Megaphyllum transsylvanicum Verhoeff 1897
Creators: name: Lazányi, Eszter
name: Vagalinski, Boyan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Julida
Julidae
Megaphyllum
Megaphyllum transsylvanicum

description: Megaphyllum transsylvanicum (Verhoeff, 1897)
Figs 14a–d and 14e–g
Brachyiulus transsylvanicus Verhoeff, 1897: Verhoeff 1897b: 109–110, Figs IV–V. Brachyiulus transsilvanicus: Verhoeff 1899b: 763; 1937: 109, 117; 1929: 617, Figs 16–17. Brachyiulus (Chromatoiulus) transsilvanicus: Verhoeff 1899a: 194; 1940: 8.
Chromatoiulus transsilvanicus: Attems 1927: 233 –234, Figs 311–312.
Chromatoiulus transsylvanicus: Ceuca et al. 1977: 248, 251–253, 256–257, Figs 2–4. Chromatoiulus (Chromatoiulus) transsilvanicus: Attems 1940: 306.
Chromatoiulus (Chromatoiulus) transsilvanicus transsilvanicus: Lokšina & Golovatch 1979: 385. Chromatoiulus (Chromatoiulus) transsylvanicus: Attems 1959: 305.
Chromatoiulus transsilvanicus transsilvanicus: Jawłowski 1930: 8, 10, 12.
Brachyiulus transsilvanicus croaticus Verhoeff, 1929: 617, Figs 18–19.
Chromatoiulus transsilvanicus croaticus: Strasser 1971a: 41.
Chromatoiulus transsilvanicus transdanubicus Loksa, 1962: 163, Figs 44–48. syn. nov. Chromatoiulus transsylvanicus transdanubicus: Gebhardt 1964: 14.
Megaphyllum transsylvanicum transdanubicus: Korsós 1994: 38, Fig. 38.
Megaphyllum transsilvanicum transsilvanicum: Golovatch 1984: 101 –102, 112–113, 130. Megaphyllum transsylvanicum: Enghoff & Kime 2009; Lazányi et al. 2012: 12, 26–27, 41.
Material examined. Inv. Nr. 8135, 3♂, Ungarn, Siebenbürgen, Kroatien, [Hungary, Romania and Croatia], 1919, don. Latzel, Ch. austriacus sensu Latzel det. Attems (NHMW); Hungary: 1♂, Bátaapáti, between Cser-erdő and Cser-dűlő, 2002. IX.25., leg. Sziráki Gy. (HNHM); 1♂, 1♀, Bátaapáti, silver lime forest, 2003. Sept.18., leg. Z. Korsós (HNHM); Republic of Moldova: 1♂, 1♀, Orhei district, Trebujeni Rent valley, 1998. June25., leg. Z. Korsós (HNHM); A20033662, 1♂, gonopods and 7th pleuroterga, slide preparation regarded as syntype, Siebenbürgen [Transylvania] (ZSM); Romania: ZMB 12977 (Nr. 1234 Coll. Verhoeff), 1♂, gonopods, 1st and 2nd leg-pair, Syntypus, slide preparation, Hermannstadt [Sibiu], Baumgarten [Bungard] (MNB); Nr. 1233 Coll. Verhoeff, 1♂, gonopods, slide preparation, Herkulesbad [Bǎile Herculane, Romania] (MNB).
Distribution. Bosnia and Hercegovina (Attems 1929); Bulgaria (Vagalinski & Stoev 2007); Croatia (Strasser 1971b); Greece (Strasser 1976; Lazányi et al. 2012); Hungary: Villányi Mts: Tenkes, Mecsek: Tubes (Loksa 1962); Misina and Tubes (Gebhardt 1964); Orosháza (Matic & Ceuca 1969); Republic of Macedonia (Makarov et al. 2004); Republic of Moldova: Bălţi: Corneşti; Chişinau: Vorniceni (Jawłowski 1930); Bǎrnova (Jawłowski 1935); Romania: Dobrogea (Dobrudzsa): Băneasa, Babadag (Tăbăcaru 1966); Judeţul Vrancea (Tăbăcaru 1976); Sibiu, Gherla, Detunata, Siria, Sîngiorz-Băi, Băişoara, Păltiniş (Ceuca et al. 1977); Podu Olt (Ceuca et al. 1983); Valea Arieşului (Crişan 1999); Munţii Metaliferi: Topliţei cave (Tăbăcaru et al. 2004); Serbia: Obedska Bara, v. Obrež (Makarov et al. 2004); Turkey (Enghoff 2006); Ukraine: Podole: Krzemieniec [today: Kremenets]; Bóbrka [Bibrka]; “Obiżowa, Dniestru” [today: Obiazd on Dnestr River]; Żeżava, near Zaleszczyki [today: Zhezhava near Zalishchiki]; Wołczków (Zaleszczyki Region) [today Vilchkov, Zalishchiki Region] (Jawłowski 1936); Lviv Region, Ternopol Region, Odessa Region (Chornyi & Golovatch 1993).
Diagnosis. Differs from all consubgeners by the distinct rod-like process (rp) below promere’s apex (Figs 14a–c). Opisthomere’s (Figs 14a–b, 14d) posterior process (pp) long, only overpassed by the anterior solenomere process (asp).
Both sexes have two bright dorsal longitudinal bands on a dark grey ground. Body length and height: males: 24.1–44.6mm, 2.2–3.2mm; females: 35.4–48.8mm, 3.2–3.9mm.
Remarks. This species has a wide distribution range: it can be found in the Balkan Peninsula and in Eastern Europe, from Greece to Ukraine; from sea level up to 1700 m a.s.l.; in diverse habitats as pastures, forests and even in caves (Tăbăcaru et al. 2004).
Some of the examined specimens had unusual body colour: one syntype male from Transylvania, and most male specimens from Moldova were uniformly dark; some other males from Bulgaria and Serbia showed faded, hardly visible dorsal bands. A subspecies called M. t. transdanubicum was described by Loksa (1962). According to literature data (Gebhardt 1964; Korsós 1994) only this subspecies lives in Hungary though Matic & Ceuca (1969) reported one male without subspecific designation from Orosháza, far from the subspecies’ known distribution. Freshly collected males from Bátaapáti fit well into the subspecies’ distribution area. Unfortunately we could not find any type material so we could only rely on the original description, according to which M. t. transdanubicum differs from the nominotypical subspecies by its slightly brighter body colour; wider promere; slightly curved and apically irregularly toothed posterior process of the opisthomere; the pad-like apex of the solenomere which is covered with small spines; the straight or apically slightly curved long, pointed anterior process of the solenomere; and basically to this latter process there can be found a small, posterior toothed process and an anterior hump. We compared Loksa’s (1962) original drawings with the individual collected from Bátaapáti, syntypes of the nominotypical subspecies from Sarajevo, Sibiu and Transylvania and non-types collected from different parts of Europe and we found no difference in the above listed characters, thus M. t. transdanubicum is not a valid subspecies.
M. t. croaticum (Verhoeff, 1929) was described on the basis of one male and four females. The gonopod preparation considered as type in the Zoologische Staatsammlung, München (ZSM) was in poor condition and not suitable for comparison.
4. The Megaphyllum unilineatum — species group Fig. 1e
Anterior ridge (ap) well-developed in all species (except for M. hercules (Verhoeff, 1900)). Apical humps (ah and ph) more or less developed (hardly detected in M. hercules). Solenomere with a short, finger-formed posterior process (psp) and a usually longer, also finger-formed anterior process (asp).
Vulvae (15–17g, 20g) differing from other Megaphyllum sensu stricto species in numerous features: shape not cylindrical but more or less skull-shaped, i.e. with a posterior projection (see Figs 15g and 17g); bursae apically with a more or less distinct posterior hump (h) (see Figs 16–17g, 20g). Central ampulla (ca) positioned obliquely inside bursa; connecting tube (ct) not spiralled, just rumpled and very thin in relation to the posterior ampulla (pa).
description: Published as part of Lazányi, Eszter & Vagalinski, Boyan, 2013, Redefinition of the millipede subgenus Megaphyllum sensu stricto Verhoeff, 1894 and neotype designation for Megaphyllum austriacum (Latzel, 1884) (Myriapoda: Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae), pp. 55-100 in Zootaxa 3741 (1) on pages 80-82, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3741.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/223773