Boreohesperus dubitalis, Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013

Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013, A review of the Western Australian keeled millipede genus Boreohesperus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 290, pp. 1-19 : 9-11

Boreohesperus dubitalis sp. n. Figs 1D569

Type material.

Holotype male: Barrow Island, WSW. of Latitude Point, Western Australia, Australia, 20°46'51"S, 115°26'28"E, mostly limestone and rocks, little soil, 11 August 2002, S. Slack-Smith (WAM T57637).

Paratypes: 2 males and 3 females, Barrow Island, 500m E. of Base, Western Australia, Australia, 20°49'02.0"S, 115°23'24.4"E, dry pitfall trap, 26 March 2012, R. Teale (WAM T126126).

Other material examined.

Australia: Western Australia: Barrow Island: current airport, helicopter hangar, site N05b, 20°51'50"S, 115°24'23"E, Winkler sac, 1 May 2007, S. Callan, K. Edward, 1♂, 1♀, 1 juvenile (WAM T56353); old administration building, site N23, 20°49'09"S, 115°23'40"E, Winkler sac, 1 May 2007, S. Callan, K. Edwards, 2♀, 3 juveniles (WAM T56354); 20°48'S, 115°24'E, by hand, 31 March 1971, Burbidge, Butler, 1♂, 1 unidentified remains (WAM T73900); 4.5 km N. of Chevron Texaco Camp (NR B21), 20°47'14"S, 115°26'41"E, 8 March-20 May 2006, BIOTA, 1♀ (WAM T83026); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP5, 20 °46'59"S, 115°27'03"E, Winkler sac on high limestone flats, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 4♂, 1♀, 1 juvenile (WAM T121015); Gorgon project, footprint GP7, 20°47'51"S, 115°26'27"E, Winkler sac on limestone ridge to drainage line, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 1♂ (WAM T121016); Gorgon project, footprint plot CC2, 20°49'02"S, 115°26'24"E, wet pitfall traps on low limestone flats, 10-15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 12♂, 1♀ (WAM T121017); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP9, 20°47'59"S, 115°27'00"E, Winkler sac on low limestone ridge, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 3♂, 2♀, 10 juveniles, (WAM T121018); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP7, 20°47'51"S, 115°26'27"E, wet pitfall traps on limestone ridge to drainage line, 10-15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 2♂ (WAM T121019); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP4, 20°47'03"S, 115°27'33"E, Winkler sac on low limestone flats, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 1♀, 3 juveniles (WAM T121020); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP5, 20°46'59"S, 115°27'03"E, wet pitfall traps on high limestone flats, 10-15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 1♂ (WAM T121021); Gorgon project, site 105, 20°48'08"S, 115°26'48"E, Winkler sac, 17 May 2005, S. Callan et al., 1♂, 1 juvenile (WAM T121022); future construction village, 20°49'00"S, 115°26'16"E, wet pitfall traps 17-22 May 2005, S. Callan et al., 1♂ (WAM T121023); Gorgon project, footprint plot GP9, 20°47'59"S, 115°27'00"E, wet pitfall traps on low limestone ridge, 10-15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 2♀ (WAM T121024); Gorgon project, footprint plot CC1, 20°49'01"S, 115°26'15"E, wet pitfall traps on valley flats, 10-15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 3♂ (WAM T121025); Gorgon project, footprint plot CC2, 20°49'02"S, 115°26'24"E, Winkler sac on low limestone flats, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 1♂, 1♀, 15 juveniles (WAM T121026); old rubbish dump, 20°47'51"S, 115°20'55"E, Winkler sac on 17 May 2005, S. Callan et al., 1♂ (WAM T121027); Gorgon project, footprint plot CC2, 20°49'02"S, 115°26'24"E, hand collected on low limestone flats, 15 March 2006, S. Callan, R. Graham, 1♀ (WAM T121028); site 22, 20°47'12"S, 115°27'17"E, hand collected, 17 May 2005, S. Callan et al., 2♀ (WAM T121029); Chevron Texaco camp, 20°49'43"S, 115°26'36"E, hand sorted litter, 7 May 2005, S. Callan et al., 1♂ (WAM T121030); 500m E. of Base, 20°49'02.0"S, 115°23'24.4"E, dry pitfall trap, 26 March 2012, R. Teale, 1♂ (WAM T123094); Quarantine Interception from Barrow Island, WAPET Landing, offices, 20°45'29"S, 115°28'19"E, by hand on path between vegetation and building, 8 January 2013, K. Cullen, 1♂ (WAM T126113).

Etymology.

This species is named for the fact that, as the first new species of Boreohesperus to be discovered, there was initial difficulty in deciding on a genus in which to place it (dubitalis, Latin, adjective, to be doubted).

Diagnosis.

This species differs from the four other new species because it is noticeably larger, although it is smaller than Boreohesperus capensis . In common with Boreohesperus furcosus sp. n. and Boreohesperus undulatus sp. n., this species carries a process on the main body of the solenomere of the gonopod, but unlike the other species, this process is long and finger-like, extending almost to the solenomere tip (Fig. 6E).

Description.

Holotype male: body approximately 10 mm long; mid-body ring approximately 1.2 mm wide dorsally with distinct waist between prozonite and metazonite; legs of moderate length, approximately equal to the length of 1 to 2 mid-body rings. Colour dark brown overall and legs with coloration similar to that of body. Paranota on all but first few body rings small. Sternites, other than those of the fifth body ring, with no noticeable features. Anterior spiracles at mid-body flat circular. Antennae less obviously clavate, fifth and sixth antennomeres only slightly wider than proximal ones, long, extending beyond body segment 2, antennomeres relatively slender (Figs 5, 6A, B). Gonopod long, extending at least to fifth body ring; coxa (C) much broader than acropodite and approximately 2x as long as broad; prefemur(PF) short, sub-globose; femorite (F) short, one-quarter to one-third length of acropodite, slightly narrower at base, then broadening; non-seminiferous branch(NSB) broadest at solenomere base then narrowing to form pointed finger-like shape; process on medial surface of NSB (nsbp) pointed, arising closer to NSB tip than to solenomere base (bs), and much shorter than NSB; solenomere (S) relatively long and slender, arising midway between NSB tip and prefemur, basal third curving away from NSB and tip curving back towards gonopod midline to form loose arc; solenomere tip divided into two, main pointed ribbon like forks; solenomere process (sp) present, long, finger-like and extending almost to solenomere tip; separate posterior process (pp) arising near solenomere base, long, slender, pointed and approximately half solenomere length (Figs 1D, 6 C–F).

Female. Similar to male, except for genitalic features.

Distribution.

Boreohesperus dubitalis sp. n. is endemic to Barrow Island where it is widespread and abundant (Fig. 9). However, due to its restricted distribution of less than 100 km2, it clearly represents a short-range endemic species.