Corallobolus Wesener, 2009

Wesener, Thomas, Enghoff, Henrik & Sierwald, Petra, 2009, Review of the Spirobolida on Madagascar, with descriptions of twelve new genera, including three genera of ' fire millipedes' (Diplopoda), ZooKeys 19 (19), pp. 1-128 : 7-8

Corallobolus Wesener , gen. n.

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Type species: Corallobolus cruentus sp. n., monotypic

Diagnosis: distinguished from all other Malagasy spirobolidan genera by the following combination of characters: male tarsal pads present on legs of anterior body half only. Known specimens of Corallobolus possess fewer body rings than in any other known large-bodied Malagasy spirobolidan genus, 44–46 body rings only. Gonopods unique for large-bodied Spirobolida from Madagascar ( Figs 1E, F ): telopodite of posterior gonopod of unique shape, relatively large, simple and with a well-rounded, blunt tip ( Fig. 1F ). Sperm canal running along mesal margin and discharging just below tip, area surrounded by short membranous folds ( Fig. 2B ). Shares a large body size (circa 100 mm) and aposematic red/black colour pattern ( Fig. 1A ) with Aphistogoniulus Silvestri, 1897 , Madabolus Wesener & Enghoff, 2008 , Colossobolus gen. n. and Sanguinobolus gen. n.. Preanal process sharp-edged as in some Colossobolus species, not extending beyond anal valves ( Fig. 1B ). Male coxae 3 and 4 without processes, similar to Aphistogoniulus species.

Distribution and ecology: only known from the montane rainforest in Andohahela ( Fig. 5 ). Sympatric with Aphistogoniulus at Andohahela.

Etymology: Corallobolus , masculine, is composed of corallinus , coral-red, which refers to the blood-red colour pattern of the single constituent species, and - bolus a common suffix for genera in the order Spirobolida .

Figures

Figure 1. Corallobolus cruentus sp. n., A–C, E, F, male holotype, D female paratype. A head B telson C legs 1–7, ventral view D second leg pair with vulva, posterior view E anterior gonopods, posterior view F posterior gonopods, anterior view. av = anal valves; Co = collum; Cx = coxite; Gn = gnathochilarium; Md = basal joints of mandible; Pre = preanal ring; s = suture on clypeus; sub = subanal scale; St = sternite; T = telopodite; Tp = telopodite process; Vu = vulva. Not to same scale.

Figure 2. Corallobolus cruentus sp. n., male holotype. A anterior gonopods, anterior view B left posterior gonopod, posterior view C left posterior gonopod, anterior view. Cx coxite cp coxite process rp retrorse process St sternite T telopodite Tp telopodite process. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 5. Distribution map for the genera Corallobolus gen. n. and Sanguinobolus gen. n.