Antichiropus simmonsi Car, 2019

Car, Catherine A., Harvey, Mark S., Hillyer, Mia J. & Huey, Joel A., 2019, The millipede genus Antichiropus (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae), part 3: species of the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia, Zootaxa 4617 (1), pp. 1-71 : 57-58

Antichiropus simmonsi Car , n. sp.

( Figs 35 A–F, 41)

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FB8172C7-8558-4584-A1D5-7F6F790ACBEA

Type material examined. Australia: Western Australia: holotype male (damaged, posterior segments missing), 40.5 km W. of Goldsworthy, Pilbara Biological Survey site PHYW09 , 20°20’09”S, 119°08’15”E, 31 July 2005 – 12 May 2006 , ethylene glycol pitfall trap, CALM staff (Pilbara Biological Survey) ( WAM T144611 ) . Paratypes: 1 male, 4 juveniles (all missing posterior segments), collected with holotype ( WAM T124637 ) .

Other material examined. Australia: Western Australia: 1 male, 36.5 km W. of Goldsworthy, Pilbara Biological Survey site PHYW08 , 20°19’35”S, 119°10’31”E, 26 July 2005 – 28 May 2006 , ethylene glycol pitfall trap, CALM staff (Pilbara Biological Survey) ( WAM T124636 , GenBank accession number 12S, MK 735767 ; 28S, MK 735825 ; COI, MK 735891 ; COIII, MK 735946 ; CytB, MK 735996 ) ; 3 females, 1 juvenile (broken remains), 36.5 km W. of Goldsworthy, Pilbara Biological Survey site PHYW08 , 20°19’35”S, 119°10’31”E, 26 July 2005 – 28 May 2006 , ethylene glycol pitfall trap, CALM staff (Pilbara Biological Survey) ( WAM T146725 ) .

Diagnosis. Gonopod: Antichiropus simmonsi Car , n. sp. may be separated from two similar species, namely A. sloanae Car , n. sp. ( Fig 36 ) and A. cunicularis Car , n. sp. ( Fig 12 ) by a hatchet-shaped main femoral process, a slender femorite narrowing at the main femoral process, a slender upright, pointed femorite prolongation and a slender, pointed solenomere tip.

Description. Male holotype: Body ca. 25 mm long (last few segments missing) slightly rugose, midbody ring ca. 3 mm wide, with shallow, smooth waist, prozonite and metazonite of similar widths. Colour (in alcohol) chestnut brown, paler ventrally ( Fig 35A ); leg colour pale brown. No paranota ( Fig 35B ).

Sternites without obvious processes/tubercles, sternal lamella broad, helmet-shaped. Leg coxal processes absent. Anterior spiracles at midbody small, flat, almost bean- shaped.

Head with no sculpturing, lightly stippled; frons indented, smooth, with few setae; face narrow, with noticeable protuberances on either side, posterior to antennae bases, maximum width ca. 4x the distance between antennal sockets; sockets separated by ca. 1.5x width of socket.

Antennae relatively slender, of moderate length, reaching to ring 2, antennomeres all similar shape.

Collum 0.5x length of head and shallower than head (lateral view) ( Fig 35A ).

Gonopod short, reaching ring 6; coxa (C) robust, broader, almost as long as femorite, with well-developed ridge on anterior surface; prefemur (PF) ovoid with slight lip; femorite (F) upright, 2/3 length of acropodite, slender at base, broadening then narrowing at main femoral process (MFP) insertion; main femoral process 1/3 femorite length, square, narrowing to asymmetrical point; second femoral process absent (fp1); prolongation of femorite (prof) short, triangular, pointed; solenomere (S), relatively short, forming open loop, C-shaped, slender, slightly broader in middle; solenomere tip flattened, asymmetrical; solenomere process 1 (sp1) small, slender, pointed to soltip; solenomere process 2 (sp2) minute, irregular shape at soltip (not shown in Figure 35 ) ( Figs 35 C–F).

Female: Of similar size to the male but with shorter, more slender legs (WAM T124636).

Distribution. This species has been found only in a restricted area approximately midway between Port Hedland, on the Pilbara coast, and Goldsworthy ca. 100 km east of Port Hedland ( Fig 41 ).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Leigh Simmons for his research on the functional morphology of Antichiropus gonopods.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Antichiropus cunicularis Car, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T144588): A–B, habitus: A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C–F, left gonopod: C, posterior view; D, anterior view; E, medial view; F, lateral view. Abbreviations: C, coxa; F, femorite; MFP, main femoral process; PF, prefemur; prof, prolongation of femorite; S, solenomere; sp1 and 2, solenomere processes1 and 2;.Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 2 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 35. A. simmonsi n.sp. holotype male (WAM T144611): A–B, habitus: A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C–F, left gonopod: C, posterior view; D, anterior view; E, medial view; F, lateral view. Abbreviations: C, coxa; F, femorite; MFP, main femoral process; PF, prefemur; prof, prolongation of femorite; S, solenomere; sp1, solenomere processes 1. Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 1 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 36. Antichiropus sloanae Car, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T144612): A–B, habitus: A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C–G, left gonopod: C, posterior view; D, anterior view; E, medial view; F, lateral view; G, enlarged lateral view of solenomere tip showing processes. Abbreviations: C, coxa; F, femorite; MFP, main femoral process; PF, prefemur; prof, prolongation of femorite; S, solenomere; sp1 and sp2, solenomere processes1 and 2; Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 1 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm; G = 0.2 mm..

FIGURE 41. Map showing the known distributions of A. servulus Car, n. sp., A. simmonsi Car, n. sp., A. sloanae Car, n. sp., A. spathion Car, n. sp., A. uvulus Car, n. sp., A. verutus Car, n. sp. and A. vindicatus Car, n. sp.