Plusioglyphiulus bedosae, Golovatch & Geoffroy & Mauriès & Den Spiegel, 2009

Golovatch, Sergei I., Geoffroy, Jean-Jacques, Mauriès, Jean-Paul & Den Spiegel, Didier Van, 2009, Review of the millipede genusPlusioglyphiulusSilvestri, 1923, with descriptions of new species from southeast Asia (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Cambalopsidae), Zoosystema 31 (1), pp. 71-116 : 97-98

Plusioglyphiulus bedosae n. sp.

( Figs 21-23)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Indonesia. Borneo, Kalimantan Timur, KutaiTimur, Sangkulirang, Baai , 01.332°N, 117.397°E, Cave Gua Ambulabung , by hand, 15.VIII.2004, leg. A. Bedos & L. Deharveng (KAL-071), holotype ♂ ( MZB) ; 1 ♀ paratype ( MNHN GA060), 1 juvenile ♂ paratype ( SEM).

ETYMOLOGY. — To honour Anne Bedos, one of the collectors of this material.

DIAGNOSIS. — Differs from congeners in the small size, the particular carinotaxy formulae, coupled with the peculiar structure of male legs 1-3, as well as of the gonopods.

DESCRIPTION

Length of adults about 22 mm, width 1.3 mm, segments of posterior third of body being broadest.

Coloration generally marbled grey-brown, with two broad, paramedian, grey-yellowish, more or less distinct stripes dorsally and with brown prozona, thus providing a cingulate pattern; collum and segment 2 mostly yellow to light brown; head mostly pale brown to brown, at least dorsad of interantennal isthmus, with a yellow clypeus; ocellaria blackish; antennae dark brown, distal podomeres light brown to brown.

Body of adults with 52p+2a+T ( holotype) or 51p+3a+T ( paratype).

Antennae short and clavate ( Figs 21A; 23A), antennomeres 5 and 6 each with a small group of bacilliform sensilla distodorsally.Ocellaria transverse, with 11-13, mostly isolated ocelli in 5 or 6 longitudinal rows. Gnathochilarium oligotrichous.

Postcollar constriction evident, but collum and segment 2 not particularly strongly enlarged ( Fig. 21A, B). Carinotaxy formula of collum: I+//(t)+/II+III+IV+5a+VI+7a+P+ma ( Fig. 21A, B). Carinotaxy of metatergum 2, 4/4+4+M+4+4/4; formula of metaterga 3 and 4, 8/8+m/m+8/8; formula of metaterga 5 to several before apodous, 4/4+I/i+3/3/3+m/m+3/3/3+I/i+4/4; formula of several caudal metaterga in front of apodous, 4/4+I/ i+3/3+m/m+3/3+I/i+4/4; that of apodous segments, 3+1/1+3+M+3+1/1+3 ( Fig. 21 A-E); all crests and tubercles rather low, poriferous cones (I) slightly higher, broader than high, while median ones (m) slightly lower than others ( Fig. 22A). Dorsal crests on several posteriormost segments considerably higher than others ( Fig. 21E). Midbody segments circular in cross-section ( Fig.22A). Pleural regions of segments 2-4 conspicuously expanded, flap-shaped, especially so on segment 3 ( Fig. 21A). Pleural ridge behind gonopod aperture on male segment 7, tegument and limbus as in above congeners. Epiproct regularly rounded apically, with a paramedian pair of evident, caudally converging tubercles at about midway; paraprocts flattened; hypoproct emarginate at caudal margin ( Fig. 21E, F).

Legs short, rather stout, on midbody segments about half as long as body diameter ( Figs 22A; 23E). Claw at base with a strong accessory spine about half as long as claw itself ( Figs 22B, C; 23E). Tarsi and their distal setae as in other congeners.

Male coxae 1 ( Fig. 23B) subconical, strongly reduced and shorter than central sternal uncus. Male telopodites 2 ( Fig. 23C) not particularly incrassate, with an elongated tarsus. Male telopodites 3 ( Fig. 23D) only slightly reduced compared to elongated coxae.

Anterior gonopods ( Fig. 23F, G) much like in P. ampullifer n. sp., processes cxp1 contiguous medially, lamellate, digitiform, very finely fringed apically, shorter than processes cxp2; latter also lamellate, elongate and subacuminate, almost in touch near apex; telopodites (te) simple, laterocaudal in position, movable, rather slender and high, subcylindrical, setose on caudal face.Posterior gonopods ( Fig. 23H) small, simple,without traces of telopodites;each coxite with a rather long, rod-shaped, distally micropilose arm (d) at basal third on frontal face,distal part finely fringed apically, lamelliform, nearly parallel-sided, with long lateral and mesal flaps, latter flap being surmounted with a short process.

This is a rather atypical member of Plusioglyphiulus . It deviates chiefly in the somewhat more plesiomorphic characters of both male legs 2 and 3, but, on account of the increased number of metatergal tubercles and collar crests, as well as the overall gonopod conformation, its assignment to this genus seems preferable for the moment.

Any obvious troglomorphic traits in this species seem to be absent.