Abstract
Chiraziulus is a highly disjunct, hitherto monotypic genus of cambalid millipedes, geographically isolated in Iran by more than 7000 km from its presumed closest relatives in East Asia and North America. Recent fieldwork in caves of Iran has provided several specimens of this genus, allowing the description of Chiraziulus troglopersicus sp. nov. The intraspecific variability of the type species, C. kaiseri Mauriès, 1983, is illustrated with scanning electron micrographs. Chiraziulus is characterized by exceedingly long microtrichose gonopod flagella which from their insertion points on the posterior face of the anterior gonopod coxites first point distad instead of basad or basad-posteriad as in most other flagelliferous Cambalidea (and Julida), then traverse a groove on the mesal surface of the anterior gonopod coxites, making a full (360°) loop. The same feature is also illustrated for the first time in the genus Cambala. The patterns and prevalence of the infection with a species of ectoparasitic fungus of the genus Rickia (order Laboulbeniales) in the type material of C. kaiseri is described. An updated review of the cave-adapted fauna of Iran is given.
Highlights
The millipede order Spirostreptida is mainly distributed in the tropical and temperate zones of the Southern Hemisphere, and in warm-temperate North America
Chiraziulus is characterized by exceedingly long microtrichose gonopod flagella which from their insertion points on the posterior face of the anterior gonopod coxites first point distad instead of basad or basad-posteriad as in most other flagelliferous Cambalidea, traverse a groove on the mesal surface of the anterior gonopod coxites, making a full (360°) loop
European Journal of Taxonomy 146: 1–18 (2015) Diagnosis A genus of medium-sized blind cambalid millipedes resembling the Nearctic genus Nannolene, with longitudinal crests on the body rings and ozopores placed on prominent tubercles (Fig. 1)
Summary
The millipede order Spirostreptida is mainly distributed in the tropical and temperate zones of the Southern Hemisphere, and in warm-temperate North America. Some marginal occurrences in East Asia, and very few, disjunct occurrences in the western Palaearctic: Odontostreptus spp. in Morocco, Archispirostreptus spp. in the Middle East, and the so far monotypic genus Chiraziulus Mauriès, 1983, in Iran Whereas Odontostreptus Attems, 1914 and Archispirostreptus Silvestri, 1895 belong to the family Spirostreptidae, suborder Spirostreptidea, Chiraziulus is the only W Palaearctic representative of the suborder Cambalidea Relationships within Cambalidae are not at all clear, and the delimitation of the family vis-à-vis other cambalidean families is uncertain (Enghoff et al in press), the fact remains that Chiraziulus is a highly disjunct genus, separated from all other Cambalidea by distances of over 2000 km; if its closest relative is really Nannolene, the distance will surpass 7000 km
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