Agrophogonus Hoffman, 2005

Olsen, Sissel Anna, Rosenmejer, Trine & Enghoff, Henrik, 2020, A mountain of millipedes IX: Species of the family Gomphodesmidae from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), European Journal of Taxonomy 675, pp. 1-35 : 25-26

Genus Agrophogonus Hoffman, 2005

Diagnosis (after Hoffman 2005, modified)

Small to medium-sized (length 20–40 mm) gomphodesmids. Four apical sensory cones on antennae, pore formula: 5, 7, 9–19. Terga smooth. Legs 1–7 of males with large and conspicuous subonychial pads; coxae of 6 th pair conically produced; sternum of ring 6 with elongate, apically rounded process; sterna of several postgonopodal rings with indistinct transverse carinae (apparently absent in A. pusillokiellandi sp. nov.); no paxillus on sternum 15. Side of metazona smooth, pleurosternal carinae present. No torus evident.

Gonopod aperture oval, posterior rim elevated into triangular lobes immediately behind each gonocoxa, cut down to level of sternum medially. Gonopods relatively long and slender, coxae in contact medially, without projection over base of cannula; telepodite set against coxa at a right angle, prefemur slender, nearly straight, gradually narrowed distally, without basal excavation on either side. Nodus entirely endonodal, without trace of median process M, lateral process L present or absent; inner edge of nodus produced into three or four acute projections of varying shape; postnodal telepodite relatively short, curved laterad (longer and curved in a ¾ circle in A. hamulifer sp. nov.), distally either slender and acuminate or laminately flattened, rather abruptly flexed immediately beyond nodus; prostatic groove visible over most of its length in mesal aspect.

Included species

Agrophogonus mangalisa Hoffman, 2005 (type species)

Agrophogonus hamulifer Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov.

Agrophogonus harrisi (Verhoeff, 1941)

Agrophogonus kiellandi Hoffman, 2005

Agrophogonus mwanihana Hoffman, 2005

Agrophogonus pusillokiellandi Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov.

Agrophogonus tridens Hoffman, 2005

Distribution

Tanzania. Two of the previously described species are known from the Udzungwa Mts, viz., A. kiellandi and A. mwanihana .

Key to species of Agrophogonus (modified after Hoffman 2005)

1. Postnodal telepodite short, flattened, laminate (as Fig. 19 )............................................................... 2

– Postnodal telepodite mostly longer, slender, evenly attenuate to apex (as Figs 18 , 21 ).................... 3

2. Nodus with four primary dentations ( Hoffman 2005: fig. 450), not deeply constricted at base ......... .................................................................................................................. A. harrisi (Verhoeff, 1941)

– Nodus with three primary dentations ( Fig. 19 ; Hoffman 2005: fig. 449), basally with deep constriction ......................................................................................... A. mwanihana Hoffman, 2005

3. Nodal process A broad, apically tridentate; ectal nodal surface distinctly convex; processes B and C robust, subequal in size and shape ( Hoffman 2005: fig. 453)..................... A. tridens Hoffman, 2005

– Nodal process A acute and spiniform; ectal nodal surface flattened (in mesal aspect, Hoffman 2005: fig. 451).............................................................................................................................................. 4

4. Nodal process A with a small, bifid accessory process at base on lateral side ( Hoffman 2005: figs 456–457, see remark to A. mwanihana , below) ............................. A. mangalisa Hoffman, 2005

– Nodal process A without an accessory basal process on lateral side ................................................. 5

5. Postnodal telepodite relatively short, curved abruptly dorsad, almost perpendicular to prefemoral region ................................................................................................................................................. 6

– Postnodal telepodite long, evenly curved dorsad, appearing hook-like ( Fig. 18 ) ............................... ............................................................................................... A. hamulifer Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov.

6. Width 8.7 mm. Nodal process C very long, slender and curved ( Hoffman 2005: fig. 451) ................ ................................................................................................................. A. kiellandi Hoffman, 2005

– Width 4.1 mm ( Figs 19–20 ). Nodal process C shorter and less curved ( Fig. 21 )................................ ..................................................................................... A. pusillokiellandi Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 19. Agrophogonus mwanihana Hoffman, 2005, specimen from Udzungwa Mts National Park, Sanje Kati camp & plot (NHMD 621682), right gonopod. A–B. Mesal view. C–D. Lateral view. E–F. Dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 18. Agrophogonus hamulifer Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NHMD 621678), left gonopod. A–B. Mesal view. C–D. Lateral view. E–F. Dorsal view. Abbreviations: A = Process A; B = Process B; C = Process C; L = Process L. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 21. Agrophogonus pusillokiellandi Olsen & Enghoff sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NHMD 621683). A–D, F–G. Left gonopod. A–B. Mesal view. C–D. Lateral view. F–G. Dorsal view. E. Right gonopod, lateral view. H. Sternal process on ring 6. Abbreviations: A = process A; B = process B; C = process C; L = process L. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.