Pogonosternum laetificum Jeekel 1982

Pogonosternum laetificum Jeekel, 1982

Figs 6A, 7, 15–17, 26C

Pogonosternum laetificum Jeekel 1982a: 203, fig. 1

Pogonosternum laetificum – Mesibov 2004: 42 (record). — Nguyen & Sierwald 2013: 1159 (record). — Decker 2016a: 16–25 (record, mention).

Diagnosis

Differs from other Pogonosternum species in having one lighter longitudinal stripe and no median darker stripe; from P. adrianae and P. montanum Decker, sp. nov., primarily by the small femoral process 2 (fp2) and the lateral process (lp) being directed laterally, but also the presence of a rounded subtriangular, not pointed, process on the female leg 2 coxa; male tarsal and tibial brushes present from legpair 1 to 7–12; anterior spiracles obliquely ovoid with anterodorsally extended rim and spiracular filter not or slightly protruding.

Material studied

Holotype AUSTRALIA: 1 ♂, Victoria, Ferntree Gully National Park, 18 km NNE of Dandenong, station 93, along nature track in temperate rainforest with tree ferns, under logs and litter and in rotting trees, 18 Nov. 1980, leg. C.A.W. Jeekel & A.M. Jeekel-Rijvers (NBC).

Paratypes AUSTRALIA: 3 ♀♀, same data as holotype (NBC).

Other material examined

See Supplement 1 (total: 25 localities, 78 ♂♂, 30 ♀♀, 12 juv.)

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Length ca 1.8–2.4 cm; midbody width ca 1.7–2.1 mm.

COLOURATION. Colour in fresh material (Figs 15, 26C): Margin of lateral edges of collum sometimes slightly lighter. Dorsum with broad median light yellowish brown stripe. On prozonites the trapezoidal paramedian light band slightly broader anteriorly, and on metazonites slightly broader posteriorly, nearly parallel, broadest at 4/5 of length (Figs 15D, 26C). Flanks and area around ozopores slightly lighter (Fig. 15C).

STERNITES. No conspicuous sternal cones.

LEGS. Male tarsal and tibial brushes present from legpair 1 to 7, 9 or up to 12 thin out posteriorly, especially on tibia. Female coxa of leg 2 often with rounded process on caudal side directing posterordistad.

GONOPODS. Considerable variability present (Fig 16). Femorite (F) ranging from short and broad, dorsolaterally wider (Fig. 16 A–D), to long and slender (Fig. 16 E–H). Prolongation of femorite (prof) long, S-shaped. Femoral process 1 (fp1) laminate, long, subtriangular to lozenge-shaped with pointed tip, projecting distad of lateral process (lp) and reaching solenomere (S). Shape of fp1 ranging from laterally curved and not twisted (Fig. 16 A–D) to more or less straight and twisted (Fig. 16 E–H). Femoral process 2 (fp2) small, reduced to a knob or ridge-shaped structure. Lateral process (lp) on lateral side of prof, short, slender, directed distolaterally, not projecting distad of solenomere.

SPIRACLES. Anterior spiracles distinctly obliquely ovoid. Rim raised with anterodorsal side broadly extended, not lobiform and spiracular filter not or slightly protruding. Posterior spiracle ovoid with low rim and spiracular filter not protruding (Fig. 17).

Distribution

Victorian Highlands north and east of Melbourne and northwestern Strzelecki Ranges (Fig. 7).

Remarks

There is no apparent geographical pattern to gonopod variation in P. laetificum (see also Decker 2016a). The distribution of male tarsal and tibial brushes often varies within a population at a single site.