Hedinomorpha Verhoeff, 1934

Golovatch, Sergei I., 2021, Review of the millipede genus Hedinomorpha Verhoeff, 1934, with descriptions of three new species collected in China by Professor Jochen Martens (Diplopoda Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), Zootaxa 4984 (1), pp. 368-384 : 369

Genus Hedinomorpha Verhoeff, 1934

Type species: Hedinomorpha hummelii Verhoeff, 1934 , by monotypy.

The following 24 species are currently included in Hedinomorpha , arranged combining both geographic and alphabetic orders:

H. affinis Golovatch, 2014 , H. altiterga Golovatch, 2019 , H. flavobulbus Golovatch, 2019 and H. hummelii Verhoeff, 1934 , all four from Gansu Province, China; H. bucharensis ( Lohmander, 1933) , from Tajikistan, Central Asia; H. biramipedicula Zhang & Tang, 1985 , from Shanxi Province, China; H. circofera Golovatch, 2013a and H. martensorum spec. nov., both from Qinghai Province; H. circularis (Takakuwa, in Takakuwa & Takashima, 1949), H. jaegeri spec. nov., H. jeekeli ( Golovatch, 2009) and H. sympatrica spec. nov., all four from Shaanxi Province; H. barbata Golovatch, 2020a , H. bifida Golovatch, 2019 , H. crassiterga Golovatch, 2019 , H. distincta Golovatch, 2020b , H. liuae Golovatch, 2020b , H. martensi Golovatch, 2014 , H. nigra Golovatch, 2013b and H. reducta Golovatch, 2012 , all from Sichuan Province; H. montana Golovatch, 2016b , H. proxima Golovatch, 2016b , H. subnigra Golovatch, 2013b and H. yunnanensis Golovatch, 2016b , all from Yunnan Province ( Verhoeff 1934; Zhang & Tang 1985; Jeekel 1988; Golovatch 2009, 2012, 2013a, 2013b, 2014, 2016b, 2019, 2020a, 2020b).

The characters distinguishing the genus have recently been outlined by Golovatch (2019), but a brief description and an updated diagnosis seem warranted so as to properly assess the presently known species diversity and to discuss the closest affinities of Hedinomorpha .

Brief description. A typical member of the tribe Sulciferini including only epigean, pigmented and mostly medium-sized to smaller species (10–40 mm long, 1.0–4.0 mm wide) with 20 body segments/rings and a normal pore formula (5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15–19). Paraterga from small, poorly developed and low (largely set at about half to upper third of midbody metaterga) to relatively strong and high keels (set at about upper quarter of midbody metaterga, rarely even elevated above dorsum), always showing calluses visible at least dorsally. Transverse sulci usually present on metaterga 5–17(18), but rarely up to 3–19. Pleurosternal carinae present, sometimes with small caudal teeth or lobes. Epiproct only sometimes conspicuously hirsute, enlarged and bulbous, but more usually typical, flattened dorsoventrally, its apex subtruncate, always devoid of terminal hooks. Legs relatively long and slender, male tarsal brushes often present, male prefemora not bulged laterad, adenostyles absent.

Gonopods relatively simple, with a long coxite, subcylindrical and sparsely setose distoventrally, supplied with a small apicomesal cannula, devoid of modifications. Telopodites in situ crossing each other distally, each directed laterad and ca 2–3.5 times as long as coxite; prefemoral (= densely setose) part as usual, without modifications; femorite (fe) usually rather stout, but longer than either coxite or prefemoral part, suberect, slightly broadening distad, typically with a shallow gutter on mesal face to support a fully mesal seminal groove (sg) running all along, mostly (but not always) with a subtransverse distolateral sulcus (rarely two sulci) to delimit a small apical lobe (l); postfemoral region clearly bipartite, consisting of a long, free and flagelliform solenomere (sl) sheathed by and largely squeezed between a particularly strongly developed lamina lateralis (q) and a much smaller lamina medialis (j) of solenophore (sph), the latter a longer and stronger branch, loosely coiled, starting at base of l and never tightly spiraling, often barbed distally and acuminate apically, only rarely with 1–2 additional postfemoral outgrowths located immediately distal to l, but instead usually with 1–2 simple outgrowths (spines, lobes or ridges) near midway and/or distally.

Diagnosis. Like most of the typical genera of Sulciferini , Hedinomorpha is characterized by two main branches arising distal to the gonopodal femorite: a solenophore and a solenomere ( Jeekel 1968). Moreover, both main branches of the distal part of the gonopodal telopodite in Hedinomorpha are long and slender, directed laterad, and the femorite usually shows a subtransverse distolateral sulcus to delimit a small postfemoral lobe (l). However, Hedinomorpha differs from the most similar genera by a shallow to occasionally undeveloped mesal gutter of the femorite, coupled with a slender, relatively simple and loosely coiled (= never spiraling) solenophore which is typically supplied with a particularly strongly developed lamina lateralis (q) and a much smaller lamina medialis (j), as well as a single midway outgrowth (k) and/or a parabasal process (p), only occasionally with two parabasal processes. The solenomere is flagelliform, similar in length to solenophore, tightly squeezed between and sheathed by both laminae q and j, being exposed only distally. The solenophore is ribbon-shaped, often barbed distally and acuminate apically (see also Affinities and Key below).