Epanerchodus bacilliferus, M, E L E N A V., Va, I K H A L J O & Lim, Kil-Young, 2006

M, E L E N A V., Va, I K H A L J O & Lim, Kil-Young, 2006, The millipede genus Epanerchodus Attems, 1901 in the Korean Peninsula, with a description of a new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Polydesmidae), Zootaxa 1350, pp. 45-53 : 48-50

Epanerchodus bacilliferus sp.n.

Figs 1–3 .

Material examined: Holotype: 1 male (ChNU) from Jinan, Jeonllabuk-do, South Korea, collected 7 August 1993 by K.-Y. Lim.

Diagnosis. The species seems to be particularly closely related to Epanerchodus beroni Mikhaljova & Kim, 1993 from North Korea, but differs in the low and broad postfemoral process of the gonopods, bearing apical teeth (or by the low and broad caudal distofemoral process of gonopods following a more recently proposed terminology [ Golovatch, 1991; Djursvoll et al., 2001]), the greater number of bacilli in the distal part of gonopods and the absence of ventral outgrowths on the postfemora and tibiae of the legs.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the presence the group of bacilli on the gonopod telopodite (or on the cephalic distofemoral process of gonopods in terms of Golovatch (1991) and Djursvoll et al. (2001)).

Description. Male. Length 27 mm, width 3.5 mm. Coloration pink, antennae and distal parts of legs light pink. Head covered with minute pubescence in anterior part. Vertigial setae absent (or all broken off). Genae rectangular in dorsal view. Antennae long and slender, clavate, in situ reaching to segment 4. Antennomere 7 with two small knobs, one bare, the other with short conical setae; antennomere 6 distally with group of short dense setae ( Fig. 1 ). Length ratios of antennomeres 2–7 as 2.5:3.7:2.8:2.8:2.3:1.0, width ratios as 0.9:1.0:1.0:1.0:1.2:1.0, respectively. Collum elliptical, somewhat narrower than head; posterior corners slightly angular. Segments 2–4 somewhat shorter and narrower than others. Body parallel-sided on somites 6–15, further on gradually tapering toward telson. Metatergal polygonal sculpture as usual, three transverse rows of bosses, second and third rows being developed stronger than first one. Tergal setae short, apically blunt, almost all broken off. Paraterga well-developed, their caudolateral corners beak-shaped, pointed on segments 8–18. Ozopores evident, dorsal, ozopore formula normal. Epiproct produced into a caudal process, or tail, medium-sized, conical, rounded at tip, with setae.

Legs long and slender; postfemora, tibiae and tarsi with sphaerotrichs on ventral side. Leg pairs 1 and 2 reduced in size as compared to subsequent pairs; leg pair 1 about half the size of leg pairs of midbody. Legs without any outgrowths on postfemora and tibiae.

Following traditional terminology, gonopods ( Figs 2–3 ) with a usual, heavily setose prefemoral portion. Femur well-developed, without outer horn. Clivus relatively broad, with a lamelliform margin. Seminal (= prostatic) groove making a characteristic loop, ending at bottom of femoral cavity. Postfemoral process low and broad, with apical teeth. Telopodite flattened, at about distal third strongly curved, caudally with hook-shaped processes, subapically with group of styliform bacilli.

Following a recently proposed terminology ( Golovatch, 1991; Djursvoll et al., 2001) gonopods ( Figs 2–3 ) without exomerite (=outer horn) but with two distofemoral processes, of which cephalic one the strongest, flattened, bearing a group of styliform bacilli subapically and hook-shaped processes caudally. Caudal distofemoral process low and broad, with apical teeth.

Female unknown.

Remarks. Golovatch (1991) in his review of the family Polydesmidae in Southeast Asia proposed new terminology for several portions of polydesmid gonopods. He acknowledges that the traditional denomination femorite, part lying distad of the densely setose, basal prefemoral portion, does not at all reflect primary leg segmentation. Hence, gonopod femorite of Epanerchodus species can be supplied with endomerite, currently referred to as exomerite ( Djursvoll et al., 2001) (following traditional terminology, outer horn) and distofemoral outgrowths: cephalic (following traditional terminology, telopodite), caudal (following traditional terminology, postfemoral process) and middle (following traditional terminology, additional process).

The resemblance of gonopod illustrations of new species and Paik’s (1960) Epanerchodus sp. from Mt. Jiri, South Korea permits us to suppose that the latter belongs to E. bacilliferus sp.n. Also, Lim’s (1988) Epanerchodus sp. 1 from South Korea seems closely related to E. beroni .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Epanerchodus bacilliferus sp. n. (male holotype). 1, distal part of antenna; 2, gonopod (lateral view); 3, distal part of gonopod (mesal view). Scales in mm.