Bromodesmus militaris, Mesibov, Robert, 2004

Mesibov, Robert, 2004, A new genus and four new species of millipedes from Tasmania, Australia (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae), with notes on male leg setae in some Tasmanian dalodesmids, Zootaxa 558, pp. 1-19 : 10-11

Bromodesmus militaris n. sp.

Figs. 2 , 7 ; map Fig. 10

Holotype: Male, Maclaines Creek, EN703983 (42°27’51”S, 147°51’18”E), 260m, 26.iv.1991, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:45810.

Paratypes: 2 males, same details as holotype, AM KS88217 (ex QVM 23:15126); 4 males, same details as holotype, QVM 23:15126, 2 dissected; 3 males, Mt Clark, approx. EN638267 (43°06’34”S, 147°47’02”E), 250m, 4.v.2002, K. Bonham, QVM 23:25020; 2 females, Paradise Gorge, EN685880 (42°33’25”S, 147°50’03”E), 70m, 18.ix.1999, R. Mesibov and K. Bonham, QVM 23:41059.

Other material examined: 33 males, 45 females and 8 juveniles; see Appendix for details.

Diagnosis: Telopodite with posteriorly directed, finger­like projection on lateral surface just basal to ‘hood’; long teeth on mesal as well as lateral fringe of ‘hood’.

Description: As for genus. Length ca. 17 mm, maximum vertical diameter ca. 1.7 mm. In alcohol, well­colored specimens with head light brown on vertex, darker brown below; prozonites light brown, sometimes with dark brown mid­dorsal patch posteriorly; metazonites red­brown, grading to darker brown along posterior margin, giving appearance of broad annular banding; cuticle sometimes clear just anterior to ozopores on pore­bearing segments, allowing view of dark­colored gut contents and giving appearance of large, dark lateral spots; legs and antennae light brown basally, dark brown distally. In life, metazonites of B. militaris adults are light brown. (See notes on coloration in ‘Remarks’ under genus description.)

Paranotum on segment 2 with straight, thickened lateral margin, anterior corner rounded, posterior corner produced slightly as tooth, strongly depressed, slightly upwardly concave. More posterior paranota as in B. catrionae .

Telopodite ( Fig. 7 ) as in B. catrionae but with posterior edge of solenomerite minutely toothed near its tip. From solenomerite origin, telopodite flattening anteroposteriorly and greatly expanding into posteriorly concave ‘hood’, with flat, finger­like, posteriorly directed projection on lateral edge just basal to ‘hood’ at about three­quarters of telopodite length; mesal and lateral edges of ‘hood’ extending posteriorly and fringed with long, straight teeth; anterior surface of ‘hood’ with some laterally flattened and irregularly toothed projections.

Distribution and habitat: In soil and humus in dry and wet eucalypt forest over ca. 1500 km 2 in southeast Tasmania ( Fig. 10 ), from near sea level to at least 550 m.

Etymology: Latin militaris , of soldiers, adjective. The type locality for this species is in the Buckland Military Training Area.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Bromodesmus spp. females. (A) B. catrionae n. sp. (QVM 23: 22082), (B) B. militaris n. sp. (QVM 23: 15150), (C) B. riparius n. sp. (QVM 23: 45813) and (D) B. rufus n. sp. (QVM 23: 40519). Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 7. Bromodesmus militaris n. sp. (Left) SEM view of gonopods in situ (QVM 23: 15129). Note that the shapes of the ‘ hoods’ and the solenomerite tips have been somewhat distorted in preparing the specimen for electron microscopy. Scale bar = 0.50 mm. (Right) Mesal view of distal portion of right telopodite (QVM 23: 15126). Dashed line shows course of prostatic groove; for clarity the continuation of the groove to the tip of the solenomerite is not indicated.

FIGURE 10. Known localities in Tasmania of Bromodesmus catrionae n. sp. (triangles), B. militaris n. sp. (squares), B. riparius n. sp. (round dots) and B. rufus n. sp. (crosses).