On the largest chelodesmid millipedes: taxonomic review and cladistic analysis of the genusOdontopeltis Pocock, 1894 (Diplopoda; Polydesmida; Chelodesmidae)

Abstract

The chelodesmid genus Odontopeltis Pocock, 1894, is revised. It currently contains eight species, four of which are described as new here: Odontopeltis aleijadinho sp. nov., Odontopeltis donabeja sp. nov., Odontopeltis tiradentes sp. nov., and Odontopeltis xica sp. nov. Additional descriptive data are provided for Odontopeltis anchisteus Hoffman, 1981, Odontopeltis clarazianus (Humbert & deSaussure, 1869), Odontopeltis giganteus Schubart, 1849, and Odontopeltis conspersus (Perty, 1844); for the latter species a neotype is designated herein. The current position of all species ever associated with the genus is presented. Examination of type material revealed that the following species are not members of the genus Odontopeltis: Odontopeltis balzanii Silvestri, 1895, Odontopeltis borellii Silvestri, 1895, Polydesmus gracilipes Humbert & deSaussure, 1870, and Odontopeltis proxima Silvestri, 1895. The type specimen of Rhacophorus decoloratus Koch, 1847, is lost and the species is considered incertae sedis. The terminology of gonopod structures is discussed. A phylogenetic analysis of Odontopeltis based on 47 morphological characters, with species of the genus Odontopeltis and six outgroup taxa is presented. Odontopeltis is monophyletic, with Rondonaria as its closest sister-group. The included members of the tribe Telonychopodini (Pantanalodesmus, Telonychopus, and Manfrediodesmus) form a monophyletic group; the tribe Macrocoxodesmini (Macrocoxodesmus and Eucampesmella) is paraphyletic in this data set.

Six new species of the widespread Brazilian millipede genus Eucampesmella (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae)

“…Importantly, descriptions based only on female material are not recommended, since the taxonomy of the family is mostly based on the morphology of the gonopod. Nevertheless, characters from vulvae have been used in previous cladistic analyzes (see Pena-Barbosa et al 2013, Bouzan et al 2019b, which have recovered important information at the generic level. Based on the literature and observation of several groups of Chelodesmidae, the female genitalia seem to provide important diagnostic character for the generic (e.g.…”

“…The Chelodesmidae is one of the most diverse families of Diplopoda in the Neotropics, with almost 800 described species (Hoffman 1980, Enghoff et al 2015. Although the variations in the male copulatory organs are traditionally used for species delineation in Chelodesmidae (Pena-Barbosa et al 2013), the female genitalia has been historically neglected, with only a few published studies mentioning these structures (Hoffman 1990a(Hoffman , 1990b(Hoffman , 2000. Overall, it is not clear if females have been neglected because they lack diagnostic characters or because traditional millipede taxonomy has focused on gonopod characters (Ah-King et al 2014, Zahnle et al 2020.…”

Two new Brazilian species of Chelodesmidae of the genera Iguazus and Tessarithys (Diplopoda: Polydesmida)

“…All measurements are in millimeters. The terminology of the gonopodal structures follows Pena-Barbosa et al (2013) and Hoffman (1990), while the terminology used to describe somatic traits follows Attems (1898), Brölemann (1900) and Pena-Barbosa et al (2013) Diagnosis. Males of Iguazus differ from other chelodesmid genera by the following combination of characters: gonopodal acropodite slender, unbranched and sinuously curved, prefemoral process massive in form of a narrow blade or branch, with one or two secondary processes arising proximally from the midlength region (Figs 1-3).…”

Avian predators avoid attacking artificial aposematic millipedes in Brazilian Atlantic Forest

“…We selected the millipede Odontopeltis aleijadinho Pena-Barbosa, Sierwald & Brescovit, 2013 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae) as the model organism for our experiment, because it presents a typical aposematic pattern. This species can reach 8 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, and its body and legs are dark coloured with the apex of the paranota with bright yellow spots (Figure 1a).…”

“…We carried out this study in Rio Doce State Park (Parque Estadual do Rio Doce – PERD) Minas Gerais state, Brazil (19°40′S, 42°33′W). This site is the species’ type locality (Pena-Barbosa et al 2013), allowing us to assume a close connection between O . aleijadinho colour pattern and the selective pressure exerted by predators in its natural habitat.…”