Cryptocorypha geminiramus, Enghoff, 2022

Enghoff, Henrik, 2022, A mountain of millipedes X: Species of Pyrgodesmidae and Cryptodesmidae in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), European Journal of Taxonomy 845, pp. 66-100 : 69-77

Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3DEB7615-042D-4D27-AC40-4C8A5DAE7CB6

Figs 1–7

Diagnosis

Differs from all other species of Cryptocorypha Attems, 1807 , except C. chenovi Golovatch et al., 2013 from Vanuatu, by its small size (max. diameter of males 0.72 mm), vs 0.78–0.92 mm in the congeners from Udzungwa and min. 1.00 mm in other non-Udzungwan species (the diameter of C. kumamotensis (Murakami, 1966) is unknown but the published male body length, 5 mm, suggests a diameter of> 0.8 mm). Differs from all other species of Cryptocorypha , except C. cactifer sp. nov., C. bocal Golovatch, Nzoko Fiemapong & VandenSpiegel, 2017 from D.R. Congo, and C. leia Chamberlin, 1945 from Java, by the virtually identical, very slender solenomere and exomere. Differs from C. cactifer sp. nov. by the absence of setae in podous body rings and from C. bocal and C. leia by the very poorly developed velum on the gonopod telopodite.

Etymology

The species epithet (noun in apposition) refers to the virtually identical pair of slender branches (solenomere and exomere) of the gonopod telopodite.

Material examined (160 ♂♂, 19 ♀♀, 3 subad. ♀♀)

Holotype TANZANIA • ♂; Morogoro Region, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kidatu ; 07°40′45.5″ S, 36°55′06.9″ E; 1448 m a.s.l.; 21 Oct. 2014; J. Malumbres-Olarte leg.; Plot 5; NHMD 621823 .

Paratypes TANZANIA • 69 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀; same collection data for as holotype; summed catch from 10 pitfall traps; NHMD 621824 • 13 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 subad. ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 07°40′42.1″ S, 36°55′06.8″ E; 1482 m a.s.l.; 21 Oct. 2014; Plot 6, summed catch from six pitfall traps; NHMD 621825 • 18 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, 2 subad. ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 07°41′12.9″ S, 36°55′39.2″ E; 978 m a.s.l.; 14 Sep. 2014; Plot 8, summed catch from eight pitfall traps; NHMD 621826 • 38 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 07°41′06.2″ S, 36°54′52.4″ E; 1527 m a.s.l.; 23 Oct. 2014; Plot 9; summed catch from nine pitfall traps; NHMD 621827 • 2 ♂♂; Morogoro Region, Udzungwa Mountains Natl Park , Mito Mitatu ; 07°50′29.6″ S, 36°52′01.2″ E; 674 m a.s.l.; 26 Sep. 2014; J. Malumbres-Olarte leg.; Plot 13, pitfall trap, summed catch from two pitfall traps; NHMD 621828 • 15 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 07°50′26.1″ S, 36°51′33.0″ E; 1006 m a.s.l.; 26 Sep. 2014; Plot 14, summed catch from five pitfall traps; NHMD 621829 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 07°50′14.3″ S, 36°50′46.8″ E; 1207 m a.s.l.; 16 Dec. 2013; T. Pape and N. Scharff leg.; Plot MM1, summed catch from two pitfall traps; NHMD 621830 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 14 Mar. 2014; NHMD 621831 • 1 ♂; Udzungwa Mountains, Mwanihana Forest above Sanje; 1650 m a.s.l.; 18 Aug. 1982; M. Stoltze and N. Scharff leg.; pitfall trap; NHMD 621832 .

Description

SIZE. Males: Length 3.2–3.8 mm; maximal body width (across metazona) 0.59–0.72 mm in males from Kidatu; males from Mito Mitatu up to 4.6 mm long. 17 podous + 1 apodous ring + telson. Females: Length 4.6–6.1 mm. One specimen (from Kidatu, Plot 9) 6.6 mm long (0.92 mm wide). Width 0.83– 1.10 mm. One specimen (from Kidatu, Plot 5) 1.36 mm wide. 18 podous + 1 apodous ring + telson.

COLOUR. Entirely pallid or with faint brown pigment, especially on paranotal margins and on level 1 tubercles.

SURFACE SCULPTURE ( Figs 1 , 3 ). Entire exposed dorsal surface covered in a three-level ornamentation: Level 1: Rounded, hemispherical to subspherical tubercles of ca 35 μm diameter arranged in two or three transverse rows on all body rings. These tubercles are covered with level 3 spherules. Level 2: Very small, smooth, circular, flattened ‘buttons’ of ca 8 μm diameter, covering entire dorsal surface except level 1 tubercles and lateral parts of paraterga. Level 3: A dense cover of minute stalked spherules of ca 1.5 μm diameter over entire dorsal surface, including level 1 tubercles, mostly arranged in neat lines (which possibly correspond to the limits between individual cuticular microscutes), but denser and more irregularly arranged on lateral margins of paraterga. These are the “microvilli” of Likhitrakarn et al. (2019).

HEAD ( Figs 2A–C , 7A–B ). Smooth between antennae and below, in this area with numerous short setae; posterior part of head microtuberculate including a dense cover of level 3 spherules. Interantennal isthmus 1.4 times diameter of antennal socket. Antennae short, stout, bent in C-shape, antennomere 6 by far the largest.

COLLUM ( Figs 1A–C , 7A–B ). Completely covering head from above, with broadly rounded anterior margin, faintly divided into 12 lobules, lateralmost lobules smaller than the others; two transverse rows of 2+2 and 3+3 level 1 tubercles; level 2 buttons and level 3 spheres as on ensuing metatergites.

POSTCOLLAR PODOUS BODY RINGS. Without setae. With three transverse rows of level 1 tubercles. No. of tubercles in the three rows: ring 2: 2/6/8; ring 3: 2/8/8, ring 4: 2/8/4, rings 5, 7, 9–10, 12–13, 15–17 (poriferous podous rings): 2/6/4; rings 6, 8, 1, 4: 2/8/4. Paraterga almost horizontal, rectangular, with three (rings 2–4), four (rings 6, 8, 11, 14), or five (rings 5, 7, 9–10, 12–13, 15–17/18) lateral lobes; no lobes on anterior and posterior margins; anterior margin densely microtuberculate. Pore formula normal (5, 7, 9–10, 12–13, 15–18); ozopores ( Fig. 3 D ) on lateral margin, deeply embedded between third and fourth paratergal lobe and surrounded by a dense cover of level 3 spherules. Ventral side of metaterga, including mesalmost part of paraterga, with dense pavement of level 2 buttons, in part (especially on paraterga) interspersed with level 3 spheres. Towards anterior and posterior margins of paraterga, level 3 spheres drawn out into short rods, giving surface hairy look ( Fig. 3C ). Prozona ( Fig. 7C ) clearly divided into three zones. Anterior zone almost smooth, with indistinct cover of low swellings; in intermediate zone these swellings are replaced by triangular denticles, interspersed with level 3 spherules; posterior zone sharply demarcated from intermediate zone, with dense cover of level 2 buttons and level 3 spherules. Sterna smooth. Limbus ( Fig. 7D ) extremely narrow, with scattered rodlike denticles.

APODOUS RING ( Fig. 1D–E ). With three transverse rows of each 4 level 1 tubercles; tubercles in posterior row each with a minute clavate seta ( Fig. 1E ). Four lateral lobes.

TELSON ( Fig. 4 ). Preanal ring (‘epiproct’) visible from above, triangular, with a dense cover of level 3 spherules, with two setiferous level 1 tubercles on the dorsal surface, setiferous denticle on each lateral margin, each followed by 2 successively smaller setiferous tubercles on lateral flank; also, transverse row of 4 setae near posterior tip; posterior tip with 4 long trichoid spinnerets each surrounded by crownlike collar. Anal valves (paraprocts) each with 2 non-marginal setae. Subanal scale (hypoproct) broadly triangular, with scattered level 3 spherules and two long setae on small marginal tubercles.

LEGS. Unmodified in both sexes, except for flattened setae on tarsi of leg-pairs 1–2 in males ( Fig. 2E–F ).

GONOPODS ( Figs 5–6 ). Coxa (cx) moderately globose, its surface scaly and with scattered level 3 spherules, mesally forming shallow gonocoel. Telopodite projecting strongly from gonocoel, very evident in lateral and ventral views. Basal (‘prefemoral’) part of telopodite (bt) massive, with several distolateral setae, giving rise to two very long, subparallel, slender, simple, pointed, slightly arcuate processes – mesal solenomere (slm) and lateral exomere (ex). Broad, setose lobe (ve) at mesal base of telopodite probably corresponds to ‘velum’ described in several other species of Cryptocorypha .

Females

With a low epigynal ridge (ep) on ring three ( Fig. 7A ). Non-sexual characters as in males. A subadult female (from Kidatu, Plot 6) is 4.5 mm long, 0.72 mm wide, 17 podous + 1 apodous ring + telson. This is the only non-adult specimen of this species seen.

Remarks

A key to species of Cryptocorypha was provided by Golovatch (2019). In the first couplet of the key Afrotropical and Asian species are separated, but the mentioned criteria concerning ring numbers are non-exclusive. If the Afrotropical alternative is chosen, C. geminiramus sp. nov. runs to C. diffusa (Brolemann, 1920) from which it differs by several characters, especially by strongly different gonopods. If the Asian alternative in the first couplet is chosen, C. geminiramus sp. nov. runs to couplet 17(18) where it fits neither alternative.

Figures

Fig. 1. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu. A. Dorsal view. B. Lateral view. C. Collum and rings 2–6, dorsal view. D. Rings 15 (part)–18 and telson, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 2. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov. A–E. Paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu. F. Paratype (NHMD 621829), ♂, from Mitu Mitato. A. Head, frontal view. B. Head, (sub)posterior view. C. Head, sublateral view (left side). D. Bases of first and second pairs of legs. E. First and second pair of legs. F. Leg of second pair, tarsus. Abbreviations: fu = epibiotic fungus, possibly Basiodiobolus sp.; go = gonopore. Scale bars: A–B = 0.1 mm; C = 0.05 mm; D–F = 0.02 mm.

Fig. 3. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu. A. Rings 4–8, (latero)dorsal view. B. Paraterga 8–9, dorsal view. C. Enlarged detail of B, showing level 2 buttons and level 3 spherules. D. Anterior and posterior edge, respectively, of successive paraterga, ventral view. E. Left ozopore on ring 5, oblique lateral view. Abbreviations: 1 = level 1 tubercles; 2 = level 2 buttons; 3 = level 3 spherules. Scale bars: A = 0.05 mm; B–D = 0.01 mm; E = 0.005 mm.

Fig. 4. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu, telson. A. (Posterio)-dorsal view B. Ventral view. C. Oblique lateral view. D. Spinnerets. Abbreviations: av = anal valve; ss = subanal scale. Scale bars: A = 0.01 mm; B–C = 0.02 mm; D = 0.005 mm.

Fig. 5. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., gonopods in situ. A–B. Paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu. A. Ventro-anterior view. B. Subposterior view. C. Paratype (NHMD 621829), ♂, from Mitu Mitatu, latero-posterior view. Scale bars = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 6. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., paratype (NHMD 621824), ♂, from Kidatu. A–C. Left gonopod. A. (Sub)mesal view. B. Lateral view. C. (Sub)ventral view. D. Right gonopod, Posterio-mesal view. Abbreviations: bt = basal part of telopodite; cx = coxa; ex = exomere; slm = solenomere; ve = velum(?). Scale bars = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 7. Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., ♀♀, from Kidatu. A. Paratype (NHMD 621824). B–D. Paratype (NHMD 621825).A. Head and rings 1–3, ventral view.B. Head and anterior rings, anterior view. C. Prozonal sculpture. D. Limbus (arrow). Abbreviations: az = anterior zone; ep = epigynal ridge; iz = intermediate zone; mz = metazona; pz = posterior zone. Scale bars: A–B = 0.1 mm; C–D = 0.01 mm.