Sibiriulus multinicus Mikhaljova, 2001

Mikhaljova, Elena V., Nefediev, Pavel S., Nefedieva, Julia S., Sakhnevich, Miroslava B. & Dyachkov, Yuri V., 2014, Review of the millipede genus Sibiriulus Gulička, 1972, with descriptions of three new species from Altai, Siberia, Russia (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae), Zootaxa 3866 (1) : -

Sibiriulus multinicus Mikhaljova, 2001

Figs 33–35 .

Sibiriulus multinicus Mikhaljova, 2001 in Mikhaljova & Golovatch 2001: 106 –107, 106: figs 4–11 (holotype male, in the Zoological Museum of the State University of Moscow).

Sibiriulus dentiger — Nefediev 2001: 84.

Sibiriulus multinicus — Mikhaljova 2004: 70 –72, 71: figs 100–113, 74: map; Mikhaljova & Nefediev 2003: 85: figs 1–6; Mikhaljova et al. 2007: 60 –62, 61: figs 8–18; Mikhaljova et al. 2013: 8 –9; Nefediev & Nefedieva 2007: 162; 2013: 87.

Material re-examined (specimens published by Mikhaljova et al. 2013). 1 female ( IBSS), Kazakhstan, East- Kazakhstan Area, Katon-Karagai District, 49°08´983´´N, 85°59´876´´E, 1202 m a. s. l., forest-steppe, 17 August 2010, leg. K. Ulykpan; 1 male ( IBSS), Kazakhstan, East-Kazakhstan Area, Katon-Karagai District, 49°08´502´´N, 85°56´346´´E, 1321 m a.s.l., forest-steppe, floodplain meadow near mountain stream, 27 August 2010, leg. K. Ulykpan.

Type locality. Lake Sredneye Multinskoye, near Multa, Katun State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Republic of Altai, Siberia, Russia.

Diagnosis. This species differs from congeners by the unmodified front surface (i.e. not as a plate) and apex of the gonopod mesomere as well as by the structure of gonopod opisthomere with a caudal protrusion in its middle part and by the absence of a massive inner process in the distal part of the gonopod opisthomere.

Distribution. Russia: Siberia (Republic of Altai), Kazakhstan (East-Kazakhstan Area).

Remarks. This species was originally described from the Katun State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Altai State Nature Biosphere Reserve and their environs, Republic of Altai, Siberia, Russia ( Mikhaljova & Golovatch 2001). For ten years it has been assumed that the species shows a geographical variation in gonopod configuration in males from different Altai territories: near Multa, Katun State Nature Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Altai), Aigulakskii Mt. Range (Republic of Altai), near cordon Baigazan, Altai State Nature Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Altai) and Smolenskoye District (Altai Province) ( Mikhaljova & Nefediev 2003; Mikhaljova et al. 2007). However, restudy of the material from these Altai territories shows that the variant specimens belong to new species described here. In addition, the new species have also been described on fresh material from the same or other districts. In this connection, the female paratypes and juvenile paratypes from upper reaches of the Charysh River, near delta of the Chulyshman River and the Korbu Waterfall require reexamination, taking into account the male specimens from these localities.

Gonopods and vulvae of this species have never been shown in an SEM micrograph. Therefore they are given here ( Figs 33–35 ).

Figures

FIGURES 33 – 35. Sibiriulus multinicus Mikhaljova, 2001. 33, gonopods (mesal view); 34, right vulva (caudal view); 35, left vulva (lateral view).