The millipede tribe Leptoiulini in the Caucasus, with notes on its generic classification (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae)

Abstract

The generic classification of the Palaearctic tribe Leptoiulini is revised, with 11 genera being recognized. The main differences between the genera, all presented in a tabular form, lie in the structure of the 2nd and 7th leg-pairs of the male, coupled with gonopodal conformations: the presence/absence and the degree of development of flagella on the promeres, and of the phylacum and velum on the opisthomeres. Based on abundant new material, only three genera and seven species of Leptoiulini, all keyed, mapped and properly illustrated, are shown to occur in the Caucasus: Chatoleptophyllum flexum Golovatch, 1979, Kubaniulus gracilis Lohmander, 1936, K. lativelatus sp. nov., Leptoiulus hastatus Lohmander, 1932 (= L. disparatus Lohmander, 1936, syn. n.), L. tanymorphus (Attems, 1901), L. meskhii sp. nov., and L. gonopodialis sp. nov. All species are endemic or subendemic to the region, while Kubaniulus Lohmander, 1936 represents the only genus in the tribe which is restricted to the Caucasus, in particular, the western and central parts of the Caucasus Major. The distributions are mainly allopatric, but a few pairs of species are para- or even sympatric.

An Annotated Checklist of the Millipedes (Myriapoda: Diplopoda) from the Stavropol Territory, Northern Caucasus, Russia

“…In our previous work concerning the fauna of the Stavropol Territory, this species was misidentified as Chaetoleptophyllum flexum Golovatch, 1979 [11], since both of these species are similar in size and habitus. The occurrence of C. flexum in the study area is doubtful since the distribution area of this species lies within Transcaucasia alone (Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia) [16].…”

“…Distribution. Russia: Caucasus [16]. Occurrence in Stavropol Territory: Shpakovskiy District, Georgievskiy District [11].…”

“…Notes. Found in Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory [7,16]. In our previous work concerning the fauna of the Stavropol Territory, this species was misidentified as Chaetoleptophyllum flexum Golovatch, 1979 [11], since both of these species are similar in size and habitus.…”

“…The first and preliminary review was published rather recently [11], altogether with 19 diplopod species recorded. Since then, several review papers have appeared dealing with various groups of the Caucasian millipedes [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. This allows for the list of Diplopoda species of the Stavropol Territory to be considerably supplemented, bringing it both in line with the current nomenclature and to a total of 27 species.…”

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

“…As regards the Julidae, the only other family of Julida remaining in the Caucasus, it is definitely one of the most diverse, common, and widespread across the region. The following tribes have already been reviewed and treated taxonomically in the scope of the entire Caucasian fauna: Cylindroiulini (Read 1992;Evsyukov and Golovatch 2013;Zuev 2014), Pachyiulini (Evsyukov 2016;Evsyukov et al 2021), Julini (Evsyukov et al 2018), Leptoiulini (Evsyukov et al 2020), and Leucogeorgiini (Antić and Reip 2020).…”