Identity of the millipede genus Jaxartes Verhoeff, 1930 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Polydesmidae), with descriptions of two new species from Central Asia

Abstract

Based on new samples of Jaxartes Verhoeff, 1930 from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as the syntypes of J. zachvatkini Verhoeff, 1930, the identity of this heretofore monotypic genus is clarified and it is shown to be a senior synonym of the genus Turanodesmus Lohmander, 1933, syn.n. Two new species are described, i.e. J. communicans sp.n. from Turkmenistan and J. reductus sp.n. from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The following nine formal transfers are made: J. almassyi (Attems, 1904), J. cornutus (Spelda, Golovatch et Meidell, 1998), J. cynodon (Spelda, Golovatch et Meidell, 1998), J. elevatus (Lohmander, 1933), J. expressus (Golovatch, 1979), J. inermis (Lohmander, 1933), J. stummeri (Attems, 1904) and J. tenuis (Golovatch, 1979), all comb.n. ex Turanodesmus and all from Central Asia. A distribution map of all species of the genus Jaxartes is given.