Pseudopolydesmus paludicolus, PALUDICOLUS HOFFMAN, 1950

Sierwald, Petra, Hennen, Derek A, Zahnle, Xavier J, Ware, Stephanie & Marek, Paul E, 2019, Taxonomic synthesis of the eastern North American millipede genus Pseudopolydesmus (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Polydesmidae), utilizing high-detail ultraviolet fluorescence imaging, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 187 (1), pp. 117-142 : 137-138

PSEUDOPOLYDESMUS PALUDICOLUS HOFFMAN, 1950

( FIGS 29–31 )

Pseudopolydesmus paludicolus Hoffman, 1950: 222 , fig. 4, ♂ HT (USNM, vidi, gonopods missing). – Chamberlin & Hoffman, 1958: 70. – Hoffman, 1999: 445.

Pseudopolydesmus paludicola [sic] – [ Withrow, 1988: 111, figs 95, 99, 103, 126, map 9, table 11.]

Diagnosis

Size: Small, with male body length measured at 11 and 13 mm (N = 2; Withrow, 1988: 111). Comparable in size to Ps. minor and Ps. caddo . Clearly smaller than all other congeneric species. May be mistaken, e.g. for the similarly sized Po. inconstans , because, unlike in most Pseudopolydesmus , the collum is narrower than the mandibles and tergal setae are clearly visible under the dissecting microscope.

Paranota and tergal sculpture ( Fig. 29 ): Corners of paranota forming a longitudinally oblong rectangle. Leading and distal margins moderately curved. Denticles strongly distinct with unusually long, easily visible setae, but ALC indistinct. Trailing margin concave, strongly curved. Anterior blister row thicker than median blister row along its entire breadth, and MB row thicker than PB row. Individual MBs subequal in area, as are individual PBs. Central paranotal blisters occupying two-thirds of paranotal breadth. Lateral blisters aligned with longitudinal axis. Tergal and paranotal blisters also with unusually long, easily visible setae.

Gonopod ( Figs 30 , 31 ): Gonocoxa ventral lobe with two gonocoxal plates stacked dorsoventrally ( Fig. 31 ). Telopodite roughly boomerang-shaped, abruptly kinked distal from pulvillus, curving terminally. Pulvillus very small (comparable in size to process m1), pointed, slightly closer to base of acropodite than terminus. Processes e1, e3 and m4 absent. Process e2 projecting laterally ( Fig. 30C ); e4 unusually large, spike-shaped. Process m1 unusually large, subtriangular, medial of pulvillus; m2 and m3 medium-sized, connected by a shared lamina ( Figs 30–31 ); m2 offset laterad from m3 ( Fig. 30C ).

Type notes

(♂ HT, USNM, vidi): From Sand Bridge , City of Virginia Beach, Princess Anne Co., VA, USA, collected 8 May 1949 by L. M. Carter, H. I. Kleinpeter and R. L. Hoffman . ♂ HT intact with gonopods removed (gonopods non vidi).

Distribution

Coastal plain of southeastern Virginia south to South Carolina.

Additional specimens examined

VTEC MPE01167 *, 01169 *, 01170 * .

Figures

Figure 29. Pseudopolydesmus paludicolus, metatergite and paranota of body ring 13. Holotype, adult male (USNM, ultraviolet enhancement).

Figure 30. Gonopod of Pseudopolydesmus paludicolus (VTEC MPE01170, ultraviolet enhancement). A, left gonopod, ectal view. B, left gonopod, medial view. C, left gonopod, posterior oblique view, showing process e2 projecting laterally. All images mirrored to appear as right gonopod.

Figure 31. Left gonopod of Pseudopolydesmus paludicolus, ectal view (VTEC MPE01169, scanning electron micrograph). Image mirrored to appear as right gonopod.