Levizonus Attems, 1898

Mikhaljova, Elena V., 2021, Review of the millipede genus Levizonus Attems, 1898, with description of a new species from the Far East of Russia (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Xystodesmidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 751, pp. 159-184 : 160-163

Genus Levizonus Attems, 1898

Sulciferus (subgenus Levizonus ) Attems 1898: 346, 351.

Levizonus Attems 1931: 69 (full genus).

Ezaria Takakuwa, 1941: 8

(type species Ezaria montana Takakuwa, 1941 , by monotypy; synonymized by Hoffman 1980).

Profontaria Verhoeff, 1941: 411–412

(type species Profontaria takakuwai Verhoeff, 1941 , by monotypy; synonymized by Tanabe 1994).

Hokkaidaria Verhoeff, 1941: 414–415 (invalidly proposed without type species).

Ezodesmus Takakuwa, 1942: 42

(type species Ezodesmus lunatus, Takakuwa, 1942 , by monotypy; synonymized with Profontaria by Hoffman 1956, synonymized with Levizonus by Tanabe 1994).

Levizonus – Attems 1938: 173. — Takakuwa 1954: 73. — Jeekel 1971: 270. — Hoffman 1980: 157. — Shelley 1993: 1163. — Tanabe 1994: 102; 2002: 2176. — Tanabe & Shinohara 1996: 1470. — Shelley et al. 2000: 104. — Mikhaljova 2004: 243; 2017: 293. — Korsόs et al. 2011: 55. — Marek et al. 2014: 71. — Tanabe & Sota 2014: 442. — Minelli 2015: 400.

Ezaria – Takakuwa 1954: 87. — Miyosi 1959: 82. — Jeekel 1971: 264. — Hoffman 1980: 157. — Tanabe 1994: 102.

Ezodesmus – Takakuwa 1954: 85. — Jeekel 1971: 264. — Hoffman 1980: 157. — Tanabe 1994: 102.

Profontaria – Hoffman 1956: 99; 1980: 157. — Miyosi 1959: 82. — Jeekel 1971: 282. — Tanabe 1994: 102. — Shelley et al. 2000: 104.

Hokkaidaria – Jeekel 1971: 266. — Hoffman 1980: 157. — Tanabe 1994: 102

Included species

L. circularis Takakuwa, 1942 (= L. variabilis Lokschina & Golovatch, 1977 , syn. nov.) L. distinctus Mikhaljova, 1990

L. laqueatus Mikhaljova, 1981

L. malewitschi Lokschina & Golovatch, 1977

L. montanus ( Takakuwa, 1941)

L. nakhodka sp. nov.

L. takakuwai ( Verhoeff, 1941)

L. thaumasius Attems, 1898

Type species

Levizonus thaumasius Attems, 1898 , by original designation.

Diagnosis

Differs from other Palearctic xystodesmid genera mainly by the circular, arcuate to coiled ring-like (one ring vs 1.5 to 2 rings in Parafontaria Verhoeff, 1936 ) slender, uniramous gonopod telopodite without prefemoral process (as in Parafontaria ), but with a modified apex; by relatively long subcylindrical gonopod coxa (vs oval in Parafontaria ), and a short SL ( Figs 5A , 8C ) (as in Parafontaria but vs long in Riukiaria Attems, 1938 ).

Description

Male

COLOUR. Ventral and lateral body parts yellow-white. Tergites often with a brown pattern ( Fig. 12 ).

HEAD. Smooth, setose frontally, more densely so at external margin, with 2+2 vertigial setae and lateral excavation for accommodation of antennae. Epicranial suture distinct. Antennae slightly clavate, with four apical cones.

COLLUM. Ovoid, considerably broader than head but somewhat narrower than ring 2. BODY. Stout, with 20 rings including telson. Metaterga moderately convex, without setae.Transverse metatergal sulcus absent but metaterga with a shallow transverse medial depression. Dorsal surface of metazona shining and smooth excluding L. circularis (= L. variabilis syn. nov.), with transverse rows of low bosses on metaterga. Paraterga relatively well developed, with narrow peritremata (calluses). Paraterga thin on rings 1–4, thicker on more posterior rings. Anterior angles of paraterga rounded, posterior angles rounded, becoming somewhat elongated though never clear-cut on posterior half of body. Pore formula normal. Pleurites finely granular. Sternites with two small outgrowths between leg pair 3 and leg pair 4.

TELSON. Caudal dorsal projection weakly conical. Anal valve with two setae at a bolster-shaped mesal edge. Subanal scale subtriangular, with 1+1 setae.

LEGS. Relatively long but stout, increasingly strong in anterior part of body. Coxa and prefemur (either only prefemur or only coxa) of all postgonopodal legs (or only hind legs) distoventrally with a small short outgrowth becoming longer posteriorly toward telson. Coxa 2 with a large setose outgrowth terminating the vas deferens.

GONOPODS. Gonopodal opening pear-shaped. Gonopods in situ held parallel to each other. Coxa relatively long, slender, subcylindrical, not fused medially, with strong setae distally ( Figs 5C , 6A , 7A , 9A , 10A ). Sternal apodeme and coxa subequal in length. Telopodites slender, arcuate to coiled and ring-like (one ring), unipartite, gutter-shaped, tapering distally or subparallel-sided, with or without longitudinal flange on inner surface, with a modified apex. Prefemoral process absent. Prefemur with a small lateral outgrowth basally only. Border between acropodite and prefemur indistinct. Distal part of acropodite with an external short process (= SL) terminating the seminal groove ( Figs 5D , 8C , 10B ).

Female

BODY. Usually stouter than in male. 20 rings including telson.

LEGS. Usually slenderer than in male. Coxa 2 with a small, setigerous process. Sternites with two tiny outgrowths between leg pair 3 only.

VULVAE. Setose. Bursa composed of two valves, operculum, one setose receptacle. Valves almost identical in size and shape.

Distribution

Russia (Far East: Primorskiy krai), North Korea, Japan (Hokkaido), North-East China.

Figures

Fig. 5. Levizonus laqueatus Mikhaljova, 1981, ♂, ♀ (FSCB 101979). A. Gonopod, mesal view. B. Gonopod apex, mesal view. C. Gonopod, lateral view. D. Gonopod apex, lateral view. E. Gonopod apex, ventral view, slightly turned mesally. F. Vulva, ventromesal view. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; C, F = 100 μm; B, E = 20 μm; D = 10 μm.

Fig. 8. Levizonus nakhodka Mikhaljova sp. nov., ♂♂, paratypes (FSCB 22020, FSCB 112020) and ♀, paratype (FSCB 122020). A. Gonopod telopodite, lateral view. B, D. Gonopod apex from slightly different angles, ventral view. C. Distal part of gonopod, lateral view. E. Vulva, mesal view. Scale bars: A, D–E = 200 μm; B, C = 20 μm.

Fig. 12. Levizonus thaumasius Attems, 1898, ♂ and ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Copulation. Photographed not to scale. Photo by the author.

Fig. 6. Levizonus malewitschi Lokschina & Golovatch, 1977, ♂ (FSCB 11986) and ♀ (FSCB 11982). A. Gonopod, lateral view. B. Gonopod apex, mesal view. C. Vulva, mesal view. D. Gonopod, mesal view. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; C–D = 100 μm; B = 10 μm.

Fig. 7. Levizonus nakhodka Mikhaljova sp. nov., ♂♂, paratypes (FSCB 32020, 72020, 112020). A, D. Gonopod, mesal view. B, E. Gonopod apex, mesoventral view. C. Gonopod, lateral view. Scale bars: A, C = 200 μm; D = 100 μm; B, E = 20 μm.

Fig. 9. Levizonus nakhodka Mikhaljova sp. nov., ♂, paratype (FSCB 72020). A. Gonopod, mesal view. B. Gonopod apex, mesal view. Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm; B = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 10. Levizonus thaumasius Attems, 1898, ♂♂, ♀ (FSCB 12007, 12016). A. Gonopod, lateral view. B. Gonopod apex, lateral view. C. Gonopod, mesal view. D. Gonopod apex, mesal view. E. Vulva, mesal view. F. Gonopod apex, lateral view. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; C, E–F = 100 μm; B, D = 20 μm.