taxonID	type	description	language	source
CB10DA05FFA4FFF6A7B1FA921AFD72BA.taxon	description	is the only family in which either tergum 3 or both terga 3 and 4 can be enlarged (Fig. 2). Conglobation implies that the lateralmost, narrowed parts of the paraterga of several segments both subsequent to and in front of the broadest segment (3 or 4) are hidden under the latter. Starting from body segment 4 or 5, the lateral, subacuminate end of each subsequent paratergum is hidden under and behind the previous one, thus displaying an overlap pattern which can be termed typical. The telson usually is flattened, with a fully exposed, broad, plate-like epiproct; during complete volvation of the animal it is tightly oppressed to the dorsal side of body segment 5 or 6. This family is characterised, among other things, by long and slender antennae and legs (Figs 3, 4); antennomere 5 is longer and often larger than antennomere 6; the paraterga are very prominent and relatively simple (Fig. 3), the dorsum is smooth to roughly tuberculate, the ozopores are very small to missing; the tergal limbus is evident but nearly smooth; the gonopod aperture is transversely oval and modest in size; the gonopods are simple to relatively complex (Figs 5, 6), highly variable but subcylindrical coxae nearly always have a sternal rudiment, the cannula is normal to hypertrophied basally. The body is usually medium-sized and 15 – 35 mm long. Further structural details can be found in Hoffman (1982 b 1990) and Simonsen (1990). Nearly completely volvated members of the subfamily Desmoninae are depicted in Shelley (2000). Sphaeriodesmids currently comprise 14 – 15 genera and about 90 described species, but the actual diversity exceeds 200 species (Hoffman 1990; Hoffman et al. 2002). The family is endemic to Central America and the Greater Antilles, ranging from between north of Panama to Missouri and Kentucky in the USA. What seems particularly remarkable is that this family still comprises at least one genus and species, the cave-dwelling Mexican Proeilodesmus mecistonyx Hoffman, 1990, that is apparently not capable of volvation (cp. Figs 3 & 4). Most of the characters of this creature seem plesiomorphic and suggest a link between a presumed flat-bodied chelodesmidean ancestor and the remaining, convex, truly volvatory members of the family (Hoffman 1990). In Sphaeriodesminae, the prozona are reduced to virtually absent ventrally, paralleling the situation in Oniscomorpha, but in Desmoninae, a group of Sphaeriodesmidae, the prozona are about the same length all the way around. Desmonines thus resemble a flattened oblate spheroid (= disc) rather than a true sphere as in species of Sphaeriodesmus Peters, 1864. Being about 15 mm wide, S. mexicanus (De Saussure, 1859), from Mexico, is probably the largest polydesmidan currently known to roll up. The phylogenetic relations of the Sphaeriodesmidae seem particularly close to the Holistophallidae, a small group endemic to Central America and incapable of volvation (Hoffman 1980 1982 b; Hoffman et al. 2002). In all other ‘ oniscoid’ polydesmidan families, it is only the second tergum that is more or less enlarged and adapted for volvation. In addition, the antennae, and usually the legs, are relatively short; the latter are sometimes separated to a varying degree, even on the same body segment (Fig. 42).	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFA2FFF5A7B1FB151905755A.taxon	description	is monogeneric, with all 7 – 8 species of the single accepted genus Campodesmus Cook, 1896, from tropical West Africa. These species are mediumsized (28 – 38 mm long), dark, with more or less strongly tuberculate metaterga and modestly deflexed paraterga, so that the usually dentate lateral edge of paraterga is nearly at the same level as the sterna (Schiøtz 1966). The modestly enlarged paratergum 2 is devoid of any special structures except a rather shallow caudolateral emargination for the accomodation of the anterolateral parts of the moderately deflexed subsequent paraterga. This structure suggests incomplete or imperfect volvation (Figs 8, 9), and also implies a typical pattern of overlap. Direct observations confirm enrolment into a partial coil, a flattened oblate spheroid, rather than a true ball (Hoffman 1982 b). The telson is ‘ polydesmoid’ in the sense that it is typical of non-volvatory Polydesmida (cf. Hoffman 1982 b), i. e. fully exposed from above, with normal, large paraprocts (= anal valves) and a considerable hypoproct (= subanal scale), though the epiproct is strongly flattened and somewhat tuberculate. Nothing can be gained from available literature, as to opposite which body segment the telson of a completely coiled animal might rest. Yet, during the volvation, which can certainly be regarded as imperfect, especially when the collum and subsequent terga are armed with conspicuous tubercles, the flattened epiproct may be assumed to reach only as far as the collum or at most another of the few anteriormost terga. Among the characters of Campodesmidae that attest to the group’s chelodesmidean stock, the gonopod structure is the most basic (Hoffman 1980 1982 b). This involves a large, transversely oval gonopod aperture containing elongate, subcylindrical coxae, loosely connected by a membrane, each coxa with a normal cannula; an elongate telopodite coiled distally, with a more or less strong protuberance medially at the base of the femorite (Figs 10, 11). The pore formula is incomplete, with ozopores only present on paraterga 5 and 7. The rough metaterga are often covered with a soil crust, and the cuticle is finely granular. Antennomere 5 is longer than antennomere 6. The male coxa 2 bears a considerable distomedian process carrying the gonopore orifice; this trait is generally characteristic of the suborder Chelodesmidea. Further structural details of the family can be found in Schiøtz (1966) and Hoffman (1982 b). Interestingly, tergum 2 in some congeners seems somewhat more incrassate than in others, e. g. Campodesmus dilobatus (Schiøtz, 1966) (Fig. 8). The affinities of Campodesmidae within the Chelodesmidea are not entirely clear. According to Hoffman (1982 b), not only Sphaeriodesmidae and Holistophallidae (cf. Hoffman 1980), but also Campodesmidae can be assigned to the superfamily Sphaeriodesmoidea.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFA1FFFBA7CBFCF519A4747A.taxon	description	is a relatively small family currently comprising 13 largely monobasic genera (Zhang & Wang 1993). The volvation pattern is much more advanced, and this is apparently related to the particularly enlarged paraterga 2. A narrow flange or ledge (= hyposchism, as accepted in Oniscomorpha, Fig. 1, H) near the rear margin of the broadest paratergum 2, beneath and behind a series of more or less tuberculiform lobules (= suture, = schism, Fig. 1, S), appears specially designed to accommodate paratergum 3. The latter, in turn, shows a similar but even narrower flange for the anterolateral part of paratergum 4 to hinge into. The same concerns paratergum 4 and its hyposchism, which is specially designed for the receipt of the anterolateral portion of paratergum 5. Then the pattern changes so that the anterolateral portion of each paratergum subsequent to the fifth is placed beneath the caudal margin of the previous paratergum (Figs 12, 15). In other words, there is no hyposchism on the paraterga of body segments 5 – 18 (19), hence the overlap is switched to typical, starting from body segment 5. Conglobation is tight and the coil is definitely complete. The telson is normal but is usually tuberculate, ‘ polydesmoid’, and with a fully exposed and conspicuous epiproct. During complete volvation of the animal the telson is tightly oppressed to the dorsal side of body segment 4 (when the following metaterga are provided with larger mid-dorsal protuberances, Figs 15, 16), or 5 or 6 (when all metaterga are devoid of stronger mid-dorsal processes, Fig. 12). This family is characterised, amongst other things, by the prominent and relatively complex paraterga. The latter are always more or less strongly lobulated to incised at the lateral margin (Figs 12, 15); the dorsum is more or less roughly tuberculate, and certain metaterga in some species have particularly prominent mid-dorsal tubercles or crests (Figs 15, 16). The ozopores are very small to missing; the gonopod aperture is transversely oval and large (Fig. 13); the gonopods (Figs 13, 14) vary from simple to relatively complex, the telopodite is invariably elongate, the prefemoral portion is small, the coxae are subtriangular and fully fused along the midline, and each has a normal cannula; antennomere 6 is longer and larger than antennomere 5; the body is usually relatively small, 6 – 15 mm long and the limbus is present and dentate-spatulate. Further structural details can be found in Hoffman (1977 1982 a 1982 b 1990) and Simonsen (1990). Certain observations of the volvation pattern are provided by Hoffman (1977). The family is endemic to south-east Asia (with Yunnan, China and southern Japan being the northernmost records), the Indo-Australian archipelago and New Guinea. Following both Hoffman (1980 1982 b) and Simonsen (1990), based on the gonopod structure, the relationships of Doratodesmidae are deemed particularly close to the Indo-Australian family Haplodesmidae, a small group often displaying enlarged paraterga 2, but not capable of volvation.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFAFFFF9A7CBFDD51901773A.taxon	description	as currently defined (Hoffman 1980 1982 b; Simonsen 1990) contains eight or nine nominal genera, all in South and / or Central America. Most genera are monobasic, only the southernmost Crypturodesmus Silvestri, 1897 (Brazil and Argentina) is relatively species-rich. The conglobation pattern is similar to the previous case, but it varies even between genera. The spatulate, rounded, strongly enlarged lateral pieces of paraterga 2, sometimes (Detodesmus Cook, 1896) have a distinctly elevated anterior margin and a narrowed and flattened dorsum (the latter often angular at the bases of paraterga, Figs 26, 27), and they always possess a narrow hyposchism behind a lobuliform schism. This is small in Amphitomeus Verhoeff, 1942 (Figs 24, 25), with a typical overlap of the subsequent paraterga. During complete volvation the lateral ends of several paraterga subsequent to the second, rest over a narrow rim of the latter (cf. Golovatch et al. 2002). In Crypturodesmus (Fig. 17), the caudolateral margin of paratergum 3 is very strongly emarginate or sinuate for the accommodation of the anterolateral portion of paratergum 4, but posterior to this the overlap is typical, with the lateral ends of several paraterga subsequent to the fourth likewise resting over a narrow rim of paratergum 2. The telson tends to become reduced. In Amphitomeus (Figs 28 – 30), the only 19 - segmented oniscodesmid genus, the telson is still evidently exposed in dorsal view (Figs 29, 31), although the epiproct is short and strongly flattened (Fig. 30) (cf. Golovatch et al. 2002). In Crypturodesmus, the telson in dorsal aspect is completely hidden under the medially fused paraterga of the penultimate body segment (Fig. 18). In both cases, in a completely enrolled animal, a pygidium-like caudal body end rests tightly oppressed to the region of segments 2 – 5. The family is characterised by small to medium-sized species (3 – 22 mm long). The tergal surface is usually polished, but sometimes finely microgranular or scaly (Amphitomeus, Fig. 25); the metaterga are often (Fig. 17) but not always tuberculate, or infrequently areate along the rear tergal margin behind a transverse sulcus or depression (Oniscodesmus, Detodesmus and some others), and only rarely almost smooth (Amphitomeus). The paraterga are sometimes lobulate or crenulate at the lateral edge (Crypturodesmus, Figs 18, 19), and they are rarely incised at the base both anteriorly and, especially deeply, posteriorly (Amphitomeus, Figs 24, 25). The tergal limbus is (nearly) missing; antennomere 5 is longer and larger than antennomere 6; the pore formula is usually complete and normal, but the ozopores are small, and open flush on the surface near the base of the respective paraterga and more rarely the ozopores are absent altogether (Crypturodesmus); the legs are relatively slender; the gonopod aperture is transversely oval to subcordate (Fig. 19) and relatively large; the gonopod coxae are relatively small, subglobose, fused medially, largely sunken inside the aperture, and with normal cannulae; the telopodite is suberect, and the setose prefemoral part is always substantial (Figs 19, 32). This family is deemed to be particularly closely related to the Dorsoporidae (Hoffman 1980 1982 b), while Simonsen (1990) has even merged both into a single family Oniscodesmidae. For practical reasons, however, Dorsoporus Loomis, 1958 does deserve a separate treatment.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFADFFF9A7CBFD551BD173FA.taxon	description	is an oligotypic family with three genera and several species in tropical Africa (Hoffman & Howell 1981; Van den Spiegel, in prep.). They are all so minute (2 – 5 mm long) that, when coiled and dusted with earth, these animals resemble a grain of sand (Cook 1896). The conglobation pattern in the East African Elassystremma Hoffman & Howell, 1981 appears to be very much like in Doratodesmidae, but the overlap only becomes typical from paratergum 4 onwards (Figs 22, 33). The telson is likewise normal, ‘ polydesmoid’, and evident from above. The epiproct is flattened, conspicuous, sometimes tuberculate (Fig. 33), and during complete volvation of the animal it is tightly oppressed to the dorsal side of body segment 5 or 6. The body teguments are usually rough; the metaterga are more or less strongly tuberculate, and the paraterga are rounded laterally, usually somewhat incised or sinuate anteriorly and caudally at their base (Figs 22, 33); the ozopores are small, poorly visible, and they open flush on the surface of the paraterga below the caudobasal incision; the ozopore formula seems to be somewhat abbreviated: 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17 – 18 (19) (Fig. 33), and sometimes ozopores seem to be missing; the tergal limbus is evident and is dentate; antennomere 5 is longer and larger than antennomere 6 (Fig. 22); the legs are rather slender but short (Fig. 23); the gonopod aperture is transversely oval and large; the gonocoxae are extremely large and subtriangular, with normal cannulae which are strongly exposed; the gonocoxae are fused and hollow medially and often enlarged laterally so that the more or less slender telopodites are nearly fully concealed inside the gonocoel (Figs 23, 34) (Hoffman & Howell 1981; Van den Spiegel, in prep.). The only qualification to be noted here is that it still remains to be proven if both West African genera, Ammodesmus Cook, 1896 and Cenchrodesmus Cook, 1896, are indeed confamilial with Elassystremma (cf. Hoffman & Howell 1981).	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFADFFF9A7CBFE951C5674FA.taxon	description	is a monotypic taxon, with Dorsoporus barroensis Loomis, 1958, from Panama, characterised by the ozopores located on small knobs above the base of the paraterga (Fig. 7, OZ) and, somewhat like in Amphitomeus (Fig. 25), by a longitudinal sulcus setting off the posterior half of the paraterga from the rest of the metaterga. The body segments are smooth, polished, the telson is somewhat reduced, the epiproct is flat, rounded at the caudal edge, yet quite visible in dorsal view, while the legs are rather long and slender (Loomis 1958). As no male material of Dorsoporus has hitherto become available, it appears impossible to add anything to Hoffman et al. (2002), who still provisionally keep this family separate. The volvation pattern distinctly implies one of a typical oniscodesmid like Amphitomeus, with a narrow hyposchism of paratergum 2 apparently receiving the lateral ends of several following paraterga which apparently show a typical overlap (Fig. 7). A possible reallocation of Dorsoporus within the Sphaeriodesmoidea, as once suggested by Hoffman (1982 b), is thus unlikely.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFADFFFFA7CBFA55193A75FA.taxon	description	is yet another small family containing only three accepted genera, two of which are oligotypic (Oncodesmella Kraus, 1960, 2 species, and Agnurodesmus Silvestri, 1910, 4 species), and one which is rather more prolific (Cyrtodesmus Cook, 1896, about 25 species) (Golovatch 2001). The family occurs on the island of Tobago, Central America from Costa Rica southwards, and northern South America southwards to Amazonia. Volvation is either imperfect (Agnurodesmus), this being testified by the relatively short paraterga being only slightly deflexed ventrad below the level of sterna, or complete (Cyrtodesmus, probably also Oncodesmella). In the former case, the pattern is much like in Campodesmidae, with a strongly enlarged paratergum 2 which is emarginate caudolaterally for the accommodation of the anterolateral protuberance of paratergum 3. The latter is also strongly emarginate caudolaterally. There is neither a schism nor a hyposchism on paratergum 2, but starting from paratergum 3 the overlap is typical. The only peculiarity is that the broadened, dentate or crenulate paraterga show a lunular flange anteriorly and a caudal protuberance caudolaterally, with the latter fitting in the former of the next paratergum during volvation (Fig. 37). In contrast, conglobation in Cyrtodesmus involves the development of a lobuliform schism and a narrow hyposchism in a typically roundly spatuliform paratergum 2, and of a subacuminate, not broadened, end of each subsequent paratergum (Fig. 20). The overlap is retained in the typical form. This condition strongly resembles that of Amphitomeus among Oniscodesmidae. Also as in Oniscodesmidae, the telson in cyrtodesmids tends to be reduced, being fully concealed under the paraterga of the penultimate body segment in Agnurodesmus (Fig. 39). In a completely enrolled Cyrtodesmus species, the small, somewhat pygidiumlike telson is fully exposed in dorsal view, the tip of the epiproct is nearly fully hidden underneath, and the entire caudal body end (Fig. 21) appears to rest on top of body segment 4. In Agnurodesmus siolii Golovatch, 2001, it is placed on top of metatergum 5 or 6. The above progression is more or less paralleled by a trend towards the complication of gonopod structure, from the relatively small gonocoxae and strongly exposed telopodites in Oncodesmella, to the strongly enlarged coxae and shield-like structures protecting the remaining parts inside the gonocoel in Agnurodesmus. Based on structural details, the genus Agnurodesmus can soundly be considered as especially disjunct. This opinion agrees with biogeographical evidence as well (Golovatch 2001). Even though volvation in this genus appears incomplete, its pattern is unique among all ‘ oniscoid’ Polydesmida. Even amongst Cyrtodesmus species there is one, C. bicolor Loomis, 1964, from Panama, in which, due to the much smaller paratergal lobes of the second segment, only incomplete volvation can be suggested (Loomis 1964), i. e. a kind of ‘ plesiomorphic’ status like that of Proeilodesmus as opposed to Sphaeriodesmus in Sphaeriodesmidae. Hoffman (1999) lists C. bicolor among Cyrtodesmidae of uncertain generic position. Among the other traits characteristic of Cyrtodesmidae, the usually blackish to piceous teguments with contrastingly pinkish antennae deserve mention. The body is relatively small (5 – 20 mm long), the teguments are rough (Figs 20, 21, 37 – 40), the metaterga are always tuberculate and often setose; the epicranial region is granulorugose (Fig. 41), the limbus is crenulate / dentate; antennomere 5 is usually but not always longer and larger than antennomere 6 (Fig. 41); the pore formula is usually but not always normal; the legs are relatively short and stout (Fig. 42); and the solenomere is always branched (Figs 43, 44). Further characteristics can be found in Golovatch (2001). Many of the traits in Cyrtodesmidae, however, appear to be shared with the definitely closely related but very large and diverse family Pyrgodesmidae.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFABFFFEA7CBFC551A4D73F5.taxon	description	The monobasic genus	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFABFFFEA7CBFC551A4D73F5.taxon	description	with the single small species H. orophura Attems, 1900, from a few of the larger granitic islands of the Seychelle Archipelago, has long attracted attention as another superficially ‘ oniscoid’ polydesmidan still without clear family placement (Hoffman 1982 a; Golovatch & Korsós 1992; Golovatch 2001). This genus and species has repeatedly been assigned to or compared with such different families as Oniscodesmidae, Pyrgodesmidae, Cyrtodesmidae or Doratodesmidae, with the latest return to Pyrgodesmidae on the basis of a typically pyrgodesmid-like tergal lobulation pattern and, above all, the gonopod conformation (Golovatch 2001). In H. orophura, in addition to the fairly detailed descriptions by Attems (1900 1940), the vertigial region of the head is granulorugose but not elevated; the collum is rather convex, somewhat enlarged, yet failing to cover the head from above (Fig. 35), and with a clearly elevated anterior rim showing an indistinct pattern of 6 + 6 lobulations. Tergum 2 is evidently, but not too dramatically, hypertrophied, with each of its paraterga deeply trilobate, andenlarged laterad (Fig. 35). The paraterga of body segments 3 and 4 are deeply bilobed, subsequent quadri- (pore-bearing segments) or trilobulate (poreless segments) laterally. The terga are generally very strongly convex but the paraterga are modestly broad, ending a little above the level of the sterna. The limbus is bacilliferous; the ozopores are normally located on low knobs and the pore formula is normal; the metatergal surface is rough, granular, very finely pilose, with the tuberculation rather poorly differentiated but the pattern typically pyrgodesmid, and this is especially evident toward the telson, which is fully concealed in dorsal view; the gonopods in situ are strongly sunken, flattened dorsoventrally, rather poorly exposed in lateral view, and the coxae are rather strongly hypertrophied (Fig. 36), completely hiding the relatively stout and complex telopodites inside a gonocoel; a solenomere branch is evident (Fig. 36). Volvation can definitely be postulated as incomplete. The overlap is typical, starting from paraterga 4 onwards, i. e. as in Elassystremma except for the enlarged tergum 2 lacking any schism-like structures.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFAAFFFDA7B1FA54197970BA.taxon	description	Direct field observations (Mesibov 2002) confirmed very poor volvatory capacities in still another enigmatic genus,	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
CB10DA05FFAAFFFDA7B1FA54197970BA.taxon	description	from Tasmania (Figs 45, 46). Both known species are small (5 – 6 mm long), showing a roughened vertex, an enlarged, cap-shaped, anteriorly non-lobulated collum which largely conceals the head from above (Fig. 46); metatergum 2 is rather strongly enlarged and is devoid of a schism but, as usual, it supports the anterolateral part of tergum 3; each metatergum subsequent to the second has numerous (5 – 6) transverse rows of uniform, low, setigerous tubercles; the ozopore formula is (nearly) normal, and each ozopore opens flush on the surface dorsal to a lobulated edge of the paratergum; the paraterga are strongly declined ventrad, yet they fail to reach the level of the sterna; antennomere 6 is the longest and largest (Fig. 46); the limbus is bacillary, upright, and prominent; the telson is ‘ polydesmoid’, and the epiproct is conical, and readily visible from above (Fig. 45); the legs are rather stout, especially so in males, but otherwise unmodified (Fig. 46) (Mesibov 2002). The volvation is remarkable in being devoid of any switch to a typical pattern. Instead it remains the same from tergum 3 onwards, whence the anterior part of the paratergum rests on top of, not beneath, the caudolateral part of the previous paratergum. The overlap is thus simple, apparently plesiomorphic (Fig. 45), and totally different from the more specialised patterns observed in more readily or truly volvatory Polydesmida. The genus Asphalidesmus has provisionally been referred to Haplodesmidae (Mesibov 2002). Indeed, superficially these animals look very much like true haploor pyrgodesmids, or Hyperothrix. However, the genitalic structure of Asphalidesmus is quite characteristic of that of Dalodesmidea, Dalodesmoidea, but maybe not of Dalodesmidae, because the sphaeriotrichomes typical of dalodesmids are missing. As in all other Dalodesmoidea so exemplary of the Southern Hemisphere, the gonopod aperture is ovoid, relatively small, and fully containing and concealing the small, medially fused, contiguous gonocoxae crowned with suberect, distally 2 - branched, simple, medially contiguous but not fused telopodites, with hypertrophied prefemoral parts (Fig. 46). An allocation of Asphalidesmus to Vaalogonopodidae, a small Southern African dalodesmoid group comprising four genera (of which only three are described, cf. Hoffman 1982 b) likewise devoid of sphaerotrichomes, is not likely. Indeed, in contrast to Dalodesmidae, Vaalogonopodidae are rather pyrgodesmid-like in appearance, and all are mediumsized (10 – 20 mm long). Their hypertrophied, anteriorly lobed or scalloped collum conceals the head from above; the metatergal tuberculation is regular and somewhat differentiated; some ozopores are borne on porosteles placed at the lateral edge; the paraterga are relatively small and modestly declined ventrad and lobed laterally; the telson is strongly flattened dorsoventrally; and the gonopod coxae are somewhat better separated etc. (Verhoeff 1940; Schubart 1956). Asphalidesmus is distinguished by the collum and tergum 2 being relatively modestly developed; the paraterga are very strong and prominently declined ventrad; the ozopores open inside flat craters located far off the paratergal lateral edge, and are never borne on porosteles; the telson is rather ‘ polydesmoid’, the epiproct is subcylindrical, not flattened; the metatergal tuberculation is dense, uniform, setigerous; and the gonopod coxae as well as the telopodites are virtually contiguous medially, etc. (Mesibov 2002). In general, as the classification of Dalodesmidea is perhaps the most controversial within the entire order Polydesmida (cf. Hoffman 1980; Simonsen 1990), no family placement of Asphalidesmus is attempted here as this would apparently be premature.	en	Golovatch, Sergei I. (2003): A review of the volvatory Polydesmida, with special reference to the patterns of volvation (Diplopoda). African Invertebrates 44 (1): 39-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7664731
