Atelomastix dendritica Edward & Harvey 2010, sp. nov.

Atelomastix dendritica, sp. nov.

Figs. 8, 55, 89–91.

Type material: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: holotype male, Woody Island, Recherche Archipelago, 33°57’S, 121°59’E, in damp leaf litter, 8 May 1999, A.F. Longbottom (WAM T 47933). Paratype: 1 male, collected with holotype (WAM T 74296).

Etymology: This species is named for the type locality, Woody Island (dendron, Greek, tree).

Diagnosis: The male gonopod sclerite b shape of Atelomastix dendritica is similar to A. flavognatha, but can be distinguished by the lack of bifurcation of sclerite c. Sclerite c is curved distally, with a slight submedial concavity. Sclerite b is longer than sclerite c, and the distal tip extends beyond the edge of sclerite c.

Description: Male (holotype). Colour: head, collum and antennae dark brown, legs and ozopores goldenbrown legs, prozonites dark blue to dark brown, metazonites light brown in preserved specimens.

Body: ca. 36 mm long and ca. 2.2 mm wide at collum. With 55 trunk segments, 99 pairs of legs, last 2 segments without legs.

Head: with ca. 42 ocelli (Fig. 55), arranged in 6 rows (2: 4: 8: 9: 9: 10).

Gonopods: anterior gonopods (Figs. 89–91) lightly sclerotised, 2.40 times longer than broad; sclerite a with swollen base and curved distal hood; upper distal face of sclerite a with 20–21 (n=2) short blunt setae; pseudoflagellum relatively short and visible beneath distal hood; sclerite b relatively large and curved, terminating in an elongate rounded hook beyond top of sclerite c, with 11–12 (n=2) setae extending to sub-distal end of sclerite; basal process of sclerite b short and broad, 0.02 times length of main process; sclerite c shorter than sclerite b, not bifurcate, ending distally with blunt hook, with 6–8 setae (n=2) on internal face; sub-basal setae absent where sclerites overlap and group of 14–18 (n=2) short setae sub-basally on sclerite c; posterior gonopods inconspicuous, small, with several small setae on interno-lateral face of each gonopod.

Dimensions (mm): holotype male (paratype male, WAM T 74296): length ca. 36 (40), width ca. 2.2 (2.5), L/W=16.5 (16.6); sclerite a 1.552 / 0.648 (1.632 / 0.691), setae 20 (21); sclerite b 0.627 (0.634), basal process of sclerite b 0.029 (0.033), setae 11 (12); sclerite c 1.029 (1.056), setae 6 (8).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution and habitat: This species is only known from two males collected from damp leaf litter on Woody Island in the Recherche Archipelago (Fig. 8).