Gephyrodesmus cineraceus Jeekel, 1983

Mesibov, Robert, 2008, The millipede genera Gephyrodesmus Jeekel, 1983 and Orthorhachis Jeekel, 1985 in southeastern Australia, a new Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 from Victoria, and observations on male leg setae, spinnerets and metatergite sculpture (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae), Zootaxa 1790, pp. 1-52 : 13-15

Gephyrodesmus cineraceus Jeekel, 1983

Figs. 1D, 3C, 5B, 9; map Fig. 12

Gephyrodesmus cineraceus Jeekel, 1983:146 , Figs. 1–3; 1985 50. Shelley et al., 2000:102. Mesibov 2004b:42.

Holotype: Male. Drummer State Forest , 15 km E of Cann River, Vic , 13 November 1980, C.A.W. Jeekel and A.M. Jeekel-Rijvers, eucalypt forest along Princes Highway, under logs, Australia Expedition station 84. Possibly in Zoological Museum, Amsterdam; not examined.

Paratypes: None.

Other material: In AM: 1 male, Brown Mountain , Nimmitabel, NSW, 36º35'S 149º23'E, 4000 ft, 30 August 1966, P.M. Johns, dense wet sclerophyll, KS94164 ; 1 male, Nowra Weta Cave , NSW, 34º50'S 150º30'E, 20 February 1977, G. Campbell, KS10842 ; 3 males, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve , ACT, 35º28'S 148º52'E, 9 March 1978, P. Ormay, pitfall trap, FN2417, KS 103038 ; 3 males, 1 female, Forest Drive , Kioloa State Forest, 18 km N of Batemans Bay, NSW, 35º37'S 150º16'E, 19 October 1978, C. Horseman, litter, FN1205, KS 103039 ; 1 male, 1 female, Kioloa State Forest rest area, NSW, 22 November 1979, C. Horseman, KS36821 ; 6 males, 1 female, Forest Drive , Kioloa State Forest, NSW, 22 December 1979, C. Horseman, KS36822 ; 4 males, 1 female, Jamberco Mountain via Kiama, NSW, 34º40'S 150º43'E, 8 November 1987, G.S. Hunt & volunteer staff, rainforest, hand sorting, leaf litter, KS17932 ; 1 male, Nerrigundah Mountain Road, approx. 2.25 km E of junction with Cadgee Mountain Road, Dampier State Forest, NSW, 36º08'13"S 149º57'18"E, 90 m (GE), 10 March 1999, J. Tarnawski & S. Lassau, pit trap, CBCR003-009 , KS93257 ; 1 male, Bodalla State Forest , Tuross River Road, NSW, 36º11'16"S 149º56'16"E, 180 m (GE), 10 March 1999, L. Wilkie & R . Harris , KS 103040 ; 1 male, Ross Rixon Road , 2.5 km SE from junction with Little Sugarloaf Road, Dampier State Forest, NSW, 36º02'56"S 149º57'21"E, 90 m (GE), 11 March 1999, L. Wilkie & R . Harris , pit trap, CBCR003-078 , KS93235 ; 1 male, 300 m S of junction of North Head and Carls Mountain Roads, Murramarang National Park, NSW, 35º41.15'S 150º15.72'E, 17 March 1999, L. Wilkie & R . Harris , litter, CBCR003-117 , KS66899 ; 1 male, 1 stadium 7 male, same date and collectors but North Head Road , approx. 300 m N of junction with Carls Mountain Road, Murramarang National Park, NSW, 35º40.85'S 150º15.88'E, litter, CBCR003-119 , KS66907 ; 1 male, same date and collectors but 1.6 km along Richmond Beach Road from junction with North Head Road, Murramarang National Park, NSW, 35º40.85'S 150º17.03'E, litter, CBCR003-115 , KS66918 .

In ANIC: 1 male, Brown Mountain , Rutherford Creek, NSW, 36º36'S 149º23'E, 9 December 1967, R . W. Taylor & C. Brooks, ANIC berlesate 41, leafmould, 64-000183; 2 males, 1 female, Kangaroo Valley , NSW, 34º44'S 150º32'E, 3 December 1983, R . J. Moran, ANIC berlesate 892, leaf litter, 64-000184; 3 males, 2 females, Tallaganda State Forest , 10 km S of Captains Flat, NSW, 35º41'S 149º26'E, 3 December 2005, C. Car & R . Mesibov , 64-000185 .

In MV: 1 male, 1 female, Marriotts Creek , Vic, no date, no collector, ' Ref: - 178.411', 900 m (GE), open dry forest, K-10634 ; 1 male, Dyer Creek , near Murrungowar, Vic, 37º38'26"S 148º43'24"E, 140 m, 8 November 2006, R . Mesibov & T . Moule , K-10635 .

Diagnosis: Medial branch of gonopod telopodite nearly uniform in width in medial or lateral view, with most distal point marked by small, rounded projection; anterior edge of ring 7 aperture adjoining anterior edge of prozonite; metatergite sculpture well-defined.

Description: Jeekel (1983) gives a very detailed description of the G. cineraceus holotype, and the following notes and accompanying illustrations are given here only for the sake of consistency.

Male/female approximate measurements: length 18/ 19 mm, midbody prozonite diameter 1.4/ 1.5 mm, midbody width across paranota 2.4/ 2.5 mm. In alcohol, well-coloured specimens light greyish-brown. Antennal sockets separated by ca. 2X a socket diameter. Collum about as wide as head, D-shaped, slightly narrower than tergite 2. Raised areas on metatergites low but distinct. Gonopod aperture about one-half width of prozonite, ovoid, longer than wide, anterior edge adjoining anterior edge of prozonite, lateral edge raised posteriorly.

Gonopod telopodite ( Fig. 9) with very low base, somewhat expanded laterally and medially near junction with gonocoxa; long setae on posterolateral surface to level of branching at between one-quarter and one-third telopodite height. Solenomere massive at base, somewhat swollen posteriorly and medially, abruptly tapering at about half telopodite height, the distal portion bending posterolaterally before abruptly turning distally at 'elbow' and curving slightly medially, near the tip narrowing and bending slightly anteriorly. Medial branch Cshaped from base (concave posteriorly) and much narrower than solenomere at base, slightly flattened mediolaterally, with a small, basally directed projection on lateral surface just distal to solenomere 'elbow'; at top of 'C', at about half the height of distal portion of solenomere, bending posterobasally and slightly laterally, with a small, rounded projection on anterior (distal) surface at bend; terminating at level of solenomere 'elbow' in mediolaterally flattened, slightly expanded portion, truncated basally.

Female slightly larger than male, legs not swollen. Genital aperture with posterior margin not significantly raised. Cyphopods not examined.

Distribution: In forest from near sea level to at least 1200 m over ca. 25000 km 2 in New South Wales and Victoria ( Fig. 12). Found under logs at the type locality, in rotting wood at the Tallaganda State Forest site and in leaf litter at the Dyer Creek site.

Remarks: This species varies a little in size over its large geographic range, but is otherwise very consistent in body characters and gonopod details.