Julus

Abstract: The four species of the C. truncorum-group are reviewed: Cylindroiulus truncorum (Silvestri, 1896), C. parisiorum (Brolemann & Verhoeff, 1896), C. bellus (Lignau, 1903) and C. arborum Verhoeff, 1928. Male gonopods and female vulvae of each species are fully described and illustrated. Non-sexual characters such as developmental stadia, numbers of segments and anal setae, and metazonital sculpture, are also discussed. A key to the species is given, and a new synonymy: C. costatus Verhoeff, 1941 = C. bellus (Lignau, 1903), is established. As an addendum, Julus luscus Meinert, 1868 is reconsidered, and a lectotype is designated.

Abstract: In a former paper I traced the development of Julus terrestris from the ovum within the ovary up to the bursting of the shell and the liberation of the young animal on the twelfth day. In the present paper I propose to take the different organs one by one, and to describe their development. This different way of treating the subject seemed to me to be the best: firstly, on account of the difficulty of describing a long and complicated development like that undergone by Julus in its larval life by dividing the history of its growth into periods of time; and, secondly, on account of the nature of the work which has hitherto been done upon this subject. The two most important works bearing on the subject of my paper are those of Newport (13)* and Metschnikoff (12). The former has observed the general development of Julus terrestris , and has given us a most accurate and full description of the external features of the young animals at various stages, from the time of hatching almost up to the adult condition.

Abstract: The first millipede recorded from Libya was a male julid, described by Karsch (1881) from Jebel Tarrhuna, Bir Milrba as Julus rimosus Karsch, 1881. The original description of rimosus was mainly based on coloration. The gonopods were however briefly described as brown, with a long yellow curved thread (“corpore genital fusco, filo flavo, curvato, longo”). Karsch (1881) additionally provided two figures illustrating the telson and gonopods (figs 4, 4b) with a remark stating that the species is similar to Julus lapidarius, 1846 (now Ommatoiulus lapidarius ) of which only females were hitherto described by Lucas (1846). Subsequently, Silvestri (1896) providing a comprehensive list of all myriapods of Tunisia, presented an overview of North African fauna and proposed new synonymies for several species. Among these, Silvestri (1896) considered Julus rimosus as a junior synonym of Julus lapidarius Lucas, 1846 (now Ommatoiulus lapidarius ). Silvestri (1896: 160) was obviously not sure about the identity of rimosus , except that he was convinced that the gonopods, as illustrated by Karsch (1881), definitely were not representative of an ‘ Julus ’ species: “Karsch described J. rimosus and provided at the same time an illustration of the male copulatory organ, but what the devil he mistook for this organ I cannot say. It is certain that that figure cannot even be remotely representative of Julus . Fortunately I was able to examine the individuals of Julus he determined as J. rimosus and I found that this species is none other than J. lapidarius Lucas” (translated from Italian).