The taxonomic position of Antrogonodesmus (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Chondrodesmini).

The re-examination of specimens of Antrogonodesmus curiosus suggests that this previously wtplaced genus is referable to the tribe Chondrodesmini despite the lack of any insights how its ancestral stock arrived at a site so distant from the distributional center of the taxon. From the time of its original description in 1959, the monotypic genus Antrogonodesmus has been recognized as a distinctly alien element in the rnilliped fauna of Cuba. The inaugural commentary about the genus stated its differences from two other confarnilial Cuban taxa (Amphelicton and Cubodesmus), and emphasized the singular deep apical cavity of the gonopod prefemur from which the generic name was derived. But while no lines of obvious affinity elsewhere in the Chelodesmidae were identified, several possibilities were denied and Antrogonodesmus started life a mystery. Although personal familiarity with "mainland" chelodesmids has increased greatly during the past 45 years, and substantial progress realized in the definition of tribes in the Neotropical fauna, the Antillean components have been essentially neglected. My 1980 Classification referred them without comment to the category "Chelodesmine genera not yet assigned to tribe" and two decades later the Checklist of the mil/iped~ of North and Middle America (1999) simply repeated that evasion slightly reworded: "Chelodesrnid genera without tribal assignment." Scanned with permission by the Virginia Tech Insect Systematics Group 2014 (www.jointedlegs.org)