Ommatoiulus porathi (Verhoeff, 1893)

Fig. 18

Julus porathi Verhoeff, 1893b: 166 –167.

Palaioiulus porati [sic!] – Verhoeff 1894: 159, figs 10–11.

Schizophyllum porati [sic!] – Verhoeff 1921: 53.

Diagnosis

Small species, most similar to O. sabulosus (Linnaeus, 1758) both having a promerite with no incision and gently narrowing distally, a simple and slender mesomerite, a solenomerite bearing a long mesal projection lodging the opening of the seminal groove and a distal lamella, and a simple and stout paracoxite. Different in the shape of the distal lamella of the solenomerite and also in the shape of the mesomerite and paracoxite.

Material examined

Holotype

PORTUGAL: Julus porathi Verhoeff, 1893, micro-slide (ZMB); 1 ♂, Viseu Province, Serra do Caramulo, 40.593006 N, 8.163114 W, 6 Mar. 2012, N. Percino, M.G. París leg. (NHMW 8736).

Distribution

Central Portugal: Coimbra (Verheoff 1921), Viseu.

Comments

Ommatoiulus porathi was described verbally by Verhoeff (1893b), based on two males and six females. One year later, Verhoeff (1894) provided drawings of the mesomerite and opisthomerite, and in 1921 he included O. porathi in the identification key for the subgenus Bothroiulus (Verhoeff, 1921). The species has, however, never been collected again until now and has been regarded as dubious. The newly collected specimen agrees entirely with Verhoeff’s description, and its gonopods agree perfectly with those of the type specimen (Fig. 18). O. porathi is, together with O. stellaris sp. nov. (see description below), one of the smallest known Ommatoiulus species. Verhoeff (1893b) didn’t give any measurements but merely stated that it is a little bit smaller than Leptoiulus trilineatus (C.L. Koch, 1847).