DOI: 10.18195/issn.0312-3162.24(2).2008.113-119 Hecords 01 the Western A ustra/ian Museum 24: 113-119 (200R).

Discovery of the pill millipede genus Epicyliosoma (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida: Sphaerotheriidae) in Western Australia, with the description of a new species

MeIinda L. Moir* and Mark S. Harvey Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, \Vestern Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool , Western Australia 6106, Australia. *l'resent address: School of Botany, University of Mellx)urne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Email: mmoir(l.unimelb.edu.au

Abstract This paper describes the second species of sphaerotheriid millipede to be recorded from Western Australia, Epicyliosoma (Epicyliosoma) sarahae sp. novo It is restricted to low rainfall biotopes in the southeast coastal province of Western Australia and may be under threat from climate change and fire. l:jJicyliosoma sarahae is more restricted within its range than the other Western Australian species, the threatened CYl1otelopus l10tabilis Jeekel, and both species are short-range endemics.

Keywords: Conservation, CVl1 otelopus, fire, prescribed burning, short-range endemic species

INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS In Australia the Sphaerotheriida, or pill The specimens examined here were hand millipedes, are represented by the family Sphaero- collected in the field and preserved in 75'1" ethanol, theriidae. This family is of Gondwanan origin and with one specimen from each site preserved in is also present in South Africa, Madagascar, India, 100% ethanol for future DNA analysis. All Sri Lanka, and New Zealand (Jeekel 1974). There specimens are lodged in the Western Australian are three genera in Australia, with the third further Museum, Perth (WAM). Specimens were examined divided into two subgenera: Cynoteloplls Jeekel, with a Leica MZ6 stereo microscope, and all images, 1986, PT(Kyliosoma Silvestri, 1917, Epicyliosoma except those in the field, were produced utilizing a (Epi(yliosoma) Silvestri, 1917, and Epiqliosoma MZ16 stereo microscope and the package Auto- (Paraqliosoma) Verhoeff, 1928. All are Australian montage Pro version 5.02(p) (Syncroscopy, endemic genera, with the exception of Cambridge, UK). A map of species distribution was Procyliosoma, which is also represented in New produced in Arcview GIS Version 3.1 Zealand by five species (Holloway 1956). Jeekel (Environmental Systems Research Inc.). (1986) provided keys and/or descriptions to Terminology follows Wesener and Sierwald distinguish these genera and subgenera. (2005a), except when discussing male genitalia. Only two species of Sphaerotheriidae have been found in Western Australia, and both are restricted to the south coast. The first, SYSTEMATICS Cynoteloplls notabilis Jeekel, 1986, is in a monotypic genus which is endemic to high Family Sphaerotheriidae CL. Koch, 1847 rainfall areas of the far southwest (Main et al. Genus Epicyliosoma Silvestri, 1917 2(02). A second species has been recently found east of Esperance, in the southeast coastal Epicvliosoma Silvestri, 1917: 68. province, and is described in this paper: Zephronia albertisii Silvestri, bv Epicvliosoma (Epicyliosoma) sarahae sp. novo This subsequent designation. is the first record of the genus Epicvliosoma in Western Australia, with other species of the genus Remarks known only from Queensland and New South Epicvliosoma is distinguished from Procvliosoma Wales, as far south as Penrith in Sydney (33°44'S, and Cvnoteloplls, the other two genera present in l50 0 45'E). Thus, E. sarahae sp. novo is the most Australia, by the structure of the male genitalia, in southern species recorded to date of the genus. particular the anterior and posterior telopods. 114 M.L. Moir, M.S. Harvey

Jeekel (1986) notes that the anterior telopods of 33°59'49"5, 122°07'13"E, in soil, 27 November 2006, Epicyliosoma and Cynotelopus feature a large M.L. Moir & K.E.C. Brennan (WAM T78758, prefemur, with reduced femur and tibiotarsus (e.g., T78759); 3

Figures 1-6 Epicyliosoma (Epicyliosoma) sarahae sp. nov.: 1. habitus in field, 2. habitus, lateral view, ventral views of 3. head, 4. male anal shield, 5. female genitalia, and 6. male genitalia. Key: op, operculum of vulva.

Male genitalia. Prefemur of posterior telopods dorsal surface (Figure 8). Prefemur of anterior square with setae along outer edge and ventral telopods comparatively large, without any surface (Figure 7). Femoral process approximately projection along the inner margin (Figure 7). equal in size to tibiotarsus, giving pincer-like Femur and tibiotarsus reduced. Prefemur with appearance to posterior telopods (Figure 8). patch of long setae on inner margins. Tibiotarsus Anterior margin of tibiotarsus deeply serrated. with a densely setiferous lobe (Figure 7). Base of femoral process with setiferous patch on 116 M.L. Moir, M.S. Harvey

7

8

Figures 7-8 Epicyliosoma (Epicyliosoma) sarahae sp. novo male genitalia: 7. ventral view, and 8. dorsal view. Key: atp, anterior telopod prefemur; at!, anterior telopod femur; att, anterior telopod tibiotarsus; pt!' posterior telopod femur; ptp, posterior telopod prefemur; ptt, posterior telopod tibiotarsus.

Etymology (South Coast Regional Initiative Planning Team - This species is named in honour of ecologist Sarah http://www.script.asn.au/). found this species in Corner (Department of Environment & Cape Le Grand National Park (ca. 40 km east of Conservation, Western Australia), who collected the Esperance) and in Cape Arid National Park (Figure first specimen, and for her ongoing commitment to 9). The majority of specimens were collected from invertebrate conservation along the south coast of the soil, and perhaps only emerge at night to feed Western Australia. We suggest "Sarah's pill on rotting vegetation, as noted for other millipede" as the common name. Sphaerotheriidae species by Holloway (1956). Thus E. sarahae may have been overlooked by previous Distribution collectors and may have a wider distribution. One A community funded survey of short-range of us (MLM) unsuccessfully searched likely habitats endemic invertebrates of the south-west coast around Esperance (Duke of Orleans Bay, Mt Ridley, Epicyliosoma discovered in Western Australia 117

Mt Heywood, Blue Haven Beach gully, eastern male were not illustrated bv Koch in either of his beach gullies of Stokes National Park). Unsearched descriptions of s. conveXllm (Koch 1847, 1863), and potential localities for E. sarahae include beach location of the type specimens is unknown. When gullies at Alexander Bay and 'raylor Boat Harbour. using Jeekel's (1986) keys, E. sarahae is most similar These localities lie between Cape Arid and Cape Le to E. sennae (Silvestri, 1898) (Northern Queensland) Grand National Parks, hence discoveries of E. and E. penrithense (Brc)lemann, 1913) (New South sarahae in these areas would not extend the species Wales). However, E. sarahae is clearly distinct. For range. example, the absence of a projection or lobe along the inner margin of the anterior telopod prefemur Discussion of E. sarahae contrasts to the strong projection in The described species is placed in Epicyliosoma both E. penrithense and E. senl1ae (e.g.~ BrCilemann due to its large prefemur and reduced femur plus 1913, figures 6 and 24, respectively). 2 tibiotarsus of the anterior telopods (Jeekel 1986). With a total distribution of less than 10,000 km , The species is assigned to the subgenus E. sarahae is a short-range endemic (11arvey 20(2). Epi<'Tliosoma due to the morphology of the male Cynoteloplls l1otabilis, the only other pill millipede anal shield which is lacking any sexual modification recorded from Western Australia, is also a short- except a band of setae, and the size of the femoral range endemic and is restricted to the high rainfall process of the posterior telopods, which is zone along the south coast (> 1000 mm/y), 400 km approximately the same size as the tibiotarsus to the west of E. sarahae (Main et al. 2002; Figure 9). (JeekelI986). EpicTliosoma sarahae is unlikely to be Rainfall in the southeast coastal zone where E. one of the uncertain species described from more sarahae occurs is approximately 600 mm/yr than 2000 km away in eastern Australia (Mesibov (Hopper and Cioia 2004), and although this total is 2006), nor is it likely to be Sphaerotherium higher than that for the surrounding semi-arid conveXllm Koch, ]847 (from "Neuholland"), which zones « 400 mm/y), E. sarahae survives in an area has a predominately orange anal shield (see Koch with a lower rainfall than that experienced by any 1863, figure 27). Unfortunately, the genitalia of the other Australian sphaerotheriid species. EpicTlio-

N t

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11 EjJicvliosoma (EjJicvliosoma) saralwe sp. nov

• Cnwtelopus Ilotabilis Jcckcl

o 100 200 300 400 500 kilometers

Figure 9 Map of southwestern vVestern Australia with collection localities of Sphal'rotheriida species. 118 M.L. Moir, M.S. Harvey

soma sarahae seems to prefer thick leaf litter in Although there are no current management plans damp, well shaded gullies, close to the coast « 8 for Cape Arid and Le Grand National Parks, a km inland). Such coastal gullies are wetter and proposal suggests implementing a mosaic style fire have a taller and denser canopy than surrounding management plan to reduce the effects of large land, which is dominated by heath and/or mallee. intense wildfires (Department of Environment and Hamer et al. (2006) found two species of Conservation 2007). If prescribed burns are to be Sphaerotherium in soil in savanna regions in South implemented in Cape Arid and Le Grand National Africa, although both species are more abundant Parks, we strongly recommend that further research in wetter coastal forests. Epicyliosoma sarahae on the post-burn survival of E. sarahae populations similarly extends into surrounding heath on the be undertaken. Thus of primary importance, and southern slopes of Mt Arid during the wetter initiated by this project, are the development of months (M. Moir pers. obs.). distribution maps of E. sarahae populations. Until Given its restricted range and its preference for conclusive results on the effect of fire on popul- damper coastal areas, E. sarahae could be ations, we suggest that the habitat of E. sarahae be threatened with extinction through climate change, actively protected from any fires in late autumn, inappropriate fire regimes and land clearing. Land early spring or winter. clearing is unlikely to affect known E. sarahae populations as all occur in National Parks which are protected. Conversely, climate change is highly ACKNO~EDGEMENTS likely to impact E. sarahae populations as rainfall in This project was funded by a grant from the South the south-west is predicted to decrease by as much Coast Regional Initiative Planning Team (http:// as 60% by the year 2070 (Pittock 2003). With respect www.script.asn.au/). We thank Owen Massenbaur, to fire regime, one of the two localities at which E. Karl Brennan, Mei Chen Leng and Alan Long- sarahae occurs, Cape Arid, was burnt extensively bottom for assistance with fieldwork. We are very by wildfire in 2004-2005. During dry months E. grateful to Robert Mesibov who provided valuable sarahae has only been found in the Cape Arid advice throughout this project and, together with gullies which escaped this fire. These longer William Shear, graciously reviewed an earlier unburnt gullies were characteristically overgrown, manuscript. were shaded by a dense canopy, and had a deep leaf litter layer (M. Moir pers. obs.). Similarly, C. notabilis prefers deep leaf litter of karri (Eucalyptus REFERENCES diversico1or) forests that have been unburnt for Brolemann, H.W. (1913). The Myriapoda in the more than 10 years (both authors pers. obs.; Main et Australian Museum. Part ii. - Diplopoda. Records of ,11. 2002). 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