Acanthophorella, Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016

Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016, The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 4211 (1), pp. 1-205 : 142-143

Genus Acanthophorella gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Differs from the other Caucasian anthroleucosomatid genera by some characteristics of the anterior gonopods: the presence of a pair of well-developed, long and acuminate processes partly covered by anterior shields, by the presence of wide lateral lamellae, combined with the presence of a small and poorly-developed anterior sternal sac.

Etymology. To emphasize the presence of a pair of thorn-like processes on the anterior side of the anterior gonopods.

Description. Body with 31 segments in adults (including telson). Both epigean A. chegemi gen. et sp. nov. and A. irystoni gen. et sp. nov. with pigmented bodies and similar body lengths, 8–9.5 mm in males, 8–10.5 mm in females, with a flattened head in males and normal antennae and walking legs, and lateral keels like lateral swellings. The cavernicolous A. barjadzei gen. et sp. nov. is unpigmented, larger, 17 mm in holotype, 16–18 mm in females, head with a longitudinal depression in males, antennae and walking legs elongated and slender, lateral keels relatively well-developed.

Macrochaetae relatively long and trichoid. Leg-pairs 3–7 in males enlarged. Male leg-pair 7 with coxal lamellar process. Leg-pairs 10 and 11 in males with coxal glands. Male leg-pair 10 with coxal horns or protrusion. Anterior gonopods with a small, medial, sternal sac (ss) placed on anterior side of sternal plate (sp). Coxal processes consisting of medial parts (mp) in the form of shields, and of lateral lamellae (ll). These lamellae differing in length in different species. The most characteristic part of the anterior gonopods is a pair of thorn-like processes partly covered with medial parts.

Posterior gonopods with completely divided coxites (c). Posterolateral sides with hairless telopodites (t). Coxal processes (cp) robust and curved anteriad in A. barjadzei gen. et sp. nov. and A. chegemi gen. et sp. nov., smaller in A. irystoni gen. et sp. nov. which is also characterized by the presence of a high anterior process, partly membranous and with coxal vesicles. Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anterior side.

Distribution. Georgia, Russia ( Fig. 169 , circle).

Type species. Acanthophorella barjadzei gen. et sp. nov., by present designation.

Included species

Acanthophorella barjadzei gen. et sp. nov.

Acanthophorella chegemi gen. et sp. nov.

Acanthophorella irystoni gen. et sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 169. Distribution of the Caucasian Anthroleucosomatidae: the Flagellophorella complex.