TY - JOUR
T1 - Copulatory-copulatory male succession and male slenderness in Ommatoiulus sempervirilis n. sp., a new insular millipede from Tunisia (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae)
AU - Akkari, Nesrine
AU - Enghoff, Henrik
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - The direct postmaturation succession in males, a rare process in schizophylline millipedes, is reported for a new Tunisian Ommatoiulus species, O. sempervirilis n. sp. A large material of this species collected from La Galite and Zembretta islands in north-western and north-eastern Tunisia, respectively, during three different autumnal seasons (2005, 2009 and 2010) revealed a complete absence of intercalary males and a postmaturation succession with direct adult-adult moulting in males. Moreover, a 'slimming' process of males accompanying the achievement of sexual maturity was deduced, and the general pattern of females being larger than males in julids was verified. Sexual maturity is likely achieved at stadium 7 RO or 8 RO, and a maximum of 11 and 14 postembryonic stadia are reported in males and females, respectively. A taxonomic description of O. sempervirilis n. sp. is provided together with some notes on the distribution of the species and its affinities with the North African punicus-species group.
AB - The direct postmaturation succession in males, a rare process in schizophylline millipedes, is reported for a new Tunisian Ommatoiulus species, O. sempervirilis n. sp. A large material of this species collected from La Galite and Zembretta islands in north-western and north-eastern Tunisia, respectively, during three different autumnal seasons (2005, 2009 and 2010) revealed a complete absence of intercalary males and a postmaturation succession with direct adult-adult moulting in males. Moreover, a 'slimming' process of males accompanying the achievement of sexual maturity was deduced, and the general pattern of females being larger than males in julids was verified. Sexual maturity is likely achieved at stadium 7 RO or 8 RO, and a maximum of 11 and 14 postembryonic stadia are reported in males and females, respectively. A taxonomic description of O. sempervirilis n. sp. is provided together with some notes on the distribution of the species and its affinities with the North African punicus-species group.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2011.00625.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2011.00625.x
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0947-5745
VL - 49
SP - 285
EP - 291
JO - Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research
JF - Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research
IS - 4
ER -