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Euryuridae Pocock 1909 and Eurymerodesmidae Causey 1951, both endemic to the eastern/central United States (US), are incorporated into Xystodesmidae Cook 1895 and reduced to subfamilies and (sub)tribes n. stats. Euryurina and Melaphina Brolemann 1916, n. stats., are sister-taxa that differ primarily in epiproctal configurations and comprise Euryurini; sister-taxa Eurymerodesmina and Nannariina Hoffman 1964, n. stats., the latter transferred from Xystodesminae, comprise Eurymerodesmini, n. stat., in which plesiomorphic forms exhibit sublinear, "stick-like," and subapically curved/bent gonopodal acropodites with moderately-long to long hairs, often with distal tufts, on their “inner” surfaces. Additional transferrals include Wamokia Chamberlin from the xystodesmine tribe Xystocheirini to Xystodesmini (= Harpaphini), and Macellolophus Attems, from Xystodesmidae to Chelodesmidae. Except for Chonaphini, the term, "prefemoral process," has traditionally been assigned to the secondary and shorter telopodital projection regardless of its position, origin, or configuration. Homology of these different structures has never been demonstrated and requires investigation, but the multitude of differences suggests that they are not such and warrant different names, for example "femoral process," for the similarly positioned branches in Devillea Brölemann and Rhysodesmus Cook (Xystodesminae: Devilleini, Rhysodesmini). The latter tribe may be polyphyletic, and new tribes may be required for components with acicular "prefemoral processes" (Boraria and Cherokia, both by Chamberlin, Gyalostethus and Erdelyia, both by Hoffman, and Pleuroloma Rafinesque) and the southeastern US genera with small-bodied species (Caralinda Hoffman and Gonoessa, Parvulodesmus, and Lourdesia, all by Shelley). Taxonomic value is accorded the "prefemoral extension/elongation," which is absent from Eurymerodesmina; complete, encircles the acropodite, and extends for ~1/3 to 1/2 of the latter’s lengths in Euryurini; and incomplete and extends for ~1/4 to 1/3 of the "outer" acropodital surfaces in Nannariina and xystodesmine tribes. Other newly recognized taxonomic characters include the "inner" and "outer" acropodital surfaces/margins, the position on the acropodital stem of the "distal curve/bend," and the length of the "distal zone." Rhysodesmus and Sigmoria (Rudiloria) t. trimaculata (Wood) (Xystodesminae: Rhysodesmini, Apheloriini) are recorded from, respectively, Chihuahua, Mexico, and Québec, Canada, as are Xystodesmidae/-inae and, provisionally, Chonaphini, Montaphe Chamberlin, and M. elrodi (Chamberlin), the only plausible taxa for an unidentifiable juvenile from near Yahk and only 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north of the International Border. The southern periphery of interior British Columbia (BC) thus represents the second xystodesmid faunal region in BC and the third in Canada. While incorporation of Euryuridae does not affect the family’s overall distribution, that of Eurymerodesmidae fundamentally alters it by joining the formerly separate East-Nearctic and Meso-American regions into a continuous one extending, north-south, from Montréal Island, Québec, to Santa Ana Department, El Salvador, a distance of around 4,944 km (3,090 mi). Xystodesmidae also inhabit two West-Nearctic regions, one in the interior stretching from southernmost BC to northeastern Oregon and the other running along the Pacific Coast from southern Alaska to southern California. The family also occupies two Palearctic regions, each with three subregions, an eastern one spreading from Hokkaido, Japan, and the southern Maritime Province, Russia, to Taiwan; a point locality in northern Vietnam; and southern/eastern China. The second Palearctic area extends along the Mediterranean and adjoining seas from Morocco, Sardinia, and the southeastern corner of France to Cyprus and southern coastal Turkey. New locality data, references, and maps are provided along with diagnostic accounts of all reconceptualized taxa and new/revived statuses.
A simple, sublinear, "stick-like" acropodite with a curve or bend near midlength or subapically and without a secondary telopodital projection is the hypothesized plesiomorphic gonopodal condition in Xystodesmidae. This form has undergone multitudinous modifications/alterations - twists, curls, variably configured thickened and laminate expansions, reductions, bi-/trifurcations, enlargements, ornamentations, etc. that are manifested in today’s xystodesmine tribes. When Avalonia collided with Baltica 450 million years ago, ancestral xystodesmoideans on the former dispersed into the latter, penetrated and occupied vacant niches, and evolved into today’s Melaphina (Euryurinae: Euryurini) and Devilleina (Xystodesminae). A similar evolutionary burst leading to today’s Nearctic and East-Palearctic faunas occurred 10 million years later when Avalonia + Baltica collided with Laurentia to form Euramerica. Ancestral forms of Euryurinae and Xystodesminae again penetrated vacant niches and evolved; the former maintained the general gonopodal structural pattern of Melaphina but changed the epiproct from triangular to broad and spatulate, thereby creating Euryurina. The earliest xystodesmine taxa to evolve in Laurentia were Rhysodesmini and Rhysodesmus, which spread southwestward, penetrated "proto- Mexico, and left relict populations in today’s southern Appalachians. Eurymerodesmina and Nannariina arose from ancestral euryurine stock prior to the Cretaceous in western Appalachia in their present area of overlap. The former dispersed to the west and south while the latter expanded to the east and north; consequently, the Western Inland Seaway minimally impacted Nannariina while eradicating Eurymerodesmina from the inundated area. Today’s populations in the Plains and south-southeastern states therefore represent secondary dispersion in the past 50-60 million years. The Seaway also eradicated Rhysodesmus from these areas, but enough forms survived in high mountain refugia to replenish the fauna when the embayment receded.
Motyxia Chamberlin is comprised of eight species of bioluminescent xystocheirine millipeds in which the gonopodal solenomere arises at different positions, from basally and subbasally on the acropodite to being fused with the companion acropodal branch and detaching proximad or near midlength. Previous synonymies of Amplocheir Chamberlin and LuminodeslnllS Loomis and Davenport under Motyxia are confirmed as is its assignment to the tribe Xystocheirini, which is redefined. Component species are 111. Iwnw Chamberlin, the type species, monica Chamberlin, sequoiae (Loomis and Davenport), tularea (Chamberlin), sequoia (Chamberlin), pior Chamberlin, porrecta Causey and Tiemann, and tiemanni Causey. Motyxia sequoia is comprised oftwo races, the nominate and sequoia alia Causey and Tiemann; sequoia ollae Causey and Tiemann is properly a subspecies of tularea. 1I1otyxiapiorform secea is an invalid name without standing in nomenclature, and M. tejona Chamberlin, and M. expansa and exilis, both by Loomis, are placed in synonymy under M. monica, the oldest name for the southernmost species, as Polydesllws dissectus Wood is referrable to Xystocheir Cook. The bioluminescence is a continuous, neon-white glow of the entire dorsal surface including the antennae and legs. Its visibility at night suggests a warning function analogous to aposematic coloration. The phenomenon may observe a circadian rhythm, and controlled photoperiod experimentation may be productive.
Specific Alaskan and Canadian localities are recorded for the chilopod Scolopocryptops sexspinosus (Say) (Cryptopidae), the only indigenous Nearctic scolopendromorph species occurring north of the lower 48 states. It occurs west of the crest of the Coast Range in British Columbia, extending northward to the southernmost islands of Alaska, and is recorded for the first time from eastern Canada, from Niagara Gorge, Ontario. Reports of S. rubiginosus Koch from southern Alaska are based on a misidentification of S. sexspinosus, and records from the north-central United States are too distant from the international border for it to be plausible for Manitoba and western Ontario. This centipede does not occur along the Pacific Coast and is improbable for any other part of Canada.
New records of the xystodesmid diplopod Stenodesmus tuobitus (Chamberlin) extend its range and those of the family and suborder Chelodesmidea into southwestern New Mexico, west of the Rio Grande. They confirm that it inhabits arid juniper environments at relatively low elevations as well as moist deciduous fir forests at high elevations, thereby lending credence to past records from the former habitat in Lincoln County. Discovery of the milliped in neighboring mountain ranges to the north and west is now likely, with the distant possibility that it may occur in eastern Arizona.
Occurrence of the milliped Ergodesmus compactus Chamberlin in Canada (Polydesmida: Nearctodesmidae)
(1995)
Recent collecting in southcentral British Columbia, near the International Border, has confirmed the Canadian occurrence of the milliped Ergodesmus compactus Chamberlin, which was predicted by field work in the adjacent part of the United States. With Nearctodesmus insulanus (Chamberlin) occupying the Shuswap Highlands and the Pacific Coastal region, the Nearctodesmidae is known from three separate regions of Canada, all in British Columbia. Other millipeds in the northwestern United States that may be reasonably anticipated in western Canada are discussed.
The milliped fauna of Florida consists of 8 orders, 18 families, 34 genera, and 51 species and subspecies; it comprises six elements: widespread species occurring widely in Florida, northern species reaching their southern limits in north Florida, neotropical species occurring naturally in Florida or adventive there, oriental adventives, Florida endemics, and southeastern endemics. A complete listing of these taxa is provided, with published and new records from the state, synonyms, and type localities. Georgiulus paynei Hoffman, Cleidogona alata Causey, and Pseudopolydesmus serratus (Say) are newly recorded from the state, and Eurymerodesmus serratus Shelley is deleted; Pseudojulus obtectus (Bollman) is recorded from Alabama.
The parajulid milliped genus Pseudojulus Bollman comprises four species: P. obtectus (Bollman), P.paynei (Hoffman), n. comb., andP. carolinensis andP. coastalis, new species; Arvechambus Causey comprises two species, A. hummi and A. weemsi, both by Causey. Georgiulus Hoffman is placed in synonymy under Fseudojulus; G. hubrichti Hoffman is placed under P. paynei; and A. australis Causey is placed under A. hummi. The genera are sympatric in north Florida and southern Georgia, but Pseudojulus extends northward to coastal South Carolina and southcentral North Carolina, and westward to Alabama west of Mobile Bay. Both genera belong to the Aniulini and possess unique features; in Pseudojulus the anterior gonopod coxae are fused into a "shelf" on the dorsal surface ofthe complex that extends ventrad along the caudal margin and possesses a pair of posterior median syncoxallobes or laminas of varying lengths and configurations. Arvechambus exhibits a suite of apomorphies and is sister to the rest of the tribe collectively: the 8th sternum possesses elevated lateral lobes that overhang the sides ofthe gonopodal aperture; the 7th pleurotergite possesses lobes that also overlie the sides of the aperture; the anterior gonopods lack lateral syncoxal processes, the coxal lobes, much larger than in other tribal genera, arise laterad and obscure part of the telopodite in anterior view, and the telopodite is elongate rather than clavate; and the 2nd pleurotergite in females possesses lobes that overhang and effectively close the cyphopodal aperture.
Previous treatments ofthe east-Nearctic spirobolid genus Narceus Rafinesque have overlooked the name, N. woodruffi Causey. The holotype is lost, but examinations of a non-typical male and two paratype and three non-typical females show it to be a valid species, perhaps endemic to north Florida, distinguished by its small size and the configurations of the gonopods and coxal lobes of legs 3-6 in males. Supplemental anatomical notes are presented on the non-typical male along with comparative drawings of the lobes and gonopods of N. woodruffi, N. american us (Beauvois), and N. annularis (Rafinesque); distributions of species of Narceus in Florida are depicted on a map. Substantial size differences between ostensibly conspecific males of N. american us in Texas and Arkansas suggest that Narceus may be more complex than the current concept
of four species.