Brachyiulus

Abstract: Fifty species of millipedes (Diplopoda) are recorded from Iran, based on a literature survey and a study of new material. Nopoiulus extremus Enghoff, 1984 (Blaniulidae), Brachyiulus lusitanus Verhoeff, 1898 (Julidae), Megaphyllum brachyurum (Attems, 1899) (Julidae) and Oxidus gracilis (C. L. Koch, 1847) (Paradoxosomatidae) are new to the fauna of Iran. Syrioiulus persicus (Golovatch, 1983) is a new combination (from Amblyiulus p.). Several species described from Iran still need revision.

Abstract: The defensive chemistry of juliformian millipedes is characterized mainly by benzoquinones ("quinone millipedes"), whereas the secretions of the putative close outgroup Callipodida are considered to be exclusively phenolic. We conducted a chemical screening of julid secretions for phenolic content. Most species from tribes Cylindroiulini (15 species examined), Brachyiulini (5 species examined), Leptoiulini (15 species examined), Uncigerini (2 species examined), Pachyiulini (3 species examined), and Ommatoiulini (2 species examined) had non-phenolic, in most cases exclusively benzoquinonic secretions. In contrast, tribes Cylindroiulini, Brachyiulini, and Leptoiulini also contained representatives with predominantly phenol-based exudates. In detail, p-cresol was a major compound in the secretions of the cylindroiulines Styrioiulus pelidnus and S. styricus (p-cresol content 93 %) and an undetermined Cylindroiulus species (p-cresol content 51 %), in the brachyiulines Brachyiulus lusitanus (p-cresol content 21 %) and Megaphyllum fagorum (p-cresol content 92 %), as well as in an undescribed Typhloiulus species (p-cresol content 32 %, Leptoiulini). In all species, p-cresol was accompanied by small amounts of phenol. The secretion of M. fagorum was exclusively phenolic, whereas phenols were accompanied by benzoquinones in all other species. This is the first incidence of clearly phenol-dominated secretions in the Julidae. We hypothesize a shared biosynthetic route to phenols and benzoquinones, with benzoquinones being produced from phenolic precursors. The patchy taxonomic distribution of phenols documented herein supports multiple independent regression events in a common pathway of benzoquinone synthesis rather than multiple independent incidences of phenol biosynthesis.

Abstract: An overview of the millipedes of the order Julida in Tunisia based on both literature data and new material is provided. Fifteen species from two families and five genera are presently known, of which Ommatoiulus aumalensis (Brolemann, 1925) and Brachyiulus pusillus (Leach, 1814) are new. recorded for the country. All old records of Cylindroiulus distinctus (Lucas, 1846) from Tunisia are probably erroneous and refer to either C. algerinus (Brolemann, 1897) or C. attemsi Read, 2005. Notes on the species distribution are given along with geographical maps and comments on their habitat preferences. Ommatoiulus punicus (Brolemann, 1894) is the most euryecious species of all Tunisian julidans. B. pusillus is the sole member of the order occurring in the oases in the south, as its presence there is certainly due to human introduction. An illustrated dichotomous key for identification of the Tunisian species is provided. An annotated checklist of North African Julida comprising 58 species and subspecies from 12 genera and three families, as well as a historical overview of their exploration supplements this study. Ommatoiulus punicus , O. malleatus Akkari & Voigtlander, 2007 and Brachyiulus stuxbergi (Fanzago, 1875) are herewith reported for the first time from Algeria, while Proteroiulus hispanicus Schubart, 1959, which was hitherto known only from Spain, is now reported from Morocco. A concise biogeographic analysis outlines the similarities in the distribution of some species at regional and continental scales.

Abstract: The subgenus Parancistrum Verhoeff, 1943 is redefined on the basis of the examination of type and non-type material. The subgenus is currently settled to comprise 6 species, of which Megaphyllum arcuatum sp. n. is described as new, while M. adanense (Verhoeff, 1943) syn. n. and M. palaestinum (Jawlowski, 1931) syn. n. are established as junior subjective synonyms of M. curvifolii (Verhoeff, 1898) and M. genezarethanum (Verhoeff, 1923) comb. nov., respectively. A neotype is designed for Chromatoiulus tenenbaumi Jawlowski, 1931 under ICZN Article 75.1. The distribution pattern of the studied group is discussed, and some preliminary phylogenetic ideas about Megaphyllum and the tribe Brachyiulini are presented.