Sphaeromimus ivohibe Wesener

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 : 85-87

Sphaeromimus ivohibe Wesener sp. n. Figs 15, 16A

Material examined.

Type material. Holotype. 1 ♂, FMNH-INS 8184, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, extreme northern limit of Réserve Speciale de Ivohibe, along Hefitany Riv., ca. 7.5 km ENE Ivohibe, 22.4700°S, 46.9600°E, 1200 m, coll. S. M. Goodman, 03.-09.ix.1997.

Diagnosis.

Small shining black pill millipede with orange-reddish appendages. Of all currently known Sphaeromimus with highest number of stridulation ribs, 6, on male harp. Posterior telopods unique, with two large membranous lobes.

Description.

Measurements: male holotype: 20.6 long, 8.6 (2nd), 9.05 (8th = widest) wide, 5.2 (2nd), 6.1 (8th = highest) height.

Colouration of tergites shining black. Paratergite impressions and groove of thoracic shield dark greenish. Legs, antennae and pleurites orange-red, eyes green.

Head: Eyes with>60 ocelli. Antennae very short, protruding to coxa 5. Antennomeres 1-4 with few longer setae, 5 and 6 densely pubescent. Antennomere 6 towards disc with single row of sensilla basiconica. Male with 34/35 apical cones. Mouthparts not dissected.

Collum glabrous except few setae at margins.

Thoracic shield smooth and glabrous, few setae in grooves. Grooves deep. Tergites 3-12 smooth, except for paratergite depressions. Paratergite tips of midbody tergites weakly projecting posteriorly.

Anal shield well-rounded, lacking pubescent area.

Endotergum inner section with numerous short triangular spines and long setae (Fig. 16A). Between ridge and inner area two rows of weakly impressed, circular cuticular impressions. Externally single, sparse row of marginal bristles (Fig. 16A). Bristles short, not protruding up to tergite margin.

First stigma-carrying plate with a well-rounded projecting apex (Fig. 15A).

Leg 1 with 2, 2 with 3, 3 with 8 ventral spines. Leg pairs 4-21 with 12 ventral spines. Coxa process visible, but not as well developed as those of anterior legs (Fig. 15B). Femur 1.6, tarsus 2.9 times longer than wide (Fig. 15B).

Male gonopore typical for the genus (Fig. 15C).

Anterior telopod (Fig. 15 D–F): Harp carrying six stridulation ribs (Fig. 15D). Shape usual for the genus, telopoditomere 4 longer than 2 and 3 combined, with one large triangular spine and 2 or 3 smaller ones (Fig. 15E, F), laterally with a field of sensory hair (Fig. 15E). Podomere 3 with several small spines juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2.

Posterior telopod (Fig. 15G, H): Podomere 3 straight, 4.4 times longer than wide, slightly longer than immovable finger (Fig. 15G). Hollowed-out inner margin with two lobes and four sclerotized spines, posterior aspect with ca. 36 small crenulated teeth (Fig. 15H). Immovable finger apically only weakly tapering, only its apex curved towards podomere 3. Podomere 1-3 glabrous except for a few marginal hair with few setae (Fig. 15G, H).

Female unknown.

Etymology.

‘ivohibe’, noun in apposition, after the type locality, the national park Ivohibe.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality.