Recovery of the family status of Pericambalidae Silvestri, 1909, stat. nov. (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Cambalidea), with a revision of the genera and species from China

Abstract

The millipede subfamily Pericambalinae Silvestri, 1909 is poorly understood and the taxonomic status remains controversial. Pericambalinae was regarded as either a subfamily of Cambalopsidae or an independent family. To address this issue, we conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis and a morphological revision, and the genera and species from China are also revised. The results support the recovery of the family status, Pericambalidae, stat. nov. The morphological differences between Bilingulus Zhang & Li, 1981 and Parabilingulus Zhang & Li, 1981 are shown to be caused by post-embryonic development (anamorphosis and non-systemic metamorphosis) and both of these should be junior synonyms of Pericambala Silvestri, 1909 (Pericambala = Bilingulus, syn. nov. = Parabilingulus, syn. nov.). Three new combinations are proposed: Pericambala simplicia (Mauriès & Nguyen Duy-Jacquemin, 1997), comb. nov., Pericambala aramula (Zhang & Li, 1981), comb. nov. and Pericambala sinica (Zhang & Li, 1981), comb. nov. The mature specimens of Pericambala simplicia, comb. nov. and Pericambala aramula, comb. nov. were collected from the type localities and are described for the first time. A new species, Pericambala cordata, sp. nov. is described. After revision, Pericambalidae contains two genera and six species with one genus and four species recorded from China. Due to a deficiency in outgroup sampling, the phylogenetic status of Pericambalidae in the suborder Cambalidea remains uncertain. Variation of the gnathochilarium in Cambalidea is discussed and a key to the species of Pericambala in China is also provided. This research lays a foundation for further revision of Cambalidea in the future. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BDA46BCE-102B-45FE-A963-47F029A09E76.