Spirostreptus kruegeri ( Attems 1928 )

Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle, Slotow, Robert & Barraclough, David, 2009, A revision of the taxonomy and distribution of Spirostreptus Brandt 1833 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae) with descriptions of a new species and a new genus of spirostreptid millipede, Zootaxa 2211, pp. 36-56 : 41-43

Spirostreptus kruegeri ( Attems 1928)

Figs 2 , 7 b

Triaenostreptus kruegeri Attems 1928 , p. 367, figs 315–317; Hoffman 1971; Krabbe 1982; Hamer 1998 Spirostreptus kruegeri: Mwabvu 2005 a; Hoffman 2008

Type material (not examined): SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: Krugersdorp ( SAM).

Additional material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: 1 3, Pretoria [25 0 44'S, 28 0 11'E], 1961, ( NMSA 8896). Limpopo Province: 1 3, Makalali Game Reserve [24 0 11'S, 30 0 37'E], x.1998, M. Hamer ( NMSA 22051); 1 3, Klipfontein, N. Transvaal [2428A2], 4.xii.1979 (NMZ/D97); 1 3, Phalaborwa [23 0 51'S, 31 0 12'E], i.1998, S. Piper ( NMSA 16196). North West Province: 1 3, Pilanesberg National Park [25 0 15'S, 27 0 06'E], 30.x.2000, R. Slotow ( NMSA 15816); 1 3, Pilanesberg National Park [25 0 15'S, 27 0 06'E], 12.xii.1999, R. Slotow ( NMSA 20478); 1 3, Pilanesberg National Park [25 0 15'S, 27 0 06'E], 1999, J. Londt ( NMSA 20513); 1 3, Pilanesberg [25 0 15'S, 27 0 06'E], 21.i.1999, ( NMSA 15816); 1 3, Botsalano Game Reserve [25 0 34'S, 25 0 42'E], 7.i.2000, ( NMSA 22053); 1 3, Madikwe Game Reserve [25 0 21'S, 26 0 32'E], iii.2000, R. Slotow ( NMSA 20497); 1 3, Madikwe [25 0 21'S, 26 0 32'E], ii.2000, R. Slotow ( NMSA 20479). Northern Cape Province: 1 3, Northern Cape [28.577 0S, 22.489 0E], ( NMSA 22052). NAMIBIA: 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Palmfontain Farm [1914CB], 25.ii.1969, B. Lamoral ( NMSA 9965). ZIMBABWE: 1 3, Humani Ranch HQ [2032A3], 13.iv.1987 (NMZ/D502); 1 3, Maphisa [21 0 00'S, 28 0 27'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20539); 1 3, Doddieburn Ranch, West Nicholson [2129A4], 18.xii.85, (NMZ/D362, NM/D381); 1 3, Doddieburn Ranch, West Nicholson [2129A4], 5.ix.86, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D387); 1 3, Manana Hospital [20 0 56'S, 29 0 00'E], 14.12.1996, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D838); 1 3, Hippo Valley [21 0 10'S, 31 0 32'E], xi.1998, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20543); 1 3, West Nicholson [21 0 03'S, 28 0 21'E], 17.xii.1974 (NMZ/D574); 1 3, Chivi [20 0 30'S, 30 0 50'E], xi.1998, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 16196).

Diagnosis: Telocoxites wider apart at the level of the apex of the proplica; proplica and metaplica abruptly widen subapically; lateral lobe may have an apical nipple; lateral lobe strongly slanting towards paracoxite away from the distal lobe, at greater than right angle; apically lateral lobe deflected aborally; antetorsal process crescent-shaped distally ( Figs 1 a, 1b, 7b).

Description: Size: Body length 220–240 mm; minimum and maximum body width 5–9 mm and 11–15 mm; antenna length 9–12 mm.

Number of body rings: 63–73.

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

Collum: Rounded anterior lobe slightly produced ventrally, with 3–4 complete and 0–7 incomplete folds ( Fig. 2 d).

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Proximally parallel with a short and broad, laterally deflected distal nipple ( Fig. 2 c).

Gonopod: ( Figs 2 a, 2b) 6–8 mm long. Sternite long, reaching level of paracoxite apex. Telocoxites further apart at the level of the proplica apex.

Proplica widens abruptly subapically and tapers apically. Raised lateral edge of proplica pronounced and extending further than medial edge. Proplica concealing lateral lobe proximally.

Metaplica without lobes, wider with humps proximal to lateral lobe, and with a prominent distal hump.

Lateral lobe strongly slanting towards paracoxite (away from distal lobe) and extending beyond lateral edges of proplica and distal lobe, proximally constricted and rounded distally ( Fig. 2 b). Lateral lobe deflected aborally, may end in a prominent apical nipple which is clearly seen in aboral view.

Lateral and medial edges of distal lobe rounded distally, with shallow depression on the surface.

Telopodite with open coil or spiral, antetorsal process crescent-shaped distally, may reach paracoxite apex ( Figs 2 a, 2b).

Distribution: Known from north and north-central South Africa, southern Zimbabwe, Gaberone, Botswana and northern Namibia.

Remarks: The texture of the distal lobe of the gonopod is similar to that of batokensis , unciger and heros , however the resemblance to heros is greater. Besides having overlapping distributions, heros and kruegeri have similar body and gonopod characteristics, particularly the shape and surface texture of the distal telocoxite lobe. The major differences in the gonopods of heros and kruegeri are the proximity of the telocoxites, the shapes of the subapical proplica and antetorsal process, the angle between the lateral and distal lobes, the height of the sternite in relation to the paracoxite apex, and the nature of the telopodite coil. Subapically the proplica is abruptly wider and angular in kruegeri , unlike in heros . A difference in the width of the metaplica is also evident between the two species (see remarks under heros ).

According to the literature ( Hamer 1998), the type material of S. kruegeri is in the SAM. However, this material is missing, presumed lost, from the SAM collection, and is not in other collections in the southern African region. Suggestions that the material could be in the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria could not be confirmed.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Spirostreptus heros (NMSA 20495). a, oral view of gonopods; b, aboral view of gonopods; c, oral view of prefemoral lobe of first pair of male legs; d, lateral view of collum. Abbreviations: p, proplica; m, metaplica; llb, lateral lobe; dl, distal lobe; d, depression; tp, telopodite; at, antetorsal process; pc, paracoxite; st, sternite; cf, collum fold; al, anterior lobe; pfl, prefemoral lobe.

FIGURE 2. Spirostreptus kruegeri (NMZ / D 362). a, oral view of gonopods; b, aboral view of gonopods; c, oral view of prefemoral lobe of first pair of male legs; d, lateral view of collum. Abbreviations: p, proplica; m, metaplica; llb, lateral lobe; dl, distal lobe; d, depression; tp, telopodite; at, antetorsal process; pc, paracoxite; st, sternite; cf, collum fold; al, anterior lobe; pfl, prefemoral lobe.

FIGURE 7. Shape of antetorsal process of the telopodites of Spirostreptus species. a, S. heros; b, S. kruegeri; c, S. sebae; d, S. unciger; e, S. batokensis; f, S. tripartitus. Abbreviations: tp, telopodite; tk, telopodite knee; at, antetorsal process.