Julus insolitus, Mikhaljova, Elena V., 2009

Mikhaljova, Elena V., 2009, New species of the family Julidae Leach 1814 from Altai, Russia (Diplopoda, Julida), Zootaxa 2235, pp. 59-68 : 66-67

Julus insolitus sp.n.

Figs. 16-23 .

Material examined: Holotype: 1 male ( IBSS), Russia, Republic of Altai, Choiskii District, environs of Baltyrgan Mts, rocky tundra, collected 13 August 2001 by N.V. Levina; Paratype: 1 male ( IBSS), Russia, Republic of Altai, Choiskii District, environs of Baltyrgan Mts, forest-tundra, collected 12 August 2001 by N.V. Levina.

Diagnosis: This species differs congeners from the Asian part of Russia mainly by the presence of a longitudinal crest with a broad ribbon-shaped apical portion on the posterior surface of the gonopod promere (in Julus ghilarovi such crest is supplied with a narrow apical portion), subtriangular shape of male leg pair 1, and bifurcated (not deeply) penes.

Description: Male. Body 20 – 21 mm long; 0.9 – 1.0 mm in diameter, with 46(-2), 47(-2) (in holotype) segments, excluding telson. Coloration dark reddish-brown with whitish tint and with dark brown spots at level of ozopores. Thin axial line distinctly discernible on dorsum. Anterior portion of head with large marbled-brown spots near antennae. Genae brown. Posterior part of collum with two large transverse marbled-brown spots. Legs brown. Eyes black. Antennae dark brown.

Eye patches subtriangular, composed of about 38 ocelli. Epicranial setae 1+1, supralabral setae 2+2, labral ones 8+8. Genae unmodified. Antennae medium-sized, rather slender and clavate, in situ reaching to somite 4. Length ratios of antennomeres 2–7 as 6.8:5.0:4.0:5.0:2.4:1, width ratios as 1.0:1.1:1.3:1.6:1.5:1, respectively. Antennomere 5 with incomplete distodorsal corolla of 6-7 sensory bacilli. Antennomere 6 with incomplete distodorsal corolla of 4 – 5 sensory bacilli. Gnathochilarial stipes with knob distally and external bolster in middle part.

Body cylindrical, slender. Somites 6, 7 somewhat stouter than others. Ventral edge of metazonite 7 outcurved, forming gonopodal opening. Suture dividing pro- and metazona distinctly constricting both zonites. Ozopores small, lying behind suture without touching it. Metazona with striae failing to reach hind margin. 9 – 11 striae per approximate quarter of metazonital surface, i.e. between dorsal midline and ozopore. Transverse row of sparse, thin, relatively short setae at hind edge of metazonites, setae gradually growing longer and denser toward telson. Telson with relatively sparse setae and a short, dorsal subcylindrical projection (so-called tail) carrying tiny claw-shaped process directed caudad. Anal valves densely setose. Anal scale subtriangular, setose only along caudal edge.

Legs thin, relatively short; claws with thin, long, setiform, ventral outgrowth at base. Hind legs hardly more slender than anterior ones. Leg pair 1 ( Figs 16 – 17 ) subtriangular, with high coxites pointed apically. Rudiment of telopodite 2-segmented; basal segment as knob with setae on perimeter; apical segment as tiny knob covered with long setae ( Fig. 18 ) (apical segment is distinctly distinguished in ventral view). Leg pair 2 ( Fig. 19 ) with three pairs of coxal outgrowths. Anterior large outgrowth curved frontally, with process caudally; second anterior outgrowth slender, posterior coxal outgrowth subconical, with seta subapically. Penes short, not deeply bifurcated apically, each apex with opening of seminal groove ( Fig. 20 ).

Three pieces of gonopods ( Figs 21 – 23 ) highly condensed. Promeres higher than opisthomeres, their flagella well-developed, ribbon-shaped. Distal part of flagellum placed in particular excavation on opisthomere, apex projecting beyond opisthomere tip. Promere without telopodite remnant, caudally with longitudinal crest with broad ribbon-shape apical portion; mesomere subconical, rounded at apex. Opisthomere with relatively poorly developed coxite, mesal outgrowth at base, lateral part with strong, broad process pointed apically. Notch between solenomere and outer process as deep as 1/3 opisthomere height.

Female unknown.

Etymology: The specific epithet (Latin: “unusual”) refers to the distinguishing characters of the species.

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 23. Julus insolitus sp. n., male. 16 – 18, leg pair 1 (16, front view, 17, caudal view, 18, lateral view, apex of right coxa broken); 19, leg pair 2 and penes (lateral view, telopodite omitted); 20, penes; 21 – 23, gonopods (21, caudal view, 22, mesal view, 23, front view); p, penes. Scale in mm.