Ommatoiulus crassinigripes Akkari & Enghoff

Akkari, Nesrine, Cheung, David Koon-Bong, Enghoff, Henrik & Stoev, Pavel, 2013, Revolving SEM images visualising 3 D taxonomic characters: application to six species of the millipede genus Ommatoiulus Latzel, 1884, with description of seven new species and an interactive key to the Tunisian members of the genus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae), ZooKeys 328, pp. 5-45 : 11-13

Ommatoiulus crassinigripes Akkari & Enghoff sp. n. Figs 7-13

Schizophyllum punicum : Attems 1903: 144, figs 77-81.

Ommatoiulus punicus : Akkari et al. 2009, in part.

Material.

Holotype: ♂, W Tunisia, Kasserine Governorate, Châambi National Park, Châambi peak and its surroundings, 35°12.285'N, 8°40.653'E, alt. 1500-1540m, Quercus ilex , Pinus halepensis , under stones and leaf litter, 9.3.2008, P. Stoev & N. Akkari leg. (ZMUC). Paratypes: 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, same data as holotype (ZMUC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype (NMNHS); 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, 3 juveniles, CW Tunisia, El Kef, 21.4.1983, Bianchi & Moretti leg. (MSNB); 3 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀, 1 intercalary male, 30 juveniles, CW Tunisia, Makthar, 9.3.1986, Bianchi & Moretti leg. (MSNB); 6 ♀♀, 2 subadults, CW Tunisia, 12 km S Thala, 10.3.1986, Bianchi & Moretti leg. (MSNB); 2 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀, 4 juveniles, C Tunisia, Kairouan Governorate, El Manara, on the road Kairouan-Sidi Bouzid, open and dry area, 35°14'N, 09°45'E, alt. 673m, 17.3.2005, N. Akkari leg. (ZMUC).

Diagnosis.

Gonopods resembling those of Ommatoiulus punicus and Ommatoiulus khroumiriensis sp. n., but differing by the shape of promerite, a much broader and strongly serrated paracoxite, a broader mesomerite bearing subapical serrations on the mesal margin, and the apical processes on solenomerite.

Etymology.

An adjunction of Latin words referring to the body size and leg colour, crassus meaning fat and nigripes, black leg.

Description.

Males: L: 24.8-30 mm, H: 2.7-3.6 mm, 45-53 PR+1-2 AR+T. Females: 30-34 mm, H: 3.4-3.9 mm, 45-47 PR+1-2 AR+T. General colour grey, with alternating pale grey and golden brown, darker laterally, with a thin black mid-dorsal line. Head grey, with black sputter frontally, labral zone reddish-brown, brighter at the margin, antennae dark brown. Prozonites pale grey, with big black spots at the level of ozopores and below, a dense black sputter; metazonites whitish anteriorly and golden brown posteriorly, legs black. Telson: anal valves dark grey, bordered with black, preanal ring golden brown, darker on the tip of the caudal projection; subanal scale yellowish. Prozonites with scattered oblique striae; metazonites with regular striation becoming dense laterally; ozopores small and rounded, appearing as brown rounded spots located on metazonites, situated at about their diameter from the suture; the latter complete, only slightly curving at the level of ozopores. Anal valves mostly glabrous at the surface but bearing several submarginal and shorter marginal setae; subanal scale triangular, blunt and setose; preanal ring protruding in a caudal projection, with ca. 2+2 setae and a small hyaline process on the tip.

Male sexual characters. Mandibular stipites expanded in well-rounded posterior-ventral lobes, first pair of legs hook-shaped, remaining legs with postfemoral and tibial pads.

Gonopods. Promerite (Fig. 7) broad, proximally almost rectilinear, bent 90 degrees at notch level; strongly narrowing in its distal third with a deep incision (i) on the lateral margin, latter almost rectilinear; mesal ridge (M) broad distally, protruding in a blunt process (mp) (Fig. 7); posterior surface irregular on the mesal side, bearing a number of strong setae aligned in front of the notch; distal process (ap) laterally broadened and rounded, showing a small mesal serrated process (ap1); remnant of telopodite (T) as a small bump located proximally.

Posterior gonopod (Figs 8-13). Mesomerite (Ms) long, sinuous, distal part asymmetrically enlarged mesolaterally, and showing in lateral view strong serrations at different levels on both margins (Figs 8, 9, 13), gradually narrowed apically in a hook-shaped process (ho) curved and tapering toward the apex (Figs 11, 12, 13). Solenomerite (S) broadest at the base, narrowing at mid-length and bearing a number of strong setae near the posterior margin (Figs 10, 12, 13); in mesal view showing at mid-length a triangular process (pr) pointing distad (Figs 10, 13), latter separated from the apical part by a deep rounded notch (n); apically bearing a long curved process (ds) pointing mesad, housing the distal part and the opening of the seminal groove (g) and emerging between a posterior and an anterior folded hyaline processes (hp1, hp2) (Figs 11-13). Seminal groove running from the fovea (F) at the base of the solenomerite up to process ds (Figs 10, 13). Paracoxite (Px) lamellar, broad and folded, emerging from a rounded coxite (Co), distally broadened, apical margin almost horizontal, and together with the posterior margin showing many strong, short serrations (Figs 8, 11-13).

Distribution.

Semi-arid and Arid bioclimatic zones in west central Tunisia, recorded from the governorates Kasserine, El Kef, Thala and Kairouan.

Habitat.

Dry and open habitats, to 1500 m in Châambi Mountain.