Biology:Quatuordillo

Quatuordillo is a genus of woodlice belonging to the family Armadillidae. This genus was described in 2014 by Stefano Taiti. The type specimen for this species is a Quatuordillo caecus from Western Australia, and it is the only species in this genus.

Description

This genus has a very convex body with vertical epimera. They are able to fully conglobate. They have one line of noduli laterales per side on their thoracic segments. Their cephalon has a large frontal shield that slightly protrudes past the end of the head. Their first thoracic segment has a groove on the lateral margin and a schisma at posterolateral corner. The epimera of their second thoracic segments has large subtriangular ventral lobes that are obliquely directed. Their telson is hourglass-shaped. Their antennae are short and stout with flagellum made up of two articles (segments). Their mandibles consist of several short setae that arise from a single stem. Their pleopods are overlapping, and are all visible in ventral view. The exopods on their 1-4 thoracic segments have monospiracular covered lungs, and the exopod on segment 5 does not have respiratory structures. Their uropod have elongated protopods and small exopods inserted dorsally, near the medial margin.

Distribution

This genus has only been described from caves in Western Australia.

Species

• Quatuordillo caecus Taiti, 2014

Etymology

The genus name Quatuordillo is derived from the Latin Quatuor meaning "four" and the suffix -dillo, a common ending for Oniscidae species. The name refers to the four pairs of lungs in the pleopods.

References

Wikidata ☰ Q107258482 entry