Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker, 2017

Decker, Peter, Mesibov, Robert, Voigtländer, Karin & Xylander, Willi E. R., 2017, Revision of the Australian millipede genus Pogonosternum Jeekel, 1965, with descriptions of two new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 259, pp. 1-34 : 22-26

Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D7334EB7-E36A-44CE-9ABA-D03FF08450AE

Figs 5C , 7 , 18–21 , 26D

Pogonosternum sp. – Mesibov & Churchill 2003: 3–7 (record, ecology). — Decker 2016a: 16 (record). Pogonosternum sp. A — Decker 2016a: 17–24 (record, mention).

Diagnosis

Differs from the other Pogonosternum species in having two lighter paramedian stripes and a median darker stripe; from P. nigrovirgatum , primarily by lateral process (lp) often longer, reaching or projecting distad of most distal position of prolongation of femorite (prof), male tarsal and tibial brushes present to legpair 9, but prof never distinctly elongated and broadly curved.

Etymology

In honour of the Dutch myriapodologist Casimir A.W. Jeekel, who worked on the Australian paradoxosomatid fauna and described most of the previously known species of Pogonosternum .

Material studied

Holotype

AUSTRALIA: 1 ♂, Victoria, Warby-Ovens National Park, 8 km NE of Thoona, Devenish-Wangaratta Road , S22, 8 Aug. 2014, leg. P. Decker, R. Mesibov & K. Voigtländer ( NMV K-12178 ).

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA: 5 ♂♂, same data as holotype ( NMV K-13343–13347); 1 ♂, same data as holotype ( SMNG VNR017113); 1 ♂, Victoria, Warby-Ovens National Park, 6 km N of Glenrowan, Taminick Gap Road, S21, 8 Aug. 2014, leg. P. Decker, R. Mesibov and K. Voigtländer ( NMV K-12177); 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, same data as preceding material ( NMV K- K-13326–13342); 1 ♂, Victoria, Warby-Ovens National Park, 9 km NE of Thoona, Ridge Road, S23, 8 Aug. 2014, leg. P. Decker, R. Mesibov and K. Voigtländer ( NMV K-12179).

Other material examined

See Supplement 1 (total: 38 localities, 62 ♂♂, 30 ♀♀, 33 juv.)

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Length ca 1.7–2.5 cm; midbody width ca 1.8–2.4 mm.

COLOURATION. Colour in fresh material ( Figs 18 , 26D ): margin of lateral edges of collum sometimes slightly to distinctly lighter ( Fig. 18B ). Dorsum with 2 paramedian light yellowish brown stripes and darker median brown stripe. On prozonites the trapezoidal paramedian light band slightly broader anteriorly, and on metazonites slightly broader posteriorly, broadest at 1/3 of length ( Figs 18D , 26D ).

Darker median stripe narrow to rhombic, broadest 3/4 of length on metazonites and prozonites. Flanks often distinctly lighter. Area around ozopores slightly to distinctly lighter, cloudy pale ( Fig. 18C ).

STERNITES. No conspicuous sternal cones.

LEGS. Male tarsal and tibial brushes present from legpair 1 to 9, abruptly absent after.

GONOPODS. Considerable variability present ( Figs 19–20 ). Femorite (F) moderately long and wide. Prolongation of femorite (prof) long to very long, S-shaped. Apical part of prof rather short, directing nearly straightly distad ( Fig 20A ) to distolaterally curved, sometimes crossing lateral process (lp) anteriad or posteriad to lp ( Fig. 19 E–H). Apical part of prof often abruptly narrowing mesally ( Figs 19 , 20B ). Femoral process 1 (fp1) laminate, moderate to long, moderately broadly subtriangular with more or less blunt tip, not reaching lp and solenomere (S). Femoral process 2 (fp2) small, knob-like to subtriangular. Lateral process (lp) on lateral side of prof, moderate to long, laminate, directed distolaterally, tip often curved laterally, projecting distad of solenomere, projecting distad of ( Figs 19 , 20A ) or nearly reaching prof.

SPIRACLES. Anterior spiracles distinctly obliquely ovoid. Rim raised with anterodorsal side often broadly extended, not lobiform and spiracular filter not or slightly protruding. Posterior spiracle ovoid with low rim and spiracular filter not protruding ( Fig. 21 ).

Ecology

Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker , sp. nov. was mostly found in forests to 400 m a.s.l., but was also collected at ca 920 m a.s.l. and was found in pine plantations by Car (2010).

Distribution

So far known from the northern and southern borders of the Great Dividing Range in eastern Victoria and southeastern New South Wales. Also recorded from Flinders Island and some islands of the Furneaux Group in the Bass Strait and in the northeastern corner of Tasmania ( Fig. 7 ).

Remarks

There is no apparent geographical pattern to gonopod variation in P. jeekeli Decker , sp. nov. (see also Decker 2016a). Specimens from coastal central Gippsland, east of Orbost, and Tasmania are lighter in colour on the flanks than those from the higher elevated areas of the Australian mainland.

Figures

Fig. 5. Legs of Pogonosternum. A, D–E. P. nigrovirgatum (Carl, 1902) (NMV K-12158). A. Male left leg 1, posterior view. B. P. nigrovirgatum (Carl, 1902) (QVMAG 23:46359), male right leg 2, anteroventral view. C. P. jeekeli Decker, sp. nov. (AMS KS106742), male midbody leg, anterior view. D. Male right leg 7, anterior view. E. Male tarsus of right legpair 7, anterior view. F. P. laetificum Jeeker, 1982 (NMV K-9957), female left leg 2, ventral view. G. P. adrianae Jeeker, 1982 (NMV K-12203), female left leg 2, anterior view. H. P. montanum Decker, sp. nov. (AMS KS106907), female left leg 2, anterior view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 7. Map of southeastern Australia and Tasmania, showing the known distribution of Pogonosternum spp.: red circles = P. nigrovirgatum (Carl, 1902); green stars = P. laetificum Jeeker, 1982; yellow squares = P. adrianae Jeeker, 1982; blue triangles = P. montanum Decker, sp. nov.; orange diamonds = P. jeekeli Decker, sp. nov. Abbreviation: ACT = Australian Capital Territory.

Fig. 18. Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker, sp. nov., ♂, holotype from Warby-Ovens National Park, Devenish-Wangaratta Road (NMV K-12178). A–B. Anterior rings. A. left lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C–D. Rings 10 and 11. C. Left lateral view. D. Dorsal view. E–F. Posterior rings. E. Left lateral view, F. Dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker, sp. nov., ♂, right gonopod. A–D. NMV K-10252 from Dyer Creek. E–H. NMV K-10250 from Bemm River. A, E. Posterior view. B, F. Lateral view. C, G. Anterior view. D, H. Mesal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 20. Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker, sp. nov., ♂, right gonopod, posterior view. A. NMV K-12178, holotype fromWarby-Ovens National Park, Devenish-Wangaratta Road.B. NMV K-12195 from Cabbage Tree Palms Flora Reserve. C. NMV K-12197 from Buchan Caves Reserve. D. SMNG VNR016986 from Waterhouse Conservation Area. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 21. Pogonosternum jeekeli Decker, sp. nov., ♂, spiracles, midbody ring, left lateral side (QM 23:15360). Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Fig. 26. Habitus and live colouration. A. Pogonosternum nigrovirgatum (Carl, 1902), ♂ from Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve (SMNG VNR016989). B. P. adrianae Jeeker, 1982, ♂ from Grand Ridge Road (NMV K-13349). C. P. laetificum Jeeker, 1982, ♂ from Toolangi State Forest, Two Hills Road. D. P. jeekeli Decker, sp. nov., ♂ from Warby-Ovens National Park, Taminick Gap Road. E. P. montanum Decker, sp. nov., ♂ (left, NMV K-12183) and ♀ (right, NMV K-13351) from Linden Roth Drive. Scale bars = 5 mm.