Protracheoniscus sarii, Eshaghi, Behjat, Kiabi, Bahram H. & Kashani, Ghasem M., 2015

Eshaghi, Behjat, Kiabi, Bahram H. & Kashani, Ghasem M., 2015, The agnarid terrestrial isopods (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Agnaridae) of the province of Qazvin, Iran, with a description of a new species, ZooKeys 515, pp. 59-66 : 63-64

Taxon classification Animalia Isopoda Agnaridae

Protracheoniscus sarii sp. n. Figures 1, 2

Material examined.

Holotype: male, 7 mm, Qazvin, Khakali, 36°08.2'N, 50°10.6'E, 10 September 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani & B. Eshaghi, (ZUTC 5326).

Paratypes. Same data as holotype, one male (IRIPP Iso-1059); same data as holotype, one male (PCGMK 1684); Mali-Abad to Gheshlagh, 36°03.9'N, 50°19.7'E, 10 September 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani & B. Eshaghi, one female (IRIPP Iso-1055); Mali-Abad to Gheshlagh, 36°03.9'N, 50°19.7'E, 10 September 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani & B. Eshaghi, one male and two females (PCGMK 1682); 3 km to Avaj, 35°35.5'N, 49°13.3'E, 11 September 2013, leg. G.M. Kashani & B. Eshaghi, one male (PCGMK 1708).

Diagnosis.

Head with short lateral and developed rounded median lobes. Male pleopod exopodite I with a truncate apex; endopodite I apex bent outward, equipped with some small setae.

Description.

Maximum length of male and female 9 mm. Color brown with the usual pale muscle spots. Body outline as in Fig. 1A. Cephalon with rounded median lobe, protruding from the shorter lateral ones (Fig. 1B). Antenna long, surpassing the posterior margin of pereon tergite II; fifth article of peduncle as long as flagellum, with length: width ratio 6:1; flagellum with two articles, proximal article as long as the distal one (Fig. 1D). Pereopod I carpus with depression on rostral surface equipped with slender scales; propodus narrow and long, proximal part of sternal margin slightly concave with dense small scales, distal part bearing spine setae; pereopods I–VII dactylus with one dactylar and one ungual setae (Fig. 1E, F).

Pereon smooth. Pereon tergite I with rounded posterolateral margin. Noduli laterales on pereonites I to IV distinctly more distant from the lateral margins than those on pereonites V to VII (Fig. 1A).

Pleon narrower than pereon (Fig. 1A). Telson short, with distal part triangular bearing acute apex, slightly surpassing uropod protopodites (Fig. 1C). Uropod exo podites almost 1.5 times as long as telson (Fig. 1C). Pleopod exopodites I–V with monospiracular covered lungs (Fig. 1 B–F).

Male: Pereopods I–III merus and carpus with brushes of setae (Fig. 1E). Pereopod VII ischium triangular, with straight ventral margin, merus and carpus equipped with strong spines on sternal and distal margins (Fig. 1F). Pleopod exopodite I with long hind lobe and truncate distal margin (Fig. 2B); endopodite I straight with apical part triangular, bent outwards and equipped with small setae (Fig. 2A). Pleopod endopodite II slightly longer than exopodite; exopodite triangular with a line of strong setae on outer margin (Fig. 2C). Pleopod exopodites III–V as in Fig. 2 D–F.

Etymology.

The name of the species is after Dr. Alireza Sari, professor in animal biosystematics, the University of Tehran, Iran.

Remarks.

Protracheoniscus sarii sp. n. is superficially similar to Protracheoniscus ehsani but differs in lacking the ridge on the dorsal margin of pereopod VII carpus, and the shape of pleopod endopodite I. Ecologically, this species is associated with relatively humid microhabitats.

Distribution.

Central Iran.