Kophosphaera excavata

Wesener, Thomas, 2015, The Giant Pill-Millipedes of Nepal (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Zephroniidae) *, Zootaxa 3964 (3), pp. 301-320 : 312

The Kophosphaera excavata species-group

Species included:

K. excavata ( Butler, 1874) K. shivapuri new species K. martensi new species

Comments. A few characters shared by all species of the group are listed below, first, to shorten the descriptions and redescriptions of the respective species, and secondly, to point out important morphological characters that should be studied when additional species of Kophosphaera are described or redescribed in the future.

Description. Sensilla of gnathochilarium in single field.

Male anal shield bell-shaped, posterior-most point drawn out (Fig. ??). Surface of anal shield covered with tiny sensory setae standing in small pits, otherwise surface shiny and polished. Underside with single long black locking carina on each side. Carina located close to anal shield margin.

Endotergum inner section covered with numerous long setae. Between inner section and ridge, one row of large circular cuticular impressions ( Fig. 2 D). Externally, one or two regular rows of marginal bristles, bristles short, rarely protruding up to tergite margin.

Podomere 2 of posterior telopod wide, only slightly tapering apically ( Fig. 7 E).

Figures

FIGURE 2. SEM of tergites or endoterga of different Zephronia and Kophosphaera species. A: Zephronia montana (Karsch, 1881), ZMB 55, tergite surface; B: Zephronia nepalensis n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum; C: Kophosphaera politissima Attems, 1935, ZFMK MYR 4176, endotergum; D: K. shivapuri n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum; E: K. martensi n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum.

FIGURE 7. Kophosphaera excavata (Butler, 1874), male lectotype, NHML BM 1874.51. A: left leg 9, posterior view; B: left half of anterior telopod, anterior view; C: left anterior telopod, podomeres 2 – 4, lateral view; D: right posterior telopod, anterior view; E: right posterior telopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: IH = position of inner horns; Syn = syncoxite; numbers refer to podomere. Scale bars = 1 mm.