Pseudonannolene ophiiulus Schubart, 1944

Figs 101–102, 166C, 171B, 178F, 185; Supp. file 4: Fig. 210D

Pseudonannolene ophiiulus Schubart, 1944: 410, figs 72–74.

Pseudonannolene ophiiulus – Schubart 1945a: 295; 1952: 418. — Jeekel 2004: 90. — Iniesta & Ferreira 2013b: 366. — Gallo & Bichuette 2020: 36.

Pseudoannolene ophiulus [sic!] – Fontanetti 1990: 698.

Diagnosis

Males of P. ophiiulus resemble those of P. strinatii Mauriès, 1974 and P. tocaiensis by having an internal branch shovel-shaped with horizontal plate (Fig. 102D), but differing by a large prefemoral process (Fig. 102B); solenomere rounded, with seminal apophysis thickened and visible apically (Fig. 102D).

Etymology

Name ‘ophiiulus’ is derived from the Greek words ‘ óphis ’ = ‘snake’, plus the suffix ‘ - ulus’. Although unspecified in the original description, the species name evidently refers to the popular Brazilian reference that millipedes resemble snakes (suborder Serpentes).

Material examined

Holotype BRAZIL • ♂ [gonopods, gnathochilarium, first and second leg-pair on microscope slides]; São Paulo, Pirassununga, Cachoeira; [-22.002342, -47.429793]; 630 m a.s.l.; 17 Feb. 1942; J. Gaspar leg.; MZSP.

Other material (total: 23 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀, 43 immatures)

BRAZIL – São Paulo • 1 ♀; Amparo; [-22.708627, -46.772544]; 703 m a.s.l.; Apr. 1943; F. Lane leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP • 2 ♂♂; Analândia; [-22.131017, -47.663024]; 657 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 1944; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 2 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, 1 ♂ immature; Fazenda Landgraf; 7 Mar. 1944; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; Nova Odessa; [-22.785705, -47.294204]; 657 m a.s.l.; Apr. 1951; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 ♀ immature; Pirassununga, Emas; [-22.001668, -47.427853]; 631 m a.s.l.; 10 Mar. 1948; O. Schubart leg.; inside hole of Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 (ca 180 cm); MZSP • 2 ♀♀ immatures; same locality data as for preceding; 12 Mar. 1948; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ immatures, 2 ♀♀ immatures; same locality data as for preceding; 7 Jul. 1945; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 2 ♀♀; same locality data as for preceding; 13 Jan. 1955; Guimarães leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀, 1 ♀ immature; same locality data as for preceding; 22 May 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; same locality data as for preceding; 3 Apr. 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂ immature; Estação Experimental de Pirassununga; 30 Apr. 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; same locality data as for preceding; 21 Aug. 1945; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀, 2 ♀♀ immatures; same locality data as for preceding; 24 May 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; same locality data as for preceding; 31 Jan. 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀ immature; Baguassú; 10 Jan. 1939; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; Fazenda Pedra Branca; 30 Mar. 1944; J. Gaspar leg.; MZSP • 14 ♀♀ immatures; Cachoeira; 17 Feb. 1942; J. Gaspar leg.; MZSP • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀ immature; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP 1061 • 1 ♀; Cachoeira de Emas; [-22.001668, -47.427853]; 631 m a.s.l.; 20 Jan. 1953; J.P. de Lima leg.; MZSP • 2 ♂♂ immatures, 8 ♀♀ immatures; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP • 1 ♂; Porto Ferreira, Fazenda Santa Maria do Sul; [-21.842440, -47.471357]; 567 m a.s.l.; 1 Aug. 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂♂ immature; same locality data as for preceding; Aug. 1940; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 2 ♀♀ immatures; Rio Claro; [-22.415956, -47.565350]; 614 m a.s.l.; 16 Nov. 1941; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀ immature; same locality data as for preceding; 8 Jan. 1942; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP 1062 • 1 ♀, 1 ♀ immature; Fazenda São José; 29 Sep. 1941; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Bairro São Benedito; [-22.41916, -47.565652]; 677 m a.s.l.; 17 Nov. 1984; E. Giannoti leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; São Carlos; [-22.010944, -47.890554]; 870 m a.s.l.; 20 Mar. 1944; O. Schubart leg.; MZSP .

Descriptive notes

MEASUREMENTS. 59–63 body rings (2–3 apodous + telson). Males: body length 35–45 mm; maximum midbody diameter 2.4–2.5 mm. Females: body length 35–45 mm; maximum midbody diameter 2.3– 3.1 mm.

COLOR. Body color faded, but apparently prozonites brownish, metazonites with a posterior brown band; head, antennae, and legs lighter; collum brown brownish.

HEAD. Antennae short (Fig. 101A), just reaching back to end of ring 5 when extended dorsally; relative antennomere lengths 1<2<3>4=5=6>7. Mandibular cardo with ventral margin swollen. Ommatidial cluster well-developed, elliptical; ca 25 ommatidia in 5 rows.

BODY RINGS. Collum with lateral lobes broadly rounded, with ca 7 striae, slightly curved ectad (Fig. 101A). Very faintly constricted between prozonite and metazonite; prozonites smooth; metazonites laterally with transverse striae below ozopore. Anterior sterna in midbody rings subrectangular, without transverse striae (Fig. 171B).

FIRST LEG-PAIR OF MALES. Coxae (cx) elongated (as long as the sum of remaining podomere lengths), subtriangular, with the base slightly arched and expanded, densely setose (Fig. 102A); prefemoral process (prf) as wide as half of prefemur, subcylindrical, densely setose along in its entire extension (Fig. 102B); remaining podomeres with setae along the mesal region.

SECOND LEG-PAIR OF MALES. Coxa (cx) large and subrectangular; penis (pn) located at proximal region, rounded, not extended basally (Fig. 102C); prefemur compressed dorsoventrally; remaining podomeres setose.

GONOPODS. Gonocoxa (gcx) subtriangular, basally expanded and progressively less wide, with the base slightly arched; antero-posteriorly strongly flattened, longitudinal thickened ridge with rows of papillae mesally (Fig. 102D–F). Seminal groove (sg) curved; arising medially on mesal cavity and terminating apically on the seminal apophysis (sa). Shoulder absent. Telopodite (tp) almost as wide as gcx (Fig. 102D); solenomere (sl) with apicomesal process (amp) short; ectal process (ep) short, rounded, separating from amp by shallow notch; sa located at mesal portion, thickened apically. Internal branch (ib) shovel-shaped, with horizontal plate; setae restricted to the apical region of ib exceeding seminal region of sl (Fig. 102D–F).

VULVAE. As typical for the genus. Bursa subtriangular, glabrous (Figs 178F, 210D); internal valve subtriangular, with its sides having the same length; operculum slightly expanded apically; external valve large in oral view, subtriangular.

Distribution

Known from the central region of São Paulo State, Brazil (Fig. 185); occurring in the Cerrado biome (tropical savanna ecoregion) and in second-growth forests in the region.