The millipede tribe Brachyiulini in the Caucasus (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae)

Abstract

The diplopod tribe Brachyiulini is represented in the fauna of the Caucasus by eight genera and 32 species, of which one genus and 14 species are described as new: Colchiobrachyiulus montanus Vagalinski, sp. nov., Iraniulus tricornis Vagalinski, sp. nov., Omobrachyiulus armatus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. fasciatus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. faxifer Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. kvavadzei Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. lazanyiae Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. ponticus Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. pristis Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. trochiloides Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. unugulis Vagalinski, sp. nov., O. zuevi Vagalinski, sp. nov., Svaniulus ryvkini Vagalinski, gen. nov., sp. nov., and S. waltheri Vagalinski, gen. nov., sp. nov.Colchiobrachyiulus Lohmander, 1936, a former subgenus of Megaphyllum, is here elevated to a full genus, and the genus Grusiniulus Lohmander, 1936 is downgraded to a subgenus of the genus Cyphobrachyiulus Verhoeff, 1900, both stat. nov., with their previously described species, Colchiobrachyiulus dioscoriadis (Lignau, 1915) and Cyphobrachyiulus redikorzevi (Lohmander, 1936), respectively, listed as comb. nov.Omobrachyiulus brachyurus (Attems, 1899) is formally established as a junior subjective synonym of O. caucasicus (Karsch, 1881), syn. nov., and Omobrachyiulus implicitus ritsensis (Golovatch, 1981) is formally synonymised with the typical Omobrachyiulus implicitus (Lohmander, 1936), syn. nov.Omobrachyiulus sevangensis (Lohmander, 1932), originally described in the genus Megaphyllum, is here transferred to the former genus, comb. nov. The diagnoses and descriptions of some genera and subgenera are refined and complemented. A key is given to all genera and species of Brachyiulini that occur in the Caucasus, and their distributions are mapped. Several species are recorded as new to the faunas of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, or Russia. The distribution patterns of the Caucasian Brachyiulini and their biogeographic implications are discussed.

The millipedes (Diplopoda) of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, northern Caucasus, Russia, with special reference to the fauna of the North Ossetian Nature Reserve

“…[Evsyukov et al, 2018]. The particularly widespread Euro-Mediterranean Byzantorhopalum rossicum ranges from the steppes in lowland North Ossetia -Alania to the high altitude alpine meadows of the nature reserve [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021]. In contrast, the only available records of Rossiulus kessleri in North Ossetia -Alania are high-montane and restricted to the Tsey part of the nature reserve.…”

“…It has been encountered from lowland steppe areas up to 3000 m a.s.l. [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021].…”

New records of millipedes (Diplopoda) from the Caucasus region

“…; 1 #, 3 $$ (SMNG), Armenia, Tavush, Semyonovka, 1 rkm towards Dilijan, 2080 m a.s.l., 40.6664ºN, 44.8868ºE, 16.VIII.2018, F. Walther leg. REMARKS. to the Caucasus region, very common and highly widespread across Ciscaucasia (Stavropol in the north and up to Kalmykia in the northeast), entire Dagestan, as well as most of Georgia (except for the Black Sea coast), Armenia and Azerbaijan (including the Hyrcanian part), also in northern and northwestern Iran, and northeastern Turkey [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021]. A separate formal subspecies is known from the Greek island of Thassos, but its subspecific status requires confirmation [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021].…”

“…Described from Adygea and the Krasnodar Province, both Russia. Endemic to the northwestern parts of the Caucasus Major [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021].…”

“…Studies on the diplopod fauna of the Caucasus have recently experienced significant progress. Many millipede groups have been revised based on abundant material, both old and new [Vagalinski, Golovatch, 2021; ABSTRACT. New faunistic records are provided for 38 millipede species, representing nine families and six orders from the Caucasus, including the Krasnodar and Stavropol provinces, Adygea, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Abkhazia, Georgia, Armenia, and Ciscaucasia (Rostov-on-Don Region).…”