Schizidium persicum Schmalfuss, 1986

Ahdiyeh, Abedini, Alireza, Sari & Ghasem, Kashani M., 2025, Terrestrial isopods of the genus Schizidium Verhoeff, 1901 (Isopoda; Armadillidiidae) from the Hyrcaian Forest in northern Iran, including the description of a new species, Zootaxa 5686 (4), pp. 587-594 : 588-589

Schizidium persicum Schmalfuss, 1986

Figures 2F–H

Material Examined. Guilan Province. Rostamabad to Baresar, Darre-Dasht , 36° 48. 2´N, 49° 39. 4´E, alt. 1060 m, 17 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one female ( PCGMK 1827 ) ; Lahijan , 37° 12. 2´N, 50° 01. 0´E, 17 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male ( PCGMK 1832 ) ; Lahijan, Zemidan village , 37° 9.50´N, 50° 2.85´E, alt. 73 m, 8 April 2024, leg. A. Abedini, one female ( PCGMK 3308 ) ; Lahijan, Zemidan village , 37° 9.50´N, 50° 2.85´E, alt. 73 m, 8 April 2024, leg. A. Abedini, two males, three females ( ZUTC 70148 ) . Zanjan Province. Abbar, Khansar district, Imamzadeh Jafar , 36° 55. 30´N, 48° 58.11´E, alt. 620 m, 15 August 2023, leg. A. Abedini, one male, one female ( PCGMK 3307 ) ; Abbar, Khansar district, Imamzadeh Jafar , 36° 55. 30´N, 48° 58.11´E, alt. 620 m, 15 August 2023, leg. A. Abedini, two males, three females ( ZUTC 70149 ) . Mazandaran Province. 5 Km to Marzanabad , 36° 23. 7´N, 51° 16. 5´E, alt. 735 m, 26 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, six males, nine females, two juv ( PCGMK 1923 ) . Chalous , 36° 36. 4´N, 51° 22. 9´E, alt. 153 m, 27 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, five females ( PCGMK 1927 ) ; Kodir , 36° 27. 2´N, 51° 45. 9´E, alt. 1550 m, 28 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, two females ( PCGMK 1950 ) ; Zirab to Pol-Sefid , 36° 08. 5´N, 53° 01. 3´E, alt. 550 m, 30 July, 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, seven females, one juv ( PCGMK 1974 ) . Pol-Sefid, Shurmast Lake , 36° 05. 3´N, 53° 02. 8´E, alt. 950 m, 30 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, eight males, five females ( PCGMK 1975 ) ; Sangdeh to Farim , 36° 05. 7´N, 53° 10. 5´E, alt. 1100 m, 30 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male, three females, two juv ( PCGMK 1979 ) ; Farim , 36° 11. 0´N, 53° 15. 5´E, alt. 755 m, 30 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male, two females, seven juv ( PCGMK 1982 ) ; Farim to Sari , 36° 11. 7´N, 53° 14. 0´E, alt. 1080 m, 30 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, three females ( PCGMK 1983 ) ; 20 Km Sari , 36° 21. 8´N, 53° 10. 5´E, alt. 230 m, 30 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, two females ( PCGMK 1986 ) ; Neka to Behshahr, Pasandrez , 36° 40. 1´N, 53° 36. 8´E, alt. 300 m, 31 July 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, one female ( PCGMK 1997 ) ; 28 Km to Kiasar , 36° 20. 6´N, 53° 20. 0´E, alt. 450 m, 5 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, three females ( PCGMK 2060 ) ; Kiasar to Mehdi-Shahr , 36° 13. 1´N, 53° 34. 2´E, alt. 1630 m, 5 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one female ( PCGMK 2062 ) . Razan to Baladeh, Takor village , 36° 12. 0´N, 52° 01.7´E, alt. 1710 m, 11 September 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two males, five females ( PCGMK 1856 ) . Siah Bisheh to Marzanabad , 36° 14. 7´N, 51° 18. 0´E, alt. 1780 m, 12 September 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one male, four females ( PCGMK 1865 ) . Kelardasht , 36° 28. 4´N, 51° 05. 7´E, alt. 1520 m, 12 September 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, one female ( PCGMK 1869 ) . 28 Km to Pol-Sefid , 35° 53. 9´N, 52˚ 59.0ʹ E alt. 1500 m, 8 June 2015, leg. G.M. Kashani, seven males, three females, one juv. ( PCGMK 2085 ) . Golestan Province. 12 Km South of Azarshahr , 37° 03. 5´N, 55° 16. 4´E, alt. 290 m, 2 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, two females ( PCGMK 2029 ) . 10 Km to Bandar-e-Gaz , 36° 50. 0´N, 54° 03. 3´E, alt. - 30 m, 5 August 2014, leg. G.M. Kashani, six males, five females, one juv ( PCGMK 2054 ) . Tehran Province. Shemiran, Darband , 35° 50. 48´N, 51° 25. 33´E, alt. 2020 m, 12 November 2019, leg. A. Abedini, one male, two females ( PCGMK 3306 ) ; Shemiran, Darband , 35° 50. 48´N, 51° 25. 33´E, alt. 2020 m, 12 November 2019, leg. A. Abedini, four males, five females ( ZUTC 70150 ) . Absard to Eyvanekey, Bidak village , 35° 36. 11ʹ N, 52° 9. 3ʹ E, alt. 1883 m, 29 April 2024, leg. A. Abedini, one male, one female ( PCGMK 3309 ) ; Absard to Eyvanakey, Bidak village , 35° 36. 11ʹ N, 52° 9. 3ʹ E, alt. 1883 m, 29 April 2024, leg. A. Abedini, three males, seven females ( ZUTC 70151 ) .

Remarks. Schizidium persicum was the first species of the genus described from Iran, in Mazandaran and Tehran provinces ( Schmalfuss 1986). The present study markedly expanded the geographical range of the species ( Fig. 1 ), distributing it throughout most parts of the Hyrcanian Forest in northern Iran, including Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan provinces. While the presence of this species in some localities outside the Hyrcanian region, e.g. Tehran and Zanjan provinces, may be due to human activities, the absence of this species in western part of the forest is an issue that requires explanation. One probable reason might be the presence of Armadillidium azerbaidzhanum Schmalfuss, 1990 as a potential competitor. Individuals of this species are the largest in size among all species found in Iran, reaching up to 20 mm in length and 6.5 mm in diameter when rolled, with females larger than males. Members of this species are easily distinguished from other species except S. fissum (Budde-Lund, 1885) and S. tiberianum Verhoeff, 1923 , by the inner lobe of the schisma being conspicuously longer than the outer one and by their body coloration ( Figs. 2F–H ). Markedly, Schizidium persicum differs from both S. fissum and S. tiberianum by the male pleopod 1 exopodite with (vs. without) a conspicuous hind lobe (see Schmalfuss 1988). In the illustration of male pleopod exopodite 1 presented by Schmalfuss (1986: fig. 32), the hind lobe tapers toward the apex; however, the the hind lobe examined in numerous specimens from several other localities (including topotypes) is rounded in some individuals ( Fig. 4G ), demonstrating intra-specific variation of this character in S. persicum .

Distribution. The Caspian region, northern provinces of Iran

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of Iran indicating the sampling localities of Schizidium persicum Schmalfuss, 1986. (yellow triangles indicate previous records in Schmalfuss (1986); blue hexagons show new records) and Schizidium shidokhtae sp. nov. (red hexagon).

FIGURE 2. A–E, Schizidium shidokhtae sp. nov.; F–H, Schizidium persicum Schmalfuss, 1986. A, habitus, lateral view; B, habitus, dorsal view; C, head and pereonite 1, frontal view; D, head and pereonite 1, lateral view; E, pleon; F, habitus, lateral view; G, head and pereonite 1, frontal view; H, pleon. Scales = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Schizidium shidokhtae sp. nov., male, paratype A–F; A, pleopod exopodite I; B, pleopod endopodite 1; C, pleopod exopodite 2; D, pleopod exopodite 3; E, pleopod exopodite 4; F, pleopod exopodite 5. S. persicum Schmalfuss, 1986, G, pleopod exopodite 1. Scales = 0.5 mm.