Plagiotaphrus improvisus ( Attems 1934 )

Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle, Slotow, Robert & Barraclough, David, 2009, A review of the taxonomy and distribution of Plagiotaphrus Attems 1914 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), Zootaxa 2304, pp. 51-60 : 55

Plagiotaphrus improvisus ( Attems 1934)

Fig. 2

Megaskamma improvisa: Attems 1934 , p. 13, figs 14–17; Synonymy by Hoffman 1971 Plagiotaphrus improvisus: Hoffman 1971

Type material (not examined): ANGOLA: 1 male, near Cuanza river, Biė District, [12 0S, 17 0 30'E], i.1932, F. Haas ( SMF 1694).

Diagnosis: Apical proplica tapering and acute, subapically produced into a large, rounded lateral lobe at the level of telopodite knee ( Fig. 2 a); antetorsal process describes a semi-circle and crosses the proplica ( Fig. 2 b).

Description: (based on Attems 1934)

Size: Maximum body width 10.5 mm.

Number of body rings: 56.

Colour: Body dark brown; legs dark red-brown.

Collum: Produced into an anterior lobe, with 3 complete folds and an incomplete fold.

Prefemoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Rounded laterally, nipple-shaped and acute apically ( Fig. 2 c).

Gonopod: ( Figs 2 a, 2b) Sternite triangular; paracoxite rounded.

Proplicae wider at level of telopodite knee; apical proplica tapering, acute and overlapping proximal lateral process. Subapical proplica extended into a setose, rounded lateral lobe ( Fig. 2 a).

Medial edge of end process convex distally.

Post-knee telopodite broad proximally, with a spiral distal to paracoxite, distal half narrows with two short branches at extremity; antetorsal processes not reaching paracoxite apex, strongly curved (describing a semicircle), extend medially and cross proplica ( Fig. 2 b).

Distribution: Known only from type locality, General Machado, central Angola.

Remarks: According to Hoffman (1971) and Krabbe (1982), the type material is in the SMF, however, the material is not in the collection. The material is said to have been sent to Krabbe in 1975 and it was not returned to the collection. Krabbe (1982) acknowledged having studied the gonopods after finding them in NHMW.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Plagiotaphrus improvisus (adapted from Attems 1934). a, oral view of gonopods; b, aboral view of gonopods; c, oral view of prefemoral lobe of first pair of male legs. Abbreviations: p, proplica; pl, proplical lobe; m, metaplica; mh, median hump; lp, lateral process; ep, end process; tp, telopodite; tl, tongue-like lobe; at, antetorsal process; pc, paracoxite; st, sternite; pfl, prefemoral lobe.