Caucasominorus polylobatus

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 : 62-66

Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov.

Figs 48–52

Diagnosis. Differs from C. billi gen. et sp. nov. by the almost completely smooth shields of the anterior gonopods, and by the presence of more numerous knife-like lobes on the coxal processes of the posterior gonopods.

Etymology. To emphasize the presence of several knife-like lobes on the coxal processes of the posterior gonopods.

Material studied (total: 29 males, 50 females, 1 juvenile). Holotype. ARMENIA: male, Bazum Mt. Ridge, N slope, Pass Pushkinskiy, 1700 m asl, Fagus & Pinus forest, litter, 22 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3247).

Paratypes (total: 7 males, 6 females). All from ARMENIA: 6 males, 6 females, same data as holotype ( ZMUM ρ3248) ; 1 male, same data as holotype, except: 1600 m, 1 km N of tunnel under Pass Pushkinskiy, Fagus forest, 14 Nov. 1985, S. Golovatch leg. ( ZMUM ρ3249).

Other material (total: 21 males, 44 females, 1 juvenile). All from ARMENIA : 6 males, 14 females, 1 juvenile ( ZMUM ρ3250), 1 male ( IZB), Stepanavan , 1600–1650 m asl, Quercus , Fagus , Carpinus , etc. forest, litter and under bark, 21–22 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ; 5 males, 8 females ( ZMUM ρ3251), 3 males, 2 females ( IZB), Vanadzor (formerly Kirovakan), Quercus , Acer , Fagus , etc. forest, litter, 1600 m asl, 22–23 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ; 6 males, 20 females, W of Shamshadyn , halfway between Ijevan and Berd, 1500–1600 m asl, Fagus , Carpinus , Acer , etc. forest, litter and under bark, 26–27 May 1987, S. Golovatch & K. Eskov leg. ( ZMUM ρ3252).

Type locality. ARMENIA: Bazum Mt. Ridge, N slope, Pass Pushkinskiy, 1700 m asl, Fagus & Pinus forest.

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

MEASUREMENTS. Males 8–10 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 0.7–0.8 mm. Females 8.5–11.5 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 0.7–0.9 mm.

COLORATION ( Fig. 48 ). Prozonites greyish dorsally and dorsolaterally or brown with yellowish spots inbetween, with yellowish spots ventrolaterally. Metazonites brownish dorsally, lateral keels with yellowish spots, ventrolateral sides yellowish. Head and antennae brown, cheeks yellowish or with yellowish spots.

HEAD. Slightly concave in males. Labrum with three medial teeth and 5+2 labral and 2+1 supralabral setae in paratype male. Promentum triangular, without setae. Lingual plates with 5+5 setae, on each plate arranged in two rows. Stipites with ca 27+27 setae. Antennae 1.2 mm long in paratype male. Length of antennomeres (in mm): I (0.05), II (0.14), III (0.3), IV (0.16), V (0.3), VI (0.15), VII (0.09) and VIII (0.01). Length/breadth ratios of antennomeres I–VII: I (0.07), II (1.8), III (3.8), IV (2), V (3), VI (1.5) and VII (1.1). Antennomeres II, IV, V, VI and VII with one, three, one, four and one sensillum, respectively. Number of ocelli 16–20, arranged in 5 rows in both sexes.

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

BODY SEGMENTS ( Figs 48 , 49 A–D). Lateral keels like lateral swellings. Macrochaetae relatively long and trichoid. CIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.8; MIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 2.1; PIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.45; MA (pleurotergite 15) ~ 95˚.

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. 50 ). 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 a short coxal process. Leg-pair 11 with coxal glands and a posterior coxal horn.

ANTERIOR GONOPODS ( Figs 51 A, B, C, 52). Sternal plate (sp) with an anterior, medial, small, hairy, sternal sac (ss). Coxal processes (cp) wide, shield-like, almost completely smooth, divided distally, connected to each other by posterior lamellae (pl). Coxal processes apically, on posterior side, with two lobes (lo), lower one with small nipples. Connecting lamellae forming a projection (ppr) posteriorly. Below this projection, a hairy (hs) and a winglike structure (ws) can be seen. Two more lamellae present on posterior side, a mesal (ml) and a lateral (ll), both starting subapically, below lower lobe. Mesally below lateral lamella, setose structures (sls) present. Laterally to posterior projection, one row of setae (rs) present.

POSTERIOR GONOPODS ( Figs 49 E–H, 51D). Coxites (c) divided. Telopodites (t) present on posterolateral side. Both coxites with a short mesal process (b1) and a long, posteriorly curved, crest-like process (b2) with several knife-like lobes (ks). Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anteromesal side.

Distribution. Armenia ( Fig. 167 , white triangle).

Figures

FIGURE 48. Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov., male from Stepanavan, Armenia, habitus. Scale line = 1 mm.

FIGURE 49. Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov., male from Stepanavan, Armenia. A. Pleurotergites 14 and 15, posterior view. B. Pleurotergites 14 and 15, lateral view. C. Pleurotergites 14 and 15, dorsal view. D. Lateral keels of pleurotergites 14 and 15, dorsal view. E. Posterior gonopods, anterior view. F. Posterior gonopods, lateral view. G. Posterior gonopods, posterior view. H. Posterior gonopods, anterior view. c = coxite; t = telopodites; b 1 = short mesal process; b 2 = crestlike process; cv = coxal vesicle; ks = knife-like lobes.

FIGURE 50. Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov., paratype male. A. Leg 3. B. Leg 4. C. Leg 7. D. Leg 10. E. Leg 11. Scale lines = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 51. Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov., holotype male gonopods. A. Anterior gonopods, anterior view. B. Anterior gonopods, lateral view. C. Anterior gonopods, posterior view. D. Posterior gonopods, lateral view. c = coxite; t = telopodites; b 1 = short mesal process; b 2 = crest-like process; cp = coxal process; hs = hairy structure; ks = knife-like lobes; ll = lateral lamella; lo = lobe; ml = mesal lamella; pl = posterior lamella; rs = row of setae; sp = sternal plate; ss = sternal sac; ws = wing-like structure; ppr = posterior projection; sls = setae-like structure. Scale line = 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 52. Caucasominorus polylobatus gen. et sp. nov., male from Vanadzor, Armenia, anterior gonopods. A. Anterior view. B. Anterolateral view. C. Lateral view. D. Posterolateral view. E. Posterior view. F. Distal view. cp = coxal process; hs = hairy structure; ll = lateral lamella; lo = lobe; ml = mesal lamella; pl = posterior lamella; rs = row of setae; sp = sternal plate; ss = sternal sac; ws = wing-like structure; ppr = posterior projection; sls = setae-like structure.

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