Montana Field Guide

Genus Taiyutyla: Colpocoxites simple or apically bifurcate, may bear fimbriate regions or branches, or patches of tiny microsetae about midway in length; no articulate coxal flagellum present; size of coplocoxites similar to anterior gonopods. Posterior colpocoxites of male gonopds more complex than simply consisting of long, thin structure partially sheathed at base by sternal process, posterior colpocoxites of male gonopods lacking articulated basal flagellum, anterior gonopods not flattened (more or less complex with a number of branches and processes), usually smaller than posterior gonopod colpocoxites, without lateral sternal processes, pigmented and not troglobitic, more than 10 ocelli, anterior and posterior gonopods not both two-branched, posterior gonopod colpocoxites lacking a branch of coxite partially sheathing it, animals usually > 7.0 mm in length, anterior gonopods subequal to posterior gonopod colpocoxites, anterior gonopod sternum heavily sclerotized, posterior gonpod colpocoxites frequently complexly branched, posteriomesial processes present on some or all femora (Shear 1976).

[From Loomis and Schmitt 1971; Shear 1976] Taiyutyla curvata: Length 9.8 mm, lateral keels not strongly projecting (at most moderate swellings of lateral surface), dorsal setae long and slender with the inner one curved dorsocaudad on segments 6-27 or 28. Head with about 22 ocelli in 4 rows, forming a subtriangular group. Antennae long and slender, joints increasing in length as follows: 1, 6 and 7 subequal, 2, 4, 5, 3. Gnathochilarium with subtriangular mentum transversely depressed near middle. Male legs 1 and 2 reduced in size, pairs 3-7 enlarged and decreasing in size posteriorly, legs 3-5 with basal four joints crassate, the 4th joint of leg 5 with a large conic process below, a much smaller one on leg 4, none on legs 3, 6, 7, the latter two pairs of legs less crassate than the three preceding pairs but heavier than the postgenital pairs which are very slender, the outer joint especially so and nearly as long as joints 3 and 4 combined. Coxae of legs 10 thick and with protruding sacks. Legs 11 with a long, slender and acute tybercle curving ventromesad from the ventrocaudal face of joint 3.

Little information. Adults collected mid-June (Loomis and Schmitt 2011) and mid-October (MTNHP collections).

The only Taiyutyla milliped in Montana. Related to T. trifurca but differs in the form of the posterior gonopod colpocoxites, which are stongly curved.

Coniferous forest; under canopy including western red cedar, grand fir, paper birch, alder (MTNHP).