A new East African genus of spirostreptid millipedes (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), with notes on their fungal ectoparasite Rickia gigas
Author
Enghoff, Henrik
text
Zootaxa
2017
4273
4
501
530
journal article
32891
10.11646/zootaxa.4273.4.3
0935deaf-8f18-434e-b4a0-0468cefc9577
1175-5326
803704
4CD96097-1016-47CB-8DC3-AD6E9EDA330C
Tropostreptus microcephalus
sp. nov.
Figs 2
,
7
D, 8D, 10B
Diagnosis.
A small species of
Tropostreptus
(
Fig. 2
). Differs from other species by the combination of size, the presence of two (not three) apical processes (
map
and
bh
) on the gonopodal metaplica, and the laterad direction and small size of the birdhead-shaped process
bh.
Etymology.
The name is a noun in apposition and refers to the small size of the metaplical birdhead-shaped process of this species.
Material studied
(total: 7 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀, 71 juv.)
Holotype
:
♂
TANZANIA
,
Iringa Region
,
Mahenge District
,
Udzungwa Mts
,
West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve
,
Ndundulu forest
,
07°46’S
,
36°29’E
, Waller’s camp, tropical semi-evergreen forest,
1550 m
asl
,
1– 12.i.2007
,
L. A. Hansen
& local assistants leg. (
ZMUC
).
Paratypes
:
All
from
TANZANIA
,
Iringa Region
,
Mahenge District
,
Udzungwa Mts
,
West Kilombero Scarp Forest
reserve,
Ndundulu forest
, all in
ZMUC
.
—2 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ 45 juv., data as holotype.—
1 ♂
5 ♀♀
26 juv.
same data but
xii.2006
.
-
1 ♂
same data but
Luwala
camp, semi-evergreen tropical, montane virgin forest,
1880 m
asl
,
1– 22.ii.2007
,
J. Madanga
&
L. A. Hansen
leg.
—
1 ♂
ESE
Udekwa Village
,
07°47’S
,
36°29’E
,
1750 m
asl
, in rotten wood,
viii.1993
,
L. L. Sørensen
leg.
-
1 ♂
same data but
viii.1993
,
L. L. Sørensen
leg.
—
2 ♀♀
same data but
1700 m
asl
, in rotten wood,
viii.1993
,
L. L. Sørensen
leg. (in same sample as
T. hamatus
).
Type
locality.
TANZANIA
,
Iringa Region
,
Mahenge District
,
Udzungwa Mts
,
West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve
,
Ndundulu forest
,
07°46’S
,
36°29’E
,
Waller’s
camp, tropical semi-evergreen forest,
1550 m
asl
.
Description.
SIZE (
Fig. 2
). Length ca.
8 cm
; vertical body diameter 6.0–
6.6 mm
(males), up to 8.0 mm (females); 47–55 podous rings.
COLOUR. After 9 years in alcohol: Head yellowish brown, collum yellowish brown with darker margins. Body rings yellowish from front back to ozopore, behind ozopore first blackish, then amber back to hind margin. Telson yellow. Antennae and legs yellowish brown.
SIGILLA. Arranged in one or two rows, not in a broader band as in congeners.
GONOPODS (
Figs 7
D, 8 D, 10 B). Sternum slender tounge-shaped, reaching level of tip of paracoxites. Proplica ending in blunt-triangular process (
mpl
) separated by very shallow sinus from subapico-lateral, sub-semicircular lobe (
lpl
). Metaplica in anterior view basally with gently curved ridge flanking sternum; apically with slender, straight, mesal process (
map
) separated by broad sinus from small birdhead-shaped process (
bh
); lateral “beak” of the latter short, pointed, directed laterad. Mesal process reaching further apicad than birdhead-shaped process. Telopodite shortly after emergence from coxa with long, stout, pointed, slightly sigmoid antetorsal process (
atp
); direction of process basad and slightly laterad. Telopodite distal to antetorsal process slender, simple, without outgrowths.
Distribution.
Known only from the Udzungwa Mts,
West
Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, altitudes
1550– 1750 m
asl.
Coexisting congener.
Coexisting with
T. hamatus
in the Udzungwa Mts,
West
Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve.