A review of the millipedes (Diplopoda) of Namibia, with identification keys and descriptions of two new genera and five new species
Author
Vohland, Katrin
Author
Hamer, Michelle
text
African Invertebrates
2013
2013-06-30
54
1
251
251
journal article
2305-2562
6B95969B-485A-4E3F-9FBE-4F992A5F2DC5
Genus
Spirostreptus
Brandt, 1833
Spirostreptus
:
Brandt 1833: 203
;
Pocock 1894: 388
;
Hoffman
et al.
2001: 37
; Hoffman 2008: 172;
Mwabvu
et al.
2009: 38
.
Triaenostreptus
Attems, 1914
a
: 149
; 1928: 363; Schubart 1966: 116; Hoffmann 1971: 210;
Krabbe 1982: 279
; Hamer 1998: 52; 1999: 7. Synonymised by
Hoffman
et al
. (2001)
.
Type
species:
Spirostreptus sebae
Brandt, 1833
, by subsequent designation of
Pocock (1894)
.
Diagnosis:A large lateral lobe present on lateral lamella of gonocoxite (
Fig. 52
,
lal
), and apical region of lateral lamella broadly rounded (
Figs 52, 53
). Origin of femoral process of telopodite concealed under apex of median lamella. Femoral process unmodified, with smooth edges (
Fig 52
,
fp
). Post-knee region of telopodite coiled or spiralled proximally, becoming lamellate before narrowing distally into a long thin extension with a trifurcate ending.
Distribution: Known from southern Africa (
Angola
,
Botswana
,
Democratic Republic of Congo
,
Mozambique
,
Namibia
,
South Africa
,
Zambia
and
Zimbabwe
) (
Mwabvu
et al.
2009
).
Remarks: The true identity of
Spirostreptus
remained unclear from 1833 until 2001. The
type
species (
S. sebae
) was described from a single female specimen that was not examined by taxonomists, who subsequently assigned hundreds of species to the genus.
Hoffman
et al
. (2001)
used somatic characters to match the female
type
to
Triaenostreptus petersi
(Karsch, 1881)
from
Mozambique
and
Zimbabwe
, and this species was synonymised with
S. sebae
. In addition to the
type
species, the genus currently includes
S. heros
Porat, 1872
,
S. kruegeri
(Attems, 1928)
,
S. tripartitus
(
Cook & Collins, 1893
)
,
S. unciger
(Attems, 1928)
and
S. batokensis
Mwabvu, 2009
. The generic position of the other species previously assigned to
Spirostreptus
remains largely unresolved.
Some of the largest millipede species found in southern Africa are in this genus.