had been beautifully redescribed from Italy by Berlese (1883). Lohmander (1939) rejected Lignau’s synonymies and described the second Leiosoma species, from northeastern Turkey: L. ponticum Lohmander, 1939 . In addition, he emphasized the synonymy of Heterozonium Verhoeff, 1901 under Hirudisoma Fanzago, 1881 , which Verhoeff (1941) also accepted.

The use of Leiosoma Victor, 1839 , being banned since Jeekel (1971), the oldest available generic name to incorporate L. roseum and L. ponticum is Hirudisoma . Regrettably, neither has been considered in the latest review of Hirudisoma (see Mauriès 1964). Lokšina & Golovatch (1979) and Enghoff (2006) seem to have been the first to transfer L. roseum and L. ponticum to Hirudisoma , respectively.

If Lohmander (1939) was definitely right when rejecting the synonymy of roseum with hirsutum , at least because the latter species is hirsute as explicitly implied by its name, his creation of ponticum seems to have been ill-founded. Thus, the characters used for the separation of ponticum from roseum were stated to lie in the former’s more strongly rounded paraterga, simple (non-phylloid) claws, shorter antennae, as well as a lower inner lobe of the coxa and a slightly differently shaped tarsus of the anterior gonopod. Apparently, because Lohmander based his ponticum on a single (and incomplete) male holotype, whereas our abundant material from the Caucasus shows all possible variations and transitions in the above features, we are inclined to formally consider H. ponticum as a junior subjective synonym of H. roseum , syn. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839), a large-sized female from near Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. A, B: habitus, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. Pictures by K. Makarov, taken not to scale.

FIGURE 2. Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839), habituses of two medium-sized females from Batumi Botanical Garden, Ajaria, Georgia (A – C) and anterior part of body of a male from near Mezmai (D), lateral, dorsal, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. Pictures A – C by K. Makarov, picture D by A. Evsyukov, taken not to scale.

FIGURE 3. Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839), male from Pskhu, Abkhazia (1, 2), male from Kinstrish Nature Reserve, Ajaria, Georgia (C, D) and male neotype from Lagodekhi Nature Researve, E Georgia (D). A, B: legs 1 and 2, respectively, caudal views. C: left anterior gonopod, anterior view. D, E: both left and right gonopods together, respectively, caudal views. Scale bar: 0.1 mm. Designations: g, gonapophysis; a, anterior gonopod; p, posterior gonopod.

FIGURE 9. Distribution of Colobognatha in the Caucasus and adjacent parts of Turkey and Iran. Blue square— Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839); red asterisk— Fioria hyrcana Golovatch, 1980; green triangle— Hirudicryptus abchasicus sp. nov.