Zoosphaerium neptunus (Butler, 1872)

Wesener, Thomas & Sagorny, Christina, 2021, Seven new giant pill-millipede species and numerous new records of the genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 758 (1), pp. 1-48 : 37-38

Zoosphaerium neptunus (Butler, 1872)

Sphaerotherium digitale de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897 : pl. 5 fig. 16.

Sphaerotherium pygidiale de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902: 42 .

See Wesener & Wägele (2008) for a revision and Wesener (2016) for a complete bibliography.

Material examined

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana • 3 ♂♂; SAVA, Parc National de Marojejy , 6.5 km NW of Manantenina village; 14°27′21.2″ S, 49°46′29.8″ E; alt. 780 m; disturbed lowland humid forest, pitfalls; 31 May 2016; V. Soarimalala leg.; FMNH-INS 2858681 •> 30 juvs; Marojejy ; 14°26′ S, 49°45′ E; alt. 700 m; 10–17 Nov. 1993; NHMD . – Toamasina • 1 ♀; Reserve Betampona, Camp Rendrirendry, 34.1 km 332° from Toamasina; 17°55.26″ S, 049°11.59″ E; alt. 390 m; general collecting in camp, rainforest; 28 Nov. 2005; Brian L. Fisher et al. leg.; coll. no. BLF 13126; CASENT 9032818 • 1 ♀; Reserve Nationale Integrale Betampona, Betampona , 35.1 km NW of Toamasina; 17°55.05″ S, 49°12.03″ E; alt. 500 m; rainforest, general collecting; 15–17 Dec. 2007; Brian L. Fisher et al. leg.; coll. no. BLF 19514; CASENT 9068298 • 1 ♀; Region Atsinanana, Reserve Naturelle Integrale, along Piste Principale (PP); 17°54.8′ S, 49°11.6′ E; alt. 400–500 m; in relatively intact lowland humid forest, pitfall 2, bucket 6; 10 Nov. 2015; Steven M. Goodman leg.; FMNH-INS SMG-19237 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; by hand; coll. no. SMG-19235; FMNH-INS 2858602 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 3, bucket 5; 11 Nov. 2015; coll. no. SMG-19246; FMNH-INS 2858597 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; coll. no. SMG-19247; FMNH-INS 2858600 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 1; 12 Nov. 2015; coll. no. SMG-19255; FMNH-INS 2858599 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 3; coll. no. SMG-19256; FMNH-INS 2858604 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 2; coll. no. SMG-19254; FMNH-INS 2858593 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 1; 13 Nov. 2015; coll. no. SMG-19263; FMNH-INS 2858594 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; coll. no. SMG-19264; FMNH-INS 2858591 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 3; 15 Nov. 2015; coll. no. SMG-19271; FMNH-INS 2858603 • 1 ♀; Region Atsinanana, Reserve Naturelle Integrale, along Piste Principale (PP) between 1650 and 2550 m; 17°54.62′ S, 49°11.70′ E; alt. 460–520 m; in undisturbed lowland humid forest, pitfall 4, bucket 8; 17 Nov. 2015; Steven M. Goodman leg.; coll. no. SMG-19289; FMNH-INS 2858598 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; bucket 11; coll. no. SMG-19291; FMNH-INS 2858590 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 5, bucket 3; coll. no. SMG-19290; FMNH-INS 2858596 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; pitfall 4, bucket 1; 21 Nov. 2015; coll. no. SMG-19313; FMNH- INS 2858592 .

Remarks

We provide further locality information including the lowland forest of Betampona and lowland forests in Marojejy for this relatively widespread species of Zoosphaerium ( Fig. 13A ). The gigantic females of Z. neptunus are currently the largest Sphaerotheriida known, reaching the size of a tennis ball or small orange when rolled up. The juveniles of this species show swarming behavior around Andasibe ( Wesener & Schütte 2010), a so far unique behavior for giant pill-millipedes.

Figures

Fig. 13. Distribution maps marking new localities for known species of Zoosphaerium. Vegetation color marks modified from Moat & Smith 2007. A. Z. neptunus (Butler, 1872).B. Z. platylabum (de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897). C. 1 = Z. piligerum (de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897); 2 = Z. villosum Wesener & Sierwald, 2015; 3 = Z. libidinosum (de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897); 4 =Zoosphaerium discolor Wesener, 2009. D. Unidentifiable juvenile Zoosphaerium samples.