Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902

Wesener, Thomas, Le, Daniel Minh-Tu & Loria, Stephanie F., 2014, Integrative revision of the giant pill-millipede genus Sphaeromimus from Madagascar, with the description of seven new species (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae), ZooKeys 414, pp. 67-107 : 71-72

Genus Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902

Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902: 20 (first description); Attems 1926: 119 (list); Attems 1943: 60 (list); Jeekel 1971: 28 (list); Jeekel 1974: 45 (classification); Hoffman 1980: 63 (list); Jeekel 1999: 8 (catalogue, discussion); Enghoff 2003: 618 (list); Wesener and Sierwald 2005: 557 (redescription, additional species); Wesener and Wägele 2007: 147 (ecology); Wesener 2009: 8 (key); Wesener and VandenSpiegel 2009: 548 (morphological phylogenetic analysis); Wesener et al. 2010: 1185 (molecular phylogenetic analysis); Wesener 2014b: (morphological phylogenetic analysis).

Type species.

Sphaeropoeus musicus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897, by monotypy.

Other species included (9).

Sphaeromimus splendidus Wesener & Sierwald, 2005

Sphaeromimus inexpectatus Wesener & Sierwald, 2005

Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus vatovavy sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus andohahela sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus saintelucei sp. n. Wesener

Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n. Wesener

Remarks.

See Wesener and Sierwald (2005) for a detailed revision of the genus. A phylogeny, highlighting the close relationship of Sphaeromimus to the Indian Arthrosphaera Pocock, 1895 is available based on morphological ( Wesener and VandenSpiegel 2009; Wesener 2014b), and molecular characters ( Wesener et al. 2010). A short re-diagnosis is presented so that fewer characters need to be mentioned in the species descriptions.

New diagnosis.

Genus of small to medium-sized (15-45 mm length) Arthrosphaeridae . Colour variable, rarely pink or with a reddish-black pattern (Fig. 1A), but usually black to brown (Fig. 1B). Head with short antennae consisting of well-rounded antennomeres lacking cuticular scales. Antennomere 6 massive, only antennomere carrying sensilla basiconica. Apical disc with numerous apical cones (≫20), number of cones sexual dimorphic, males with twice or even three times as many cones as females. Eyes consisting of 55-95 ocelli. Mandible with six or seven pectinate lamellae and a 3 -combed internal tooth. Gnathochilarium typical of the order, rudimentary lateral palpi carrying three or four sensory cones. Tergites with a smooth surface, in some species polished. Legs short and broad, tarsus usually 2.5-4 times longer than wide. Leg pair 1 and 2 lacking an apical spine. Femur often with a well-developed toothed ridge. Coxae with a more or less well-developed sharp process carrying small triangular spines. Anal shield usually well-rounded, underside carrying a single, short, black locking carina located closely to the margin.

Male gonopore typical of Arthrosphaeridae , covered by a simple sclerotized plate.

Anterior telopod consisting of syncoxite plus four telopoditomeres. First telopoditomere enlarged, carrying the male stridulation organ (harp) consisting of 3-6 stridulation ribs, number of ribs independent of the size of the male, species specific. Second telopoditomere posteriorly with a process protruding up to the start of telopoditomere 4. Third telopoditomere short, sometimes with a spine juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2. Telopoditomere 4 larger than 3 and 4 combined, conical, basally with a field of sclerotized spots juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2, apically with a large, triangular lobe-like spine, usually three smaller spines distributed across the joint.

Posterior telopods always consisting of syncoxite with inner horns and inner lobes and pair of telopodites each consisting of three telopoditomeres forming chelae. First telopoditomere unremarkable, second telopoditomere forming the immovable finger of the chela. Immovable finger basally wide, apically tapering, always curved toward telopoditomere 3 (movable finger). Immovable finger as long as, or in some species overlapping movable finger. Membrane of telopoditomere 2 often extended into lobe, an anterior side juxtaposed to telopoditomere 3 with a dense field of sclerotized spots. Telopoditomere 3 curved or straight, relatively slender, margin juxtaposed to immovable finger with 20-40 small black crenulated teeth, three or four spines, and one, rarely two ( Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n.) large membranous lobes.

Female vulva atypical for Arthrosphaeridae , with external and inner plate standing below operculum, not extending mesally. Operculum large and well-rounded, protruding at least up to basal half of prefemur. Female subanal plate greatly enlarged, in some species almost divided into two plates. Subanal plate carrying a washboard with 3-8 stridulation ribs on each side, number of ribs depending on female body size.

Key to species of Sphaeromimus