Caucasominorus billi

Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016, The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 4211 (1), pp. 1-205 : 56-62

Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov.

Figs 43–47

Diagnosis. Differs from the only other known congener by the presence of numerous striae on the shields of the anterior gonopods, and of one or two knife-like lobes on the coxal processes of the posterior gonopods.

Etymology. The new species is named after Dr. William (Bill) Shear, a prominent diplopodologist who has made invaluable contributions to Chordeumatida systematics.

Material studied (total: 47 males, 85 females, 10 juvenile). Holotype. AZERBAIJAN: male , Goygol Nature Reserve, 50 km S of Kirovahad (= Gyanja), 1500–1900 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Quercus forest, litter, logs and under stones, 3–4 May 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3237).

Paratypes (total: 22 males, 49 females, 5 juveniles). All from AZERBAIJAN : 14 males, 43 females, 1 juvenile, ( ZMUM ρ3238), 3 males, 3 females ( IZB), same data as holotype ; 1 male, Göygöl rayon, Toğanalı towards Çıraqdərə, Quercus , Carpinus with Cornus , low trees - in leaves, 1220 m asl, 29 Mar. 2015, D. Antić, H. Reip & F. Walther leg. ( IZB) ; 2 males, 2 females, Göygöl rayon, Çıraqdərə, steep slope with Carpinus and single Quercus & Acer bushes, 1330 m asl, same date and collectors as previous ( SMNG) ; 2 males, 1 female, 4 juveniles, same data, except: Quercus , Carpinus with Cornus & Acer , low trees, in leaves, 1380 m asl ( IZB) .

Other material (total: 24 males, 36 females, 5 juveniles). ARMENIA: 4 males , 12 females, Dilizhan Nature Reserve , Akhnabat Valley, near Salakh, 1400–1500 m asl, Fagus , Taxus , Carpinus , etc. forest, litter, under bark and stones, 17 Apr. 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3239) ; 5 males, 7 females (ZMUM ρ3240), 1 male ( IZB), Dilizhan Nature Reserve , Agartsyn, 1350–1400 m asl, Fagus , Acer , etc. forest, litter, 28–29 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg.

AZERBAIJAN: 2 males, 1 female, 2 juveniles, Mountainous Karabakh , Aganos S of Lachin, 1100 m asl, Quercus , Fagus , Carpinus forest, litter, 30 Apr. 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3241) ; 1 male, 6 females, Mountainous Karabakh, Dashalty near Shusha, 1100–1300 m asl, Quercus & Carpinus forest, litter, logs, under stones, 1 May 1983, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3242) ; 8 males, Mountainous Karabakh, Askeran District ca 6 km WNW of Dashbulag, near Badara , Quercus - Carpinus forest, 850–900 m, litter, under bark and stones, 2 May 1983, S. Golovatch ( ZMUM ρ3243) ; 1 male, 8 females, Lesser Istisu halfway between Kelbajar and Istisu , 1550 m asl, Quercus & Acer schrub on slope, litter, 31 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3244) ; 1 male, 1 juvenile, Nadirkhanly ca 12 km SE of Kelbajar, 1200 m asl, Fraxinus & Juglans stand, litter, 1 Jun. 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3245) ; 1 male, 2 females, 2 juveniles, ca 15 km WSW of Mardakert , 1100 m asl, Quercus , Fagus , Acer , etc. forest, litter, 2 Jun. 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3246).

Type locality. AZERBAIJAN: Goygol Nature Reserve, 50 km S of Kirovabad (= Gyanja), 1500–1900 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Quercus forest.

Description. Body with 31 segments (including telson) in adults.

MEASUREMENTS. Males 8.5–9.5 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 0.7 mm. Females 9–12 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 0.8–0.9 mm.

COLORATION ( Fig. 43 ). Prozonites brown dorsally, with greyish tint, dorso- and ventrolaterally with yellowish spots, laterally somewhat brighter. Metazonites pale brown anterodorsally, yellowish posterodorsally, lateral keels with yellowish spots, ventrolateral sides yellowish. Head and antennae brown, cheeks yellowish. Some specimens greyish dorsally and dorsolaterally.

HEAD. Slightly concave in males. Labrum with three medial teeth and 5+5 labral and 2+2 supralabral setae.

Promentum triangular, without setae. Lingual plates with 8+5 setae, on each plate arranged in two irregular rows in paratype male. Stipites with ca 20+20 setae. Antennae 1.4 mm long in paratype male. Length of antennomeres (in mm): I (0.06), II (0.16), III (0.37), IV (0.2), V (0.34), VI (0.15), VII (0.11) and VIII (0.01). Length/breadth ratios of antennomeres I–VII: I (1), II (2), III (4), IV (2.5), V (2.6), VI (1.3) and VII (1.1). Antennomeres II, IV, V, VI and VII with one, three, one, four and one sensillum, respectively. Number of ocelli 17–18, arranged in 5 rows in males; 16–20 in 5–6 rows in females.

COLLUM. Narrower than head, with six macrochaetae. Anterior edge semi-circular, posterior margin gently concave.

BODY SEGMENTS ( Figs 43 , 44 A–D). Lateral keels like lateral swellings. Macrochaetae relatively long and trichoid. CIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.9; MIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 2.5; PIX (pleurotergite 15) ~0.5; MA (pleurotergite 15) ~ 110˚.

TELSON. Epiproct with a pair of spinnerets and 3+3 setae (1+1 paramedian, 2+2 marginal). Hypoproct with 1+1 apical setae. Paraprocts with 3+3 marginal setae.

WALKING LEGS. In both sexes, leg-pairs 1 and 2 with tarsal combs; prefemora with several long and robust setae; femora and postfemora with a group of several long and robust setae.

MALE SEXUAL CHARACTERS ( Fig. 45 ). Leg-pairs 3–7 enlarged. Leg-pairs 3 and 4 each with a basal exterior protrusion on prefemur. Leg-pair 5 with a basal oral protrusion on prefemur. Leg-pair 6 without peculiarities. Legpair 7 with a posterior coxal horn. Leg-pair 10 with coxal glands and with an inner, coxal, rounded protrusion. Legpair 11 with coxal glands and a posterior coxal horn.

ANTERIOR GONOPODS ( Figs 46 A–C, 47). Sternal plate with an anterior, medial, small, hairy, sternal sac (ss). Coxal processes (cp) wide, shield-like, with numerous striae, divided distally, connected to each other by posterior lamellae (pl). Connecting lamellae forming posteriorly a nearly rounded projection (ppr) (in lateral view) covered by minute setae. Below this projection a pair of rounded structures (possibly remnants of coxal vesicle) (cv) and one wing-like structure (ws) can be seen. Apart from connecting lamellae, two more lamellae present on posterior side, a mesal (ml) and a lateral (ll) one. Mesal lamella situated laterally to connected lamella, starting from subapical part of coxal shields and ending laterally to posterior projection. Lateral lamella apically placed under mesal lamella. Mesally below lateral lamella, setose structures (sls) present. Laterally to posterior projection, one row of setae (rs) can be seen.

POSTERIOR GONOPODS ( Figs 44 E–H, 46D, E). Coxites (c) divided. Telopodites (t) present on posterolateral side. Both coxites with a posteromesal subtriangular tooth (sto). Coxal processes (cp) consisting of two branches: a shorter, knife-like branch (b1) orientated posteriorly and a longer, posteriorly curved branch (b2) with or without additional knife-like lobe (ks). Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anteromesal side.

Distribution. Armenia, Azerbaijan ( Fig. 167 , red triangle).

Figures

FIGURE 43. Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., paratype male habitus. Scale line = 1 mm.

FIGURE 44. Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., male from Agartsyn, Dilizhan Nature Reserve, Armenia. A. Pleurotergite 16, posterior view. B. Pleurotergite 15, dorsal view. C. Prozonite 15, dorsal view. D. Lateral keel 15, dorsal view. E. Posterior gonopods, anterior view. F. Posterior gonopods, lateral view. G. Posterior gonopods, posterior view. H. Posterior gonopods, lateral view. c = coxite; t = telopodite; b 1 = knife-like branch; b 2 = posteriorly curved branch; cv = coxal vesicle; sto = subtriangular tooth.

FIGURE 45. Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., paratype male. A. Leg 3. B. Leg 7. C. Leg 4. D. Leg 11. Scale lines = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 46. Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., paratype male gonopods. A. Anterior gonopods, anterior view. B. Anterior gonopods, posterior view. C. Anterior gonopods, lateral view. D. Posterior gonopods, posterior view. E. Posterior gonopods, lateral view. c = coxite; t = telopodite; b 1 = knife-like branch; b 2 = posteriorly curved branch; cp = coxal process; cv = coxal vesicle; ks = knife-like lobe; ll = lateral lamella; ml = mesal lamella; pl = posterior lamella; rs = row of setae; ss = sternal sac; ws = wing-like structure; ppr = posterior projection; sls = setae-like structure; sto = subtriangular tooth. Scale line = 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 47. Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., male from Agartsyn, Dilizhan Nature Reserve, Armenia, anterior gonopods. A. Anterior view. B. Anterolateral view. C. Lateral view. D. Posterolateral view. E. and F. Posterior view. cp = coxal process; cv = coxal vesicle; ll = lateral lamella; ml = mesal lamella; pl = posterior lamella; rs = row of setae; ss = sternal sac; ws = wing-like structure; ppr = posterior projection; sls = setae-like structure.

FIGURE 167. Distribution of the Caucasian Anthroleucosomatidae: the Caucaseuma complex.