Raduliverpa donatellae, Enghoff, 2022

Enghoff, Henrik, 2022, Mountains of millipedes. The family Odontopygidae in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida), European Journal of Taxonomy 803, pp. 1-136 : 84-87

Raduliverpa donatellae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:640AD516-04DF-433C-8229-7F450593BF5A

Figs 52–53

Diagnosis

Differs from other species of Raduliverpa by having the limbus only very shallowly lobed, and the metaplical spinelike process (msp) very strongly curved, almost like a pig-tail, as opposed to the serrated limbus and much less curving msp seen in other species, see Frederiksen & Enghoff (2015) for R. serpentispina Frederiksen & Enghoff, 2015 and R. mitis Frederiksen & Enghoff, 2015 , Kraus (1960) for R. serrata ( Kraus, 1960) and Attems (1935) for R. sicaria ( Attems, 1935).

Etymology

After Donatella Foddai, Italian myriapodologist, former resident of ‘Hotel Dolichoiulus’.

Material examined (total 2 ♂♂)

Holotype TANZANIA • ♂; East Usambara Mts, Tanga Region, Muheza District , Mgambo Proposed FR; 350 m a.s.l.; Sep. 1996; Norbert Cordeiro leg.; NHMD 621759 .

Paratype TANZANIA • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; NHMD 621760 .

Description (male)

SIZE. Length 56–57 mm, diameter 2.9–3.0 mm, 70–71 podous rings, no apodous rings in front of telson.

COLOUR. Strongly faded after 22 years in alcohol, but faint indications of a medium-broad light dorsal stripe.

SUPRALABRAL SETAE. 4–5.

MANDIBULAR STIPES. Ventrodistally produced in strong triangular, slightly mesad process, distal margin very shallowly concave.

ANAL VALVES. With with moderate dorsal spine, a protruding ventral ‘corner’, margins raised, each with three setae on poorly developed ravelins.

LIMBUS ( Fig. 52D ). Striate, margin with very shallow lobes.

LEGS. With postfemoral and tibial pads, covering whole length of podomeres, from leg-pair ca 6, diminishing and eventually disappearing toward hind end.

FIRST PAIR OF LEGS ( Fig. 52E–G ). Prefemoral lobes with rounded-triangular in ventral view. Five to six coxosternal seta (CXS) close to lateral margin of coxosternum, well separated from prefemoral lobes. Prefemora with 2 of short mesapical setae (APS) and 5–12 peglike lateral setae (LPS).

STERNUM 9. Transversely rounded-triangular (not illustrated).

GONOPOD COXA ( Fig. 52A–C ). Slender, straight, almost parallel-sided, distolaterally with an almost equilateral triangular lateral process (LCS). Proplica (PP) simple, proplical lobe hibben behind fold of metaplica. Metaplica (MP) with a poorly delimited mesad flange (MF) basally, ca at mid-length with small, mesad triangular, process (mtp), distally with long, slender, strongly curved spinelike process (msp), process first directed basad then making a smooth 180° turn and projecting distad beyond gonopod tip.

GONOPOD TELOPODITE ( Fig. 53 ). Arculus 80º. Torsotope (TT) extended, with angular lobe (TL) fitting into torsion. A long, stout post-torsal spine (PTS) making a full turn around post-torsal narrowing which is hence not evident. Solenomere and telomere originating near mesalmost part of telopodite, flexed back in front of and distal to torsotope. Solenomere (SLM) not very long, relatively stout, partially concealed within telomere, terminally flattened, pointed and transversely striate ( Fig. 53D ). Telomere (TM) shaped like an irregular bowl, smooth on the outside and along margins, with several contorted lamellae (tml) on the inside.

Distribution and habitat

Known only from Mgambo FR (formerly: Mgambo Proposed forest Reserve) in the north-east of the East Usambara Mts, altitude 350 m a.s.l. See Oliver et al. (2002) for information on the Mgambo FR.

Figures

Fig. 52. Raduliverpa donatellae sp. nov. A–C. Holotype, ♂ (NHMD 621759). Left gonopod coxa. A. posterior view. B. Mesal view. C. Anterior view. D. Midbody dorsal limbus. E–G. Paratype, ♂ (NHMD 621760), first and second pair of legs (right first legs misshapen/diminished). E. Sublateral view. F. Anterior view. G. Ventral view. Abbreviations: APS= mesapical prefemoral setae; CXS =coxosternal setae; LCS= lateral coxalprocess;LPS = lateral prefemoralsetae;MF= metaplical flange; MP=metaplica; msp = metaplical spinelike process; mtp =metaplical triangular process; PP = proplica. Scale bars: A–C, E–G =0.1 mm; D =0.01 mm.

Fig. 53. Raduliverpa donatellae sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NHMD 621759), gonopod telopodites. A. Right telopodite, posterior view. B. Left telopodite, subanterior view. C. Right telopodite, disto-mesal-basal view. D. Close-up of right solenomere tip (also with part of post-torsal spine) to show the genuscharacteristic striation. E. Left telopodite, anterior-basal view. Abbreviations: PTS=post-torsal spine; SLM = solenomere; TL =torsotope lobe; TM = telomere; tlm = telomere lamellae; TT =torsotope. Scale bars: A–C, E =0.1 mm; D =0.02 mm.