Atrophotergum montanum Mesibov, 2004, n. sp.
Creators: name: Mesibov, Robert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2004
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Polydesmida
Dalodesmidae
Atrophotergum
Atrophotergum montanum

description: Atrophotergum montanum n. sp.
Figs. 1, 2, 4, 8; map Fig. 12
Holotype: Male, Tarraleah, Tasmania, DP474161 (42°18’19”S, 146°21’42”E), 690m, 16.iv.1992, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:25491.
Paratypes: 3 males, details as for holotype, AM KS87135; 22 males, details as for holotype, QVM 23:25322; female, Tarraleah, DP530160 (42°18’24”S, 146°25’47”E), v.1952, V.V. Hickman, QVM 23:25490.
Other material examined: 100 males, 8 females and 9 juveniles. See Appendix for details.
Diagnosis: Distinguished from other Atrophotergum spp. by its larger size and by the unique form of the gonopod.
Description: As for genus. Male 12–14 mm long, 0.9–1.0 mm in maximum vertical diameter. In alcohol, body typically near­white in colour apart from reddish head and antennae, but at least one southeastern population is chestnut brown with paler paranota. As in A. silvaticum n. sp., dark patches are often visible near ozopores.
Sternal processes are present on somite 6 (Fig. 1 F); these and the coxae of leg 6 are densely setose. A short, anteriorly curving process at the ventrodistal end of the coxa on leg 7 (Fig. 1 F).
Gonopod telopodite (Fig. 8) not curved. Solenomerite a strap­like process with a roughened surface, curving laterally but not posteriorly from the anterodistal corner of the SF. PDC extending as a broad, tapering, blade­like process, curving slightly laterally but not posteriorly; PBC curving distally and laterally. TT bent slightly posteriorly, its tip barely extending past the base of the PDC process. Just lateral to the TT and arising and terminating at about the same levels on the telopodite is a stout, slightly flattened, laterally curving process not found in the other known Atrophotergum spp. MES a long, pointed process curving anterior to the LES, first laterally then posteriorly. LES very deeply folded, the anterior corner blunt, thickened, curved laterally over the central fold and only slightly distal to the posterior corner.
Anterior sternal process on somite 17 (Fig. 4 B) a low eminence; the anterior portion of the posterior process a low knob, somewhat excavated posteriorly, the posterior portion a very short, finger­like structure directed ventrally.
Distribution and habitat: A locally abundant species in leaf and woody litter in wet eucalypt forest, subalpine Nothofagus and eucalypt forest and woodland, over ca. 9000 km 2 in central and southern Tasmania, from near sea level in the far south of its range to at least 1260 m in the northwest corner of the Central Plateau (Fig. 12).
Etymology: Latin montanus, of mountains, adjective, for its abundance at higher elevations in Tasmania.
Remarks: Body colouring excepted, this species varies very little across its range. Males from near sea level in the Melaleuca area are indistinguishable from males collected 200 km to the north, at 1100 m on Projection Bluff.
description: Published as part of Mesibov, Robert, 2004, A new genus of millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania, Australia with a mosaic distribution, pp. 1-23 in Zootaxa 480 on pages 11-12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.157291