Colossobolus minor 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 : 30-31

Colossobolus minor Wesener , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BC5D77D7-9152-4DE3-94AA-CF2F1E83229C

Material examined: 5 ♂ Holotype: 1 ♂ (86 mm long), CAS BLF 9429-A, Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Forêt d’Analabe, 30.0 km 72° ENE Daraina , 30 m, littoral rainforest, 13°05’00” S, 049°54’30” E, leg. B. L. Fisher, 27.XI.2003 . Paratypes: 4 ♂, same data as holotype .

Differential diagnosis: the small size, dark body ring colour and uniquely-shaped, overlapping posterior gonopods of C. minor identify this species unambiguously.

Description. Measurements: males with 47 body rings, 84–100 mm long, 8.6–9.4 mm wide. Females unknown.

Coloration affected by alcohol. Head, antennae, legs and telson red ( Figs 16A, B ). Pro- and mesozona dark brown, posterior half of metazona red. Antennae protruding back to ring 3. Male coxal processes on coxae 3–5 weakly developed, on coxae 6 and 7 barely visible ( Fig. 16A ). Preanal process well-rounded ( Fig. 16B ).

Anterior gonopod sternite elongated into a wide, broadly rounded lobe ( Fig. 16C ). Mesal process of coxite weakly developed, protruding into a short, wide lobe with a well-rounded tip ( Fig. 16C ). Telopodite basally with a groove ( Fig. 16D ). Telopodite process long and well-rounded. Mesal margin laterally sharp-edged, at midpoint slightly protruding ( Fig. 16D ).

Posterior gonopod telopodites positioned face-to-face to one another. Coxite branch absent ( Fig. 16E ), lateral branch of telopodite straight, tapering ( Fig. 16E ). Central membranous area present as a short, wide, well-rounded lobe ( Fig. 16E ). Main branches of both posterior gonopods overlapping each other ( Figs 16E, F ). Main branch shorter than lateral branch, former at half of its length dividing into two parts, a mesal sclerotized finger-shaped process and a lateral wider membranous part ( Figs 16E, F ). Finger-shaped processes of both posterior gonopods overlap each others membranous parts ( Fig. 16E ).

Distribution and ecology: C. minor is only known from the littoral forest of Analabe ( Fig. 10 ), occurring sympatric with the larger C. oblongopedus .

Etymology: minor , adjective, refers to the small size of the species. Colossobolus minor is the smallest known species of the genus.

Figures

Figure 10. Distribution of the genus Colossobolus gen. n.

Figure 16. Colossobolus minor sp. n., male holotype. A legs 1–7, ventral view B telson C anterior gonopods, anterior view D anterior gonopods, posterior view E left posterior gonopod, anterior view F left posterior gonopod, posterior view. av = anal valves; Cx = coxite; Gr = groove on anterior gonopods; LL = lamella lingualis; ma = membranous area; Md = mandible; Pre = preanal ring; St = sternite; ST = stipites; sub = subanal scale; T = telopodite; T-Lbr = telopodite lateral branch; T-mbr = telopodite main branch; Tp = telopodite process. Not to same scale.