Description

Description. Male / female approximate measurements: length 12 / 13 mm, ring 12 paranota width 1.4 / 1.6 mm. Freshly preserved specimens yellowish-brown to unaided eye, under microscope with complex pattern (Figs 1 C, 1 G): paired paramedian lightyellow patches on prozonite and anteriorly on metatergite, contrasting with adjoining dark brown patches; metatergite otherwise light mottled yellowish brown; rings laterally with mottled yellowish-brown and large yellowish patch (Fig. 1 G, p) just under paranotal margin; head reddish; antennae dark brown; legs pale, reddish distally. Live specimens similarly coloured but yellow not so intense; in alcohol, long-preserved specimens completely decoloured. Most non-gonopod details as for T. armatum, but relative widths tergite 6> 5> 4> head> (3,2)> collum, ring 12 paranota 1.3 × as wide as prozonite, leg 6 tarsus 1.5 × as long as femur and femur longer than prefemur. Anterior margin of metatergite smoothly curving into lateral edge of paranota (shoulder less distinct than in T. armatum); metatergite almost completely covered with three transverse rows of 10 – 12 large, low tubercles, each with small seta near posterior edge. Ring 2 pit not apparent (Fig. 4 A). Ring 6 sternite with no leg 6 tab; leg 7 tab long, thickened, with brush of stout setae; small rounded process medially on leg 7 coxa just posterior to sternal tab; anterior sternite margin with two long, fine, paramedian setae. Gonopod telopodite (Fig. 13) straight, slender, slightly excavate basally on posterior surface, divided at ca 3 / 4 telopodite height into four processes: (a) short, slightly flattened, acute solenomere arising on medial surface and directed distally; (b) short, bladelike, acute process arising on anterolateral surface just basal to solenomere origin and directed distally and slightly anteriorly; (c) large central process, anteroposteriorly flattened, the wide distal margin divided into acute anterolateral branch and round-edged, tab-like posteromedial branch, the latter giving rise on distal edge to short, slender, tapered process directed posterodistally; (d) large, blade-like, acute process arising on lateral surface, abruptly bent and directed distally. Two dense clusters of stout, rod-like setae: 30 – 40 arising at ca 1 / 2 telopodite height on posterior surface, directed posteriorly or posterobasally; 20 – 30 in band running anterolaterally across posterior surface from ca 1 / 2 to ca 3 / 4 telopodite height, mainly directed distally. Sparse fine setae running from posterior surface near base anterodistally along lateral surface to ca 1 / 2 telopodite height. Prostatic groove running more or less directly on medial surface to base of solenomere. Female with sternites as wide as long; legs 2 usually missing (Mesibov, in preparation).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Diplopoda

Order: Polydesmida

Family: Dalodesmidae

Genus: Tasmaniosoma

Species: Tasmaniosoma compitale Mesibov, 2010