Moserius talamonensis, Taiti & Montesanto, 2018

Taiti, Stefano & Montesanto, Giuseppe, 2018, New species of subterranean and endogean terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidea) from Tuscany (central Italy), Zoosystema 40 (11), pp. 197-226 : 204-208

Moserius talamonensis n. sp.

( Figs 7 , 8 , 21C )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5D3C40FC-F78A-4E30-950D-A1FF3F68179D

Moserius sp. – Taiti 2007: 94.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. ♂, Parco Regionale della Maremma , Grotta di Gianninoni, 1594 T/GR, 42°34’09”N, 11°07’16”E, Punta del Corvo, Talamone, Orbetello, Prov. Grosseto, leg. S. Taiti, G. A. Gruber and C. Rossano, 3.IV.2004 ( MZUF 9669 ) . Paratypes. 36 ♂, 26 ♀, same data as holotype ( MZUF 9669 ); 3 ♂, 3♀, same data ( MNHN-IU- 2017-1440 ) .

DIAGNOSIS. — A species of Moserius characterized by the disposition of the dorsal ornamentation on the pereonite 1 with 4 + 4 longitudinal ribs almost as long as tergites and a small tubercle between ribs 2 and 3.

ETYMOLOGY. — The new species is named after the locality of sampling (Talamone, Province of Grosseto), where the cave is located.

DESCRIPTION

Maximum length: ♂, 3 mm; ♀, 3.4 mm. Body colourless, ovoidal, outline not interrupted between pereon and pleon; pereon tergites very convex, with epimera obliquely directed outwards ( Fig. 7A ). Dorsum bearing ribs and tubercles ( Fig. 7A, B ): cephalon with three small tubercles on front margin, two large central tubercle with 3 + 3 rounded tips, and 3 + 3 tubercles near rear margin; pereonite 1 with 4+ 4 longitudinal ribs almost as long as tergites and a small tubercle between ribs 2 and 3; pereonites 2-6 with 3+ 3 longitudinal ribs almost as long as tergites and reduced rib externally; pereonite 7 with 2 +2 ribs almost as long as tergites, reduced rib and small tubercle externally; pleonite 3 with two large paramedian tubercles. Cephalon ( Fig. 7B ) with short, subquadrangular frontal lateral lobes directed outwards and not protruding compared with median lobe. Eyes absent. Pereonites with rounded posterior corners ( Fig. 7A ). Pleonites 3-5 ( Fig. 7A ) with large epimera directed backwards. Telson ( Fig. 7C ) slightly wider than long, with distal part trapezoidal, with concave sides and truncate apex. Antennula ( Fig. 7D ) of three articles with three aestethacs at apex. Antenna ( Fig. 7E ) with fifth article of peduncle slightly longer than flagellum; flagellum with three articles, second article with two aesthetascs. Mouth parts as in the previous species. Uropod ( Fig. 7F ) with flattened protopod; exopod shorter than endopod, with tuft of apical setae; endopod with a sigle apical seta.

Male

Pereopod 1 ( Fig. 8A ) with no distinct modifications. Pereopod 7 ( Fig. 8B ) ischium with straight sternal margin, merus very convex on tergal margin, carpus with distal lobe on sternal margin. Genital papilla as in Fig. 8C . Pleopod 1 ( Fig. 8D ) exopod with a rounded lobe on outer margin and straight medial margin, rounded apex; endopod distinctly longer than exopod, second article with parallel sides, distal part slightly bent outwards and rounded apex. Pleopod 2 ( Fig. 8E ) exopod triangular, with concave outer margin and straight medial margin; endopod much longer than exopod with distal part bent outwards and bifid apex. Pleopod 3-5 exopods as in Figs 8 F-H.

REMARKS

Moserius talamonensis n. sp. differs from all the other species in the number and disposition of the dorsal tubercles on the cephalon and on the pereonite 1; from M. inexpectatus also in the absence of dorsal tubercles on the pleonites 4 and 5 and telson, and in the male pleopod 1 exopod with a rounded instead of sinuous distal margin. In the shape of the male pleopod 1 exopod, the new species is similar to M. elbanus and M. gruberae n. sp., from which it differs also in the shape of the distal part of the male pleopod 1 endopod.

Figures

FIG. 7. — Moserius talamonensis n. sp., from Grotta Gianninoni, Uccellina, ♂ paratype: A, adult specimen, dorsal view; B, cephalon, dorsal view; C, telson and uropods, dorsal view; D, antennula; E, antenna; F, left uropod. Scale bar: A, 1 mm.

FIG. 8. — Moserius talamonensis n. sp., from Grotta Gianninoni, Uccellina, ♂ paratype: A, pereopod 1; B, pereopod 7; C, genital papilla; D, pleopod 1; E, pleopod 2; F, pleopod 3 exopod; G, pleopod 4 exopod; H, pleopod 5 exopod.

FIG. 21. — A, Leucocyphoniscus pisanus n. sp., ♀ paratype from Buca delle Fate di Cima Sugheretta, Monte Pisano; B, Moserius gruberae n. sp., ♀ paratype from Grotta del Cane di Uliveto, Monte Pisano; C, Moserius talamonensis n. sp., ♀ paratype from Grotta Gianninoni, Uccellina; D, Typhlarmadillidium occidentale n. sp., ♀ paratype from Grotta del Cane, Monte Pisano; E, Paraschizidium ferrarai n. sp., ♀ paratype, from Gorgona; F, Trogleluma pilosa n. sp., ♀ paratype from Poggio Capalbiaccio; G, Alloschizidium labronicum n. sp., ♀ paratype from Maroccone. Scale bars: A-D, F, G, 1 mm; E, 0.5 mm.