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| Scolopocryptops longisetosus Jonishi & Nakano, 2024 |
Abstract
Centipedes of the genus Scolopocryptops Newport, 1844 are blind species mostly described from the New World and East Asia. In this study, a Japanese species, S. quadristriatus (Verhoeff, 1934), which is characterised by four longitudinal keels on the tergites, is re-described, based on the likely holotype preserved in the Zoologische Staatssammlung München and specimens newly collected from near the type locality. In addition, S. longisetosus sp. nov., a new species that bears tergal keels like S. quadristriatus, is described from the Ryukyu Islands in Japan and Taiwan. Although the presence of four keels on tergites is unique to these two species, phylogenetic analyses using nuclear and mitochondrial markers showed that S. longisetosus sp. nov. is not sister to S. quadristriatus. The obtained phylogeny indicates that the tergal longitudinal keels evolved in parallel within Scolopocryptops or that the presence of keels represents a plesiomorphic character of the clade containing these species.
Key Words: molecular phylogeny, nomenclature, plesiomorphic character, Ryukyu Islands, tergal keels
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| Scolopocryptops longisetosus sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (KUZ Z5107: A, C–E) and non-type specimen from Yonaguni Island, ♂ (KUZ Z5124: B). A, B. Cephalic plate and tergite 1, dorsal view; C. Distal part of article 2, article 3 and pretarsus of left second maxilla, medial view; D. Article 3 and pretarsus of left second maxilla, lateral view; E. Head, ventral view. Abbreviations: am — anterior margin of forcipular coxosternite; bs — basal suture on forcipular trochanteroprefemoral process; db — dorsal brush on article 3 of second maxilla; ds — dorsal spur on article 2 of second maxilla; pt — pretarsus of second maxilla; ptr — process of forcipular trochanteroprefemur. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B, E); 0.2 mm (C, D). |
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| Scolopocryptops longisetosus sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (KUZ Z5119: B), non-type specimen from Yonaguni Island, ♂ (KUZ Z5124: C) and habitat near the type locality. A. Habitat (laurel tree forest) on Okinawa Island; B, C. Live specimen, dorsal view. Scale bars: 10 mm. |
Scolopocryptops longisetosus sp. nov.
Suggested Japanese name: Kuromadara-akamukade
Diagnosis: Antenna with sparse hairs and setae of various lengths dorsally on two basal articles, subsequent articles densely covered with long setae and minute setae. Cephalic plate with complete lateral marginal sulci. Tergites lacking paramedian sutures, tergites 5–20 with four longitudinal keels and median depression bordered by paramedian keels.
Etymology: The specific name is derived from the Latin compound adjective, “longus” (long) and “setosus” (hairy), referring to the long antennal setae of this new species.
Taro Jonishi and Takafumi Nakano. 2024. Taxonomic Re-appraisal of Scolopocryptops quadristriatus (Verhoeff, 1934) and A Description of A New Species from Japan and Taiwan (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, Scolopocryptopidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution. 100(2): 405-423. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.119297
