Dichromatobolus, Wesener, 2020

Wesener, Thomas, 2020, Dichromatobolus, a new genus of spirobolidan millipedes from Madagascar (Spirobolida, Pachybolidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 720, pp. 107-120 : 109

Dichromatobolus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2BC93D12-96E1-4ECC-B83D-44249A06E099

Type species

Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov. Monotypic.

Diagnosis

Massive, short, differs from all other known genera of Pachybolidae in matUre males being only eight times longer than wide. Coloration UniqUely differing between sexes, females grey, males red ( Fig. 1A ). Transverse ridge on mentum of gnathochilarium absent ( Fig. 4A ). Male legs with tarsal pads and unusually spinose tarsi ( Fig. 4D ). Shares anterior telopods with apical process of telopodite ( Fig. 4 E–F) with Zehntnerobolus Wesener, 2009 , from which Dichromatobolus gen. nov. differs strongly in habitUs and posterior gonopods. Simple, apically swollen posterior gonopods ( Fig. 5 A–C) are shared with Corallobolus Wesener, 2009 , from which Dichromatobolus gen. nov. differs in habitUs and anterior telopods.

Etymology

After the differences in the color pattern between the sexes, and ʻ-bolUsʼ, a common sUffix for genUs names of the Spirobolida . Masculine.

Taxonomic position

The posterior gonopods being connected by a sclerotized sternite as well as the absence of apodemes on the anterior gonopods ( Fig. 4 E–F) place Dichromatobolus gen. nov. in the suborder Trigoniulidea Attems, 1909 , family Pachybolidae . The closest relative of Dichromatobolus gen. nov. is unknown.

Remarks

There is a second potential species,> 100 mm in length, with specimens from Manongarivo, Ananambao (FMNH-INS 56254), all unfortunately female. Their wide body with short legs and grey color (all other larger Spirobolida genera on Madagascar are black/ red, Wesener et al. 2009) might indicate a relationship to Dichromatobolus gen. nov.

Figures

Fig. 1. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov. A. Living ♂ (red; FMNH-INS 55888) and ♀ (grey; FMNH-INS 55887) from Odenwald Exoten 2007 import, photo by P. Decker. B–C. Living immature ♂, 2019 import (ZFMK MYR8708), photo by L. Moritz. B. Head. C. Whole body. D–F. ♂ (ZFMK MYR8745), multi-layer photographs. D. Anterior body, lateral view; E. Leg pairs 1–7, ventral view. F. Posterior body end with telson. Abbreviations: av = paraprocts; C = lips of paraprocts; Ca = cardines; Co = collum (ring 1); Gn = gnathochilarium; Go = gonopods; IL = incisura lateralis; ms = marginal setae; P-M = parasitic(?) mites; Pre = epiproct; St = stipes; sub = hypoproct. Not to scale.

Fig. 4. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (CAS MG-54C-78), drawings. A. Gnathochilarium, ventral view. B. Second leg pair, posterior view. C. First leg pair, posterior view. D. Left midbody leg pair, posterior view. E. Anterior gonopod, anterior view. F. Anterior gonopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: cp = coxite process; cP = central pads; Cx = coxite; eP = lateral palpus; Fe = femur; iP = inner palpus; LL = lamellae lingualis; Me = mentum; Po = postfemur; Pre = prefemur; St = sternite; St-Cx = sterno-coxite; T = telopodite; Ta = tarsus; Ti = tibia; Tp = telopodite process. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 5. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (CAS MG-54C-78), left posterior gonopod, drawings. A. Anterior view. B. Posterior view. C. Detail of telopodite, posterior view. Abbreviations: Apo = apodeme; Cx = coxite; sg =efferent dUct; scl = small mesal sclerite; T = telopodite. Scale bars = 1 mm.