Lissodesmus orarius Mesibov 2005, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Mesibov, Robert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2005
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Polydesmida
Dalodesmidae
Lissodesmus
Lissodesmus orarius

description: Lissodesmus orarius sp. nov.
Figures 8B, 56, 57, 69 ora, 70ora, 71ora, 76 (map)
Material examined. Holotype. Male, Australia, Tasmania. Foam Creek, CP 255877 (41°38'35''S 144°54'16''E), <10 m, 1.vi.1993, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:45822 (ex QVM 23:17693).
Paratypes. 10 males, Pedder River, CQ150149 (41°23’45”S 144°47'13''E), <10 m, 23.i.1991, R. Mesibov, QVM 23:17683, 2 dissected; 2 males, details as for holotype, AM KS91181 (ex QVM 23:17693); 9 males, details as for holotype, QVM 23:1769, 2 dissected 3; 18 females, 2 stadium VI juvenile females, details as for holotype, QVM 23:17704.
Other material. 28 males, 53 females and 20 juveniles from Chimney Creek, Foam Creek, Hunters Creek, Interview River, Lanes Tor, Monster Creek, Pedder River, Pieman Head, Rocky Creek, Rupert Point, Sandy Cape and Sea Devil Rivulet (see “ Lissodesmus supplement” for details).
Description. Male c. 17 mm long, H = 1.5 mm. In alcohol, well-coloured specimens under low magnification with almost uniform light brown body colour, somewhat darker posteriorly on prozonites and lighter on paranotal edges. Antenna short, fairly stout (Fig. 69 ora). Paranota reduced, R = 1.4 (Fig. 70 ora), posterior corners not turned up. Legs moderately robust, tarsus much longer than femur, tibia with slight ventral distal swelling (Fig. 71 ora), sphaerotrichomes lacking on leg 6 prefemur (Fig. 8B). Telopodite (Figs 56, 57) reaching just past leg 6 when retracted. Solenomere arising at about one-third the telopodite height, directed posterodistally at c. 45° to telopodite axis, sharply curving distally and laterally at midpoint, terminating with small subapical projection at about one-third the prefemoral process height. Tibiotarsus about as large as solenomere and paralleling its course, the tip turned distally and bluntly pointed, terminating just proximal to solenomere tip. Femoral process arising distal to solenomere origin, blade-like and slightly expanded in middle, directed distally and pressed close to prefemoral process, bluntly pointed and terminating at about two-thirds the prefemoral process height (distal to solenomere tip). Prefemoral process as wide as telopodite base, slightly curved laterally, the tip wide, greatly flattened and concave posteriorly, few small teeth on posterior edge of lateral rim, the mesal rim bearing (a) at the process tip a long, more or less cylindrical branch curving posterolaterally, (b) a smaller, finger-like branch directed posterodistally more proximally, and (c) a sharp triangular point at about the level of the femoral process tip. Uncus small, arising near mesal edge of prefemoral process at level of solenomere tip.
Distribution and habitat. Known from a c. 30 km strip along the west coast of Tasmania (Fig. 76), from the Pedder River (just north of Sandy Cape) to the mouth of the Pieman River. Along this strip, L. orarius has been found just above sea level in dune scrubs, tea-tree forest and tea-tree scrub. Remarkably, the L. orarius distribution extends down to the high tide line, and at the type locality this species was found together with intertidal crabs under driftwood surrounded by sedge and grass. At most of its known localities L. orarius is abundant.
Etymology. Latin orarius (“of the coast”), adjective.
Remarks. The number and size of teeth on the lateral branch of the prefemoral process vary a little across the L. orarius range.
description: Published as part of Mesibov, Robert, 2005, The millipede genus Lissodesmus Chamberlin, 1920 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) from Tasmania and Victoria, with descriptions of a new genus and 24 new species, pp. 103-146 in Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2) on pages 120-121, DOI: 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.4, http://zenodo.org/record/8064747