Synophryostreptus rugosostriatus (Schubart, 1966)

Vohland, Katrin & Hamer, Michelle, 2013, A review of the millipedes (Diplopoda) of Namibia, with identification keys and descriptions of two new genera and five new species, African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 251-251 : 282-284

Synophryostreptus rugosostriatus (Schubart, 1966)

Figs 58–61

Krugerostreptus rugosostriatus: Schubart 1966: 111–113 , figs 98, 99; Demange & Mauriès 1975: 77.

Lophostreptus rugosostriatus: Lawrence 1966: 257 ; 1973: 5.

Synophryostreptus rugosostriatus: Krabbe 1982: 216 ; Hamer 1998: 52.

Diagnosis: Gonopod lateral lamella with prominent, long, tapered lateral cone ( Fig. 59, lc). Apex of median lamella reaching or extending beyond distal margin of lateral lamella ( Fig. 58).

Description:

Size: Mid-body width 3.3 mm, 44 segments.

Colour: Leached, but animal relatively dark reddish brown.

Head: Shallow epicranial suture, interocular suture not visible, eye slightly more medial than antennal socket.

Collum: Anterior corner broadly rounded, with 3 folds, dorsal border smooth, laterally slightly undulated ( Fig. 60).

Tergites and sternites: Ozopores present from the 5 th segment onwards. Sigilla present. Prozonites with regular, fine riffles, metazonites with low keels, weak dorsally. Sternites subtriangular, with longitudinal striae, 7 th segment with fold ventral to gonopod aperture. Anal valves with deep furrow just inside outer edge.

Legs: Pads small ( Fig. 61), absent from legs of last diplosegments.

Gonopods: As in diagnosis.

Remarks: The gonopods are congruent with drawings of S. rugosostriatus (Lawrence 1966; Schubart 1966) but the specimens from the ‘Transvaal’ region are much larger in size and have more segments (50) than this specimen, which is attributed to intraspecific variation.

The closest known relative is S. carli Attems, 1928 , but in this species the lateral cone is shorter and more bulbous, and the median lamella of the telocoxite is shorter, not reaching the distal margin of the lateral lamella.

Material examined: NAMIBIA: 1♂ West Caprivi, Manywa River , 17°48'S 23°05'E, 4–10.iv.1990, E. Marais, preservative pitfall traps ( SMN 21962 ) ( NMNW) .

Distribution: Namibia and South Africa. In Namibia, occurs in the more humid and forested Caprivi region.

Remark: Krabbe (1982) stressed that Synophryostreptus is defined by smooth metazonites. This is not the case in the investigated material, however, and also not in the original description of S. rugosostriatus .