Cernethia dysmica, Mesibov, 2025

Mesibov, Robert, 2025, Dalodesmid millipedes from alpine and subalpine habitats in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Dalodesmidae), ZooKeys 1262, pp. 303-333 : 303-333

Cernethia dysmica sp. nov.

Figs 8 , 15 B

Type material.

Holotype. Male, Kosciuszko National Park ( NSW), 0.34 km W of summit of Mt Guthrie, site HS 39-C-L 2 , -36.4280, 148.3334 ± 25 m, 1880 m, 2025-02 - 09, coll. Nicholas Porch and Aidan Fitt, 1 m 2 litter sample from shrubby subalpine snow gum woodland, NMV K 16501 . Paratypes. 1 M, 5 F, 11 J, same details, NMV K 16502 ; 2 M, 1 F, same details but 0.31 km W by N of summit of Mt Guthrie, site HS 39-C-L 1 , -36.4275, 148.3338 ± 25 m, 1875 m, NMV K 15990 .

Additional material.

2 M, 6 F, 10 J from four other sites. See Suppl. material 1 for details.

Diagnosis.

Solenomere with medial portion directed anteromedially in Cernethia dysmica sp. nov., directed distally in C. inopinata ; small, finger-like, posterobasally directed process near telopodite division in C. inopinata lacking in C. dysmica sp. nov. Medial process of telopodite more or less straight in C. inopinata , sinuous in C. dysmica sp. nov.

Description.

Males and females as for C. inopinata , including colour pattern in alcohol (Fig. 8 A ); length ca 14–15 mm. Gonopod telopodite (Fig. 8 B left, C) erect, subcylindrical, tapering from base, divided at ca 1 / 2 telopodite height into mediolaterally flattened, lateral solenomere and medial branch. Solenomere divided near apex; lateral portion carrying prostatic groove, medial portion short, finger-like, directed anteromedially; lateral portion with very small spine-like process directed posterolaterally, sometimes broken off; solenomere tip rounded and slightly expanded posteriorly. Medial branch of telopodite flattened mediolaterally, directed distolaterally, then sinuously curving distomedially, with small tooth on anterior edge at ca 1 / 3 branch height; medial branch terminating just distal to solenomere tip. Prostatic groove on medial surface of telopodite, running between telopodite branches and following solenomere to tip.

Female a little shorter than male, stouter and with thinner legs; epigynum elevated medially; cyphopods not examined.

Distribution.

Collected in subalpine woodland at 1590 to 1880 m, at several localities from Dead Horse Gap to Rennix Gap in Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, a linear range of ca 20 km (Fig. 15 B ).

Name.

Adjective from Greek dysmikos, “ western ”. This species was found west of the type locality for C. inopinata .

Remarks.

The two Cernethia species are very similar and can only be distinguished by inspection of the gonopod telopodite of a mature male. Like C. inopinata , C. dysmica sp. nov. has a powerful defensive secretion whose smell persists in alcohol-preserved material.

Figures

Figure 8. Cernethia dysmica sp. nov. A. Lower, paratype male ex site HS 39 - C-L 2, NMV K 16502; B. Left; C. Paratype male ex site HS 39 - C-L 1, NMV K 15990) and C. inopinata (A. Top; B. Right; D. Ex site HS 53 - C-L 3, NMV K 15993). A. Males preserved in alcohol; B. Outline sketches of right gonopod telopodite in medial view, with dotted line marking path of prostatic groove; C, D. Ventral views of gonopods in situ. Abbreviations: m = medial branch, s = solenomere.

Figure 15. A. Localities for Araneopedis bogong sp. nov. (filled diamonds), A. buffalo sp. nov. (filled circles), A. dargo sp. nov. (open circle), A. gibbae sp. nov. (filled square), A. porchi sp. nov. (open diamonds) and Lissodesmus milledgei Mesibov, 2006: previously recorded (crosses) and new from this study (star); B. Localities for Polydactylogonus sanctogwinear sp. nov. (cross) Cernethia dysmica sp. nov. (diamonds) and C. inopinata Mesibov, 2015: previously recorded (open circles) and new from this study (filled circles).