Bicoxidens brincki, Schubart, 1966

Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle L. & Slotow, Robert H., 2007, A taxonomic review of the southern African millipede genus, Bicoxidens Attems, 1928 (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Spirostreptidae), with the description of three new species and a tentative phylogeny, Zootaxa 1452, pp. 1-23 : 3-5

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.176282
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6251131
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B587B0-6D0E-FFF5-FF54-FA2B611FFE47
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Bicoxidens brincki
status

Treatment

B. brincki Schubart, 1966 View in CoL

Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1. B

Bicoxidens brincki Schubart, 1966 View in CoL ; Lawrence, 1966; Krabbe, 1982; Hamer, 1998; Mwabvu, 2000, 2005

Type material (examined): Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ɗ, Kruger National Park [ 22° 08'S, 31°03'E], Transvaal, 6.v.1951 ( MZLU /L951/3645).

Additional material examined: ZIMBABWE: 1 ɗ, Beitbridge [ 22°02'S, 30°00'E], x.1985, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D835); 1ɗ, Crooks Corner [2231A4], 18.xii.1996, (NMZ/D841); 1 ɗ, Pande Mine [2230A4], 9.ii.1994, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D756); 1 ɗ, Lundi River [2131B4], 20.vi.1984, (NMZ/D196); 1 ɗ, Malipati [2231A2], (NMZ/D842); 1 ɗ, Matopo National Park, [2028D1], 6.xi.1987, J. Minshull (NMZ/D480); 1 ɗ, Dwala Ranch [2129B2], 18.iv.1987, (NMZ/D486); 1 ɗ, Doddieburn Ranch [2129A4], 15.iv.1986, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D382); 1 ɗ, Shashi Wilderness Camp [2129C3], 18.iv.1990, (NMZ/D670).

Diagnosis: Distal telocoxite with a large rounded lateral process, a distal median process, a slender beaklike process medially overlapping that from opposite gonopod, and a small bulbous lobe below it ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1. B a).

Description:

Size: Body length 84–155 mm; minimum and maximum body width 2–5 mm and 4–11 mm; antenna length 5–9 mm.

Number of body rings: 51–62.

Colour: Body brown or black; antennae and legs brown.

Collum: Rounded, two complete folds ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1. B d).

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Broad, rounded with a short pointed apex ( Fig.1 View FIGURE 1. B c).

Sigilla on body ring: Three rows present (the third one poorly developed), becoming 2 or reduced to 1 laterally.

Abbreviations: at, apical telocoxite; cf, collum fold; llb, lateral leaf lobe; ll, lateral leaf; lp, lateral process; ml, median leaf; mp, median process; pc, paracoxite; pfl, prefemoral lobe; st, sternite; tp, telopodite; tpk, telopodite knee.

Gonopod: 5–6 mm long. Apical telocoxite with three median processes, the middle beak-shaped and overlapping opposite median process, below it a rounded lobe; rounded lateral process folded and partly overhanging knee of telopodite ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1. B a). Median leaf with a small sub-apical lateral lobe facing telopodite ( Fig.1 View FIGURE 1. B a).

Aborally, a raised bulb-shaped, basally rounded lobe present on lateral leaf below the level of median leaf tip ( Fig. 1b View FIGURE 1. B ). Postfemur of telopodite overlap over sternite and terminates in an incomplete loop.

Distribution: Kruger National Park, South Africa and southern part of Zimbabwe ( Fig. 10).

Remarks: Other than in colour there appears to be no variation between populations, especially in the form of the gonopods. This species is one of the largest species in Bicoxidens , it falls in the same size range as grandis . It differs from grandis by having three median processes and an aboral bulbous lobe ( Fig. 1b View FIGURE 1. B ), and a rounded lateral leaf lobe as in matopoensis , gokwensis , friendi and nigerrimus ( Figs. 1b View FIGURE 1. B , 3b View FIGURE 3. B , 4 View FIGURE 4 b, 6b, 7b). The apex of the inner margin of the median leaf lacks the axe-shaped median processes that are only found in flavicollis and grandis ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2. B a, 5a).