Clinopodes vesubiensis, Bonato & Iorio & Minelli, 2011

Bonato, Lucio, Iorio, Étienne & Minelli, Alessandro, 2011, The centipede genus Clinopodes C. L. Koch, 1847 (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae): reassessment of species diversity and distribution, with a new species from the Maritime Alps (France), Zoosystema 33 (2), pp. 175-205 : 193-196

Clinopodes vesubiensis n. sp.

( Figs 2 ; 3 )

TYPE MATERIAL AND TYPE LOCALITY. — Holotype ♀, 38 mm long, with 61 leg pairs, from Lucéram, Peira-Cava, La Cabanette ( France) ( MNHN). — Paratype ơ, 37 mm long, with 59 leg pairs, from Saint-Martin-Vésubie, cime de la Palu, 2100-2150 m, Rhododendron , 11.VII.1962, J.-L. Amiet lg ( France) ( MNHN).

ETYMOLOGY. — From “Vesubia”, ancient Latin name of the river Vésubie, referring to the fact that all three known localities are within this river basin or close to it.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — France. Alpes-Maritimes department, Lucéram, Peira-Cava, La Cabanette, 1320- 1450 m, Abies alba , Pinus and Fagus sylvatica , 9.III.2007, É. Iorio lg; 2 ♀♀ (42, 46 mm; both 61 leg pairs) (coll. EI and coll. MB); 1 ơ (35 mm, 57 leg pairs) (coll. EI). — Saint-Martin-Vésubie, cime de la Palu, 2100- 2150 m, Rhododendron , 11.VII.1962, J.-L. Amiet lg, 1 ơ (35 mm, 57 leg pairs) (MNHN). — Venanson, mont le Conquet, 1130-1150 m, Pinus and Buxus sempervirens , 3-8.VII.1961, J.-L. Amiet lg, 1 ♀ (27 mm, 61 leg pairs) (MNHN). — Venanson, mont le Conquet, 1600 m, meadow, 7.VI.1960, J.-L. Amiet lg, 1 ♀ (35 mm, 63 leg pairs) (MNHN).

DIAGNOSIS. — A Clinopodes species up to c. 4-5 cm long; 57-59 pairs of legs in the male, 61-63 in the female; denticles on the anterior margin of the forcipular coxosternite relatively elongate, about as long as wide; chitin-lines vanishing before reaching the condyles; the largest sternal pore-fields on the posterior leg-bearing segments reaching the mid-length of the metasternite; all canals of the coxal organs opening through independent pores, more dense close to the lateral margins of the metasternites but most of them not covered by the latter; additionally, a single small pore, on the ventro-lateral side of each coxopleuron, far apart from all the other pores and lateral to them. See also Table 3, Figures 2 , 3 , and key to species.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. — Maritime Alps; recorded hitherto from three localities (see under “Other material examined”; Fig. 4 ), 1130-2150 m.

DESCRIPTION

Holotype

Preserved in ethanol 70%; head detached from trunk, maxillary complex partially detached from the cephalic capsule.

General features ( Fig.2A, B ). Body slender, slightly narrowing forward, more attenuated towards the posterior tip. Colour (preserved in ethanol 70%) almost uniform, dark yellow.

Cephalic capsule ( Figs 2D ; 3A ). Cephalic plate sub-quadrate, approximately as long as wide; anterior margin slightly convex, lateral margins evidently convex, posterior margin slightly concave; areolation uniform on the entire surface, without a distinct transverse suture; setae arranged approximately in 5 transverse rows. Clypeus uniformly areolate, without finely areolate clypeal areas and without non-areolate areas close to the labrum; 3 medial pairs of setae on the anterior part of the clypeus, a group of 5 setae on each half of the anterior part of the clypeus, and 3 mid-longitudinally aligned setae on the posterior part of the clypeus. Labrum: margin slightly angled medially, projecting backwards; a row of slender hyaline filaments and 2 or 3 medial sclerotised tubercles.

Antennae. Each antenna c. 2.4 times as long as the head. Articles slightly narrowing and shortening from article II, which is c. 1.1 times as long as wide, to article XIII, which is c. 0.9 times as long as wide. Article XIV sub-ovoid, c. 2.0 times as long as wide. Setae gradually denser and shorter from the basal articles to the distal ones. Apical sensilla c. 12 µm long, spear-like, slender, narrowing quite abruptly from about the mid-length. Club-like sensilla c. 10 µm long, only on article XIV, grouped on the distal parts of both the internal and external sides. Three longitudinal rows of propioceptive spine-like sensilla at the bases of the articles: 4 or 5 sensilla in each row on articles II-V, 2 or 3 sensilla in each row on articles VII-IX, 1 or 2 sensilla in each row on articles XI-XIII; rows lacking on articles VI, X and XIV, where only a single, dorsal sensillum is present. Sensilla similar to the apical ones, 5-7 µm long, on both the ventro-internal and the dorso-external sides of the distal part of articles II, V, IX and XIII: 3 sensilla on the dorso-external side of articles IX and XIII, a single sensillum in all other positions. A slender spine, c. 10 µm long, on the external side of the distal part of articles V, IX and XIII.

Mandible. A single pectinate lamella.

First maxillae ( Fig. 3B ). Coxosternite entire, with elongate lappets. Coxal projections sub-triangular, longer than wide.Telopodites longer than the coxal projections, composed of two articles, with elongate lappets. Both the coxal projections and the distal article of the telopodites with setae on the basal part, spine-like sensilla close to the tip, and fine scales covering the tip.

Second maxillae ( Fig. 3B ). Coxosternite entire, uniformly areolate; anterior margin widely concave; setae close to the anterior margin.Telopodites composed of three articles, gradually narrowing towards the tip; claw simple, almost straight and gradually tapering.

Forcipular segment ( Figs 2C, E ; 3C ). Tergite subtrapezoid, c. 2.6 times as wide as long; anterior margin distinctly concave so that a pretergite is partially visible; lateral margins evidently converging forward. Exposed part of coxosternite c. 1.5 times as wide as long; a medial pair of dark subtrapezoidal denticles on the anterior margin, c. 1.1 times as long as wide at the base, their mesal margins subparallel; coxopleural sutures entirely ventral, strongly converging backward; chitin-lines pointing forward towards the condyles, vanishing forward but almost reaching the condyles.Trochanteroprefemur slightly wider than long, the internal side only ⅓ the length of the external side, without denticles. Forcipular intermediate articles distinct, without denticles, each with a shallow bulge only. Tarsungulum abruptly narrowing near the base, the distal part curved and tapering uniformly; a basal, small denticle; internal margin crenulate.

Leg-bearing segments ( Fig. 3D ). Tergite 1 wider than metatergite 2,lateral margins slightly converging backward; no distinct pretergite 1. Metasternite 1 smaller than the next one, lateral margins distinctly convex, and converging forward. Metasternites from 2 to penultimate sub-trapezoid to sub-rectangular; setae of various sizes, the longest arranged in two transverse rows. “Carpophagus” pits on the anterior margin of metasternites 9-20, their maximum size on metasternite 16 (slightly bilobed, c. 0.6 times as wide as the anterior margin of the metaster- nite), gradually decreasing in size both forward and backward. A transversal, posterior band of pores on all metasternites from 1 to penultimate; on most segments, the band does not extend forward, but is limited to the posterior third of the metasternite; on the five most posterior segments, it extends mid-longitudinally forward, reaching the maximum extent on leg-bearing segment 58 (reaching the mid-length of the metasternite). Groups of few pores on the anterior corners of the metasternites, procoxae and metacoxae from approximately leg-bearing segment 10 to 25. Legs 1 smaller than the others, legs 2 to penultimate similar in size and shape; pretarsus claw-like, with two accessory spines; the anterior accessory spine longer than the posterior and almost reaching the mid-length of the unguis proper on the anterior part of the trunk, but smaller than the posterior spine and reaching c. ⅓ of the length of the unguis proper on the posterior part of the trunk.

Ultimate leg-bearing segment ( Fig. 3E ). Pleuropretergite c. 4.5 times as wide as long, without apparent sutures. Metatergite c. 1.1 times as wide as long, lateral margins evidently convex and converging backward, posterior margin truncate. Metasternite c. 1.3 times as wide as long, lateral margins evidently convex, posterior margin almost straight; setae uniformly scattered. Coxopleura moderately swollen, reaching forward the lateral sides of the presternite; setae rare, uniformly scattered. Coxal organs opening into pores almost completely covered by the metasternite, grouped along the lateral margins of the latter in 2 or 3 weakly distinct clusters, additionally a single pore isolated on the ventrolateral side of each coxopleuron, at c. 65-70% of the total length of the coxopleuron, smaller than most other pores (diameter c. 7-8 µm); no pores opening on the dorsal side. Ultimate telopodites c. 1.5 times as long and slightly more swollen than the penultimate; a few long setae around all articles, denser short setae on the ventral side only. Pretarsus a simple slender apical spine c. 10 µm long.

Postpedal segments ( Fig. 3E ). Intermediate sternite inconspicuous, medially not exposed. First genital sternite c. 3 times as wide as long, posterior margin approximately straight; uniformly covered with setae. Gonopodal lamina distinctly bilobed, with a pair of setae on each lobe. A pair of distinct anal organs and pores.

Differences in male paratype

Differences in the terminal part of the body in an adult male (paratype, 37 mm long, 59 leg pairs; from Saint-Martin-Vésubie, cime de la Palu, data under “Other material examined”). Ultimate telopodites distinctly more swollen than in the female. First genital sternite separated from pleurites by distinct suture converging forward. Gonopods bi-articulate, conical penis inbetween.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Clinopodes vesubiensis n. sp. (light microscope photographs of the holotype, ♀, 38 mm long, from Lucéram, France): A, anterior part of body, ventral view;B, posterior part of body, dorsal view; C, head and forcipular segment,without antennae,ventral view; D, head, detached from trunk and without antennae, ventral view; E, anterior denticles of the forcipular coxosternite, ventral view. Scale bars: A, B, 1 mm; C, D, 0.2 mm; E, 0.05 mm.

FIG. 3. — Clinopodes vesubiensis n. sp. (line drawings of the holotype, ♀, 38 mm long, from Lucéram, France): A, anterior part of cephalic capsule, without maxillae and mandibles, ventral view, areolation only partially drawn; B, left half of the maxillary complex, ventral view;C, forcipular segment,ventral view;D, leg-bearing segment 12,without legs,ventral view;E, ultimate leg-bearing segment and postpedal segments, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 4. — Distribution of Clinopodes C. L. Koch populations in the South-western Alps, based on all published and new records. The black line indicates the boundary between France and Italy.