Omobrachyiulus sevangensis (Lohmander, 1932) Vagalinski & Golovatch, 2021

Vagalinski, Boyan & Golovatch, Sergei I., 2021, The millipede tribe Brachyiulini in the Caucasus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae), ZooKeys 1058, pp. 1-127 : 1

Omobrachyiulus sevangensis (Lohmander, 1932) comb. nov.

Chromatoiulus sevangensis Lohmander, 1932: 178-180, fig. 9.

Chromatoiulus (Armeniobrachyiulus) sevangensis : Lohmander 1936: 146, figs 123-125; Lang 1959: 1791.

Megaphyllum cf. sevangense : Enghoff 2006: 184.

Megaphyllum " Megaphyllum " Megaphyllum sevangense : Vagalinski and Lazányi 2018: 121.

Material examined.

Armenia: Elenovka [Sevan], 2 ♂♂ (ZIN) (gonopods dissected, not in the vial), 4 ♀♀ (vulvae dissected, not in the vial), 10.VIII.1932, A. Schelkovnikov leg.

Diagnosis.

A species of Omobrachyiulus most simillar to O. kvavadzei sp. nov., O. ponticus sp. nov., and O. trochiloides sp. nov. in gonopod structure, as well as in the shape of the male telson. Differs from these species mostly by details of the opisthomere: from O. kvavadzei sp. nov. by the significantly lower position of the mesomeroidal lobe devoid of a distinct apicolateral part; from O. ponticus sp. nov. by both the anterior process and the apical outgrowth of the basoposterior process being subequal to, rather than considerably exceeded by, the solenomere; and from O. trochiloides sp. nov. by having a much more obscure, poorly differentiated basoposterior process ending in an unciform, rather than a fine rod-like, apical outgrowth.

Previous records from the Caucasus.

Armenia: Sevan (type locality);? Turkey: vil. Artvin, above Göktaş ( Enghoff 2006).

General distribution.

LECA.

Remarks.

Until now, the systematic position of this species has been doubtful. Lohmander (1936) treated it as the sole member of Armeniobrachyiulus Lohmander, 1936, a subgenus of Megaphyllum (= Chromatoiulus auct.). In that same publication he emphasised the similarity of the gonopod conformation in Megaphyllum sevangense to that of members of Omobrachyiulus (at that time a subgenus of Megaphyllum ), which implied that the two subgenera were closely related. Vagalinski and Lazányi (2018) elevated Omobrachyiulus to a full genus and stated that examination of material of Megaphyllum sevangense was necessary in order to reveal its generic affiliation.

Unfortunately, the presently examined material has previously been dissected and lacks both male and female copulatory organs. However, the newly described species Omobrachyiulus kvavadzei sp. nov., O. ponticus sp. nov., and O. trochiloides sp. nov. undoubtedly belong to the same species group, together with Megaphyllum sevangense . Thus, the latter is treated here as a member of Omobrachyiulus . We refrain from the usage of the subgenus Armeniobrachyiulus for reasons explained in the Remarks section under O. kvavadzei sp. nov.

Given the general trend for narrow endemism within the Omobrachyiulus sevangensis group and the big distance between Sevan, Armenia (the type locality of O. sevangensis ) and the province of Artvin, Turkey, the latter record of " Megaphyllum cf. sevangense " (Enghoff, 2006) may also refer to another closely related, yet undescribed species.