Myriapoda; Pauropoda
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Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 55 (1): 202-208 — 1985 On the classification of the family Brachypauropodidae (Myriapoda; Pauropoda) by Ulf Scheller Lundsberg, S-688 00 Storfors, Sweden and and is Abstract a key a revised classification presented. The taxonomic history of the Brachypauropodidaeand the characters of the discussed family are briefly. The current diagnosis is too narrow and the delimitationtowards other TAXONOMIC HISTORY families is unsatisfactory. Some generic characters are considered. The tubelike extensions on the temporal thought to be peculiar organs, Latzel (1884) arranged the three pauropod to Brachypauropoides and one species in Hansenauropus, occur known his time in the "Pauro- genera at groups in least four and do at more genera not provide a good poda agilia" and "Pauropoda tardigrada", the criterion on the generic level. Another character to be used latter with caution is the number of head the This great tergal setae. On including genus Brachypauropus. the other hand, some antennal characters seem to be im- first system was improved by Kenyon (1895) portant. who erected the families Pauropodidae and A subfamilial preliminary family diagnosis and a Eurypauropodidae for the species with 6 classification are proposed, and an updated key to the viz. and and and of the tergites, Pauropus Eurypauropus , genera a synopsis genera are given. It is shown that the has features separated the third with genus Colinauropus more genus, Brachypauropus, in common with of the 10 genera Pauropodidae than with tergites (dorsal plates), as a group of uncer- those of the Brachypauropodidae; it is transferred to the tain position. For the latter Silvestri (1902: 63) former family in a new subfamily Colinauropodinae close set up the family Brachypauropodidae which to the Scleropauropodinae. since has been accepted. Like Hansen in the same year (1902: 407-408), Silvestri (1902: 67) also compiled a more detailed diagnosis of the INTRODUCTION family, in reality consisting of the characters The 22 family Brachypauropodidae (8 genera, separating Brachypauropus from Eurypauropus. species) seems to have an almost worldwide Attems (1926: 27) narrowed the diagnosis by distribution but it is of never a conspicuous part adding further Brachypauropus characters. The the soil fauna. The fact that the representatives latter diagnosis was quoted by Verhoeff (1934: seldom are collected and the often and for than 30 species poor- 87) was followed by Remy more has led ly investigated to an unsatisfactory years. classification. exists The Moreover, there a great family was treated also in Bagnall's in heterogeneity many external morphological classification (1935) in which the pauropods features. The built family diagnosis up through were divided into the suborders Ectomorpha the years does not work and the delimitation and Endomorpha, the former including the towards other families is unclear. partly superfamily Brachypauropodoidea with the two The of this purpose paper is to draw attention families Brachypauropodidae and Scleropauro- to this problem, to pinpoint invalid diagnostic podidae. and levels characters on the family generic and The diagnosis used by these early authors introduce and im- to some new probably more was extended by MacSwain & Lanham (1948) portant ones. Furthermore, a review of the to include also forms with only 8 pairs of legs in which have be the genera now to included is given adult stage. - 1985 203 BIJDRAGEN TOT DE DIERKUNDE, 55 (1) Since then have been de- Another character which has to be used with many new taxa head scribed. A review of these shows that the family great caution is the number of tergal setae. has become to the follow- It is often difficult establish which setae very heterogeneous as to are of both undivided Sometimes ing characters: the number tergal and which are lateral. they of and difficult tergites and smaller sclerites and the degree are thin or transparent to see. their sclerotization, the shape and distribution Moreover, the number often varies between the of the the head well the of tergal setae on as as on species a single genus. trunk, the shape of the temporal organs on the head and the number of leg segments. Actually, of all the characters proposed and used as characteristic features of the family not a single one exclusively pertains to the As the Brachypauropodidae. family now ap- pears, it stands out, at least partly, as a resort for those taxa not readily fitting into other families. SOME GENERIC CHARACTERS A character of particular interest is the shape of the temporal organs of the head. In diagnosing the B. genus Brachypauropoides (genotype attached pistillifer) Remy (1952: 175-176) great 1. of various Fig. Temporal organs brachypauropodid importance to a feature not earlier observed in side: species, right a, Brachypauropus superbus Hansen, pauropods: three tubelike extensions ("digita- holotype, sternal view; b, B. hamiger Latzel, lateral view; c, tions in different direc- lentus MacSwain saillantes") protruding Aletopauropus & Lanham, holotype, tergal luteus MacSwain tions from the temporal organs. Actually they view; d, Deltopauropus & Lanham, D. MacSwain the character of the paratype, tergal view; e, magnus & Lanham, were only unique genus. view; MacSwain paratype, tergal f, Zygopauropushesperius & However, the six species described later have Lanham, holotype, tergal view. (Transferred to equal one extension. Similar structures were only size.) described also in Hansenauropus abrasus Remy from Madagascar and Brachypauropus strebeli Hiither from Europe and I have found such On the other hand, the shape of the setae of (fig. 1) in the European B. hamiger Latzel and B. the tergites is most valuable in distinguishing Hansen B. occultus Rafalski all superbus (in they oc- genera. In the species of Brachypauropus, Dr. in and in and hastate cur too, Jan Rafalski, litt.) the Aletopauropus Zygopauropus they are North American and bent Aletopauropus lentus, Zygo- posteriorly near the base, in luteus and D. pauropus hesperius, Deltopauropus Brachypauropoides they are strongly clavate or all described MacSwain Lanham. in magnus, by & spatulate, Deltopauropus, Panamauropus and The is known also in modified in structure my ?Allopauropus Hansenauropus they are very strongly tridens (Pauropodidae) from tropical Africa. various directions. Tubelike extensions the The of the anal is of similar on temporal organs shape plate im- have been found in six of It characterizes all with the now out eight genera portance. genera in the Brachypauropodidae and can no longer exception of Panamauropus. The "brachy- used criterion for is be as a defining Brachy- pauropodid" plate posteriorly pointed with pauropoides. two subposterior, submedian, clavate append- 204 PROCEEDINGS 6th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MYRIAPODOLOGY in direction. In 3. antennal in ages protruding posterior globulus subglobular (not Panamauropus, deviating in other characters too, Afrauropodidae and subfam. Polypauropo- incision and dinae in there is a posteromedian two large Pauropodidae), submedian and short 4. modified in two lateral appendages setae on tergites (not Afrauropo- protruding posteriorly. didae, generally not in Pauropodidae), From studies in other families it is known 5. trunk oval (not in Afrauropodidae, generally that the characters which in antennae yield many not Pauropodidae). well in In the serve distinguishing genera. Brachypauropodidae particularly the sternal Notes. — Though all brachypauropodid branch and its globulus seem to be both tax- genera fitting into this diagnosis have and I hesitate that character onomically important practically conve- 5-segmented legs to use nient. In the the below have because the number of is key to genera they leg segments varying been of help in distinguishing Hansenauropus and in both Pauropodidae and Eurypauropodidae. Panamauropus (fig. 2). Likewise the tubelike extensions of the temporal At the of the number have been because present state knowledge organs disregarded they characters for have been described in all Divided of usable compiling a family not species. diagnosis is low and the classification presented tergites occur often, but a few species have en- below is merely an attempt to sum up what is tire tergites. Therefore, sclerite patterns have known about the family. not been used in the family diagnosis. Moreover, these patterns are sometimes in- completely known. Even after the removal of Colinauropus (see below), the morphological heterogeneity is con- siderable and the family seems not to be clearly delimitated from the Pauropodidae. However, the short-legged, oval, often flattened brachy- pauropodids are usually easily distinguished from the fusiform, generally more long-legged pauropodids. Fig. 2. Sternal antennal branch, sternal view (flagella and seta omitted): Hansenauropus abrasus q a, Remy, right side; CLASSIFICATION b, H. gratus Remy, left side; c, Panamauropus williamsi left side; d, P. eucharis side. towards Remy, Remy, right (After No attempt a subfamilial classification Remy 1954a, 1954b, 1956b, 1958; slightly simplified and has been published and the following division transferred to about equal size.) into two subfamilies is to be regarded as preliminary. Subfam. BRACHYPAUROPODINAE Silvestri DIAGNOSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE FAMILY BRACHYPAUROPODIDAE Diagnosis. — A brachypauropodid subfamily with 6 entire 1-2 entire tergites or tergites com- DIAGNOSIS with bined tergites split up longitudinally- transversally or only longitudinally;