Epiperipatus titanicus, Costa & Chagas-Junior & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018

Costa, Cristiano Sampaio, Chagas-Junior, Amazonas & Pinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2018, Redescription of Epiperipatus edwardsii, and descriptions of five new species of Epiperipatus from Brazil (Onychophora: Peripatidae), Zoologia (e 23366) 35, pp. 1-15 : 4-5

Epiperipatus titanicus sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ 068FF25E-2B24-42CA-86AC-3404406284B8

Figs 7, 13–16, 37

Epiperipatus sp. 1 : Sampaio-Costa et al.: 2009: 556, 557.

Diagnosis. Epiperipatus species with symmetrical, reduced or hidden apical piece. Body large, 29 up to 76 mm and 36 to 39 pairs of legs.

Compound description. Measurements. Males: length 29–41; width 1.0–3.0; height 1.0–2.5. Females: length 16–76; width 1.0–4.0; height 1.0–6.0. Background color of body in vivo is dark grayish red (20), with dorsal wavy band of light grayish red (18) and overlaid by diamond-shape marks, the same color as background color of body ( Fig. 13). Dorsomedian furrow very dark purplish red (260) ( Fig. 13). Anterior portion of head and antennae dark purple (224). Color of dorsal portion of legs the same as predominant dorsal body color. Largest primary papillae pale and distinguishable in vivo from light brown (57) color found on alternate plicae and forming longitudinal sequences on dorsal integument. The number of pale primary papillae increases near the legs. Legs and ventral surface displaying same color, pale pink (7). Description of body. Dorsal papillae aligned on top of folds, two primary papillae separated by one to three accessory papillae and rarely occurring close together. Both dorsal papillae have conical basal pieces, artichoke-like, composed of lanceolate scales that never overlap with one another at base of papillae ( Figs 7, 14). The primary papillae are the largest and at their bases there are five to ten scale ranks. Apical piece can be reduced and there is just one scale rank ( Fig. 7). Rank in some cases overlapped by scale rank of the base papilla, hiding the constriction between the two parts of the primary papillae ( Fig. 7. See also Sampaio-Costa et al. 2009: 557, figs 6–8). The apical piece, when evident, is symmetrical and conical with narrow and elongated scales ( Fig. 7). Needle-shaped sensory bristle curved or straight, placed at center of apical piece. Accessory papillae similar to primary papillae with respect to shape of scale and morphology of the base, but without an apical piece.

Head. Holotype and paratype with 44–45 antennal rings, respectively. In both specimens, antennal tip composed of seven broad rings (excluding the terminal disc on top) and followed by alternating narrow and broad rings until the eighteenth ring. Mouth opening surrounded by anterior oral lobe (unpaired lip) and seven pairs of oral lips.Jaws with two blades composed of one long curved main tooth followed by one accessory tooth ( Figs 15, 16). Formulae of inner and outer jaw blades: 1/1 and 1/1/7–11 ( Figs 15, 16), respectively. Legs. Males: 36–38 pairs of legs. Females: 36–39 pairs of legs. Nephridial tubercle on fourth and fifth pairs of legs, between third and fourth spinous pads ( Fig.17). On fourth and fifth pairs of legs, fifth spinous pad present and always reduced ( Fig. 17). Sexual dimorphism. Two or three pregenital legs with one crural papilla (male) each. Anal glands inconspicuous (male); represented by two pores on anterior margin of anal aperture. Type material. Holotype. ♀, BRAZIL, Alagoas State: Murici, Estação Ecológica de Murici ( Mata da Bananeira area ), Lo-Man- - Hung, N.F. leg.( MNRJ 0057 ) . Paratypes. ♂, idem, 11–18.xiii.2009, Costa, C.S., Giupponi, A. and Chagas-Jr leg. ( MNRJ 0035 ) ; 2 ♀, same date but 21.vii.1995, Freitas , L.M. and Natali, M.S. leg. ( DZ- UFMG-ONY 0008 and 0009) ; 9♀, 4 ♂ and 1 unsexed, same data but, 11–18.xii.2009, Costa, C.S., Guipponi, A. and Chagas-Jr, A, leg ( MNRJ 0053 ) ; 1♀, same data but, 26–29.vii.2012, Costa, C.S., Alcântara, D.M.C., Dias, P.S. and Nihei,S.S. leg ( MZUSP 0010 ) .

Distribution ( Fig. 37). Only known from the type locality ( Brazil, Alagoas state, Murici, Estação Ecológica de Murici).

Etymology. The specific name titanicus , titanica, titanicum (L., “titanic”, adjective) refers to the large size of the females, and the great number of pairs of oncopods, more numerous than in any other Brazilian species of onychophorans.

Remarks. The number of leg pairs in this species varies from 36 to 39, and these numbers overlap in males and females, 36 to 38 in males and 36 to 39 in females.