Haplogonopus cingulatus, Hoffman, Richard L., 2011

Hoffman, Richard L., 2011, A review of the milliped genus Haplogonopus with commentary on the so-called “ Charactopygus-Bildung ” modification of spirostreptid paraprocts (Diplopoda: Spirostreptidae), Zootaxa 2734, pp. 53-62 : 57-60

Haplogonopus cingulatus , new species

Figures 8–9

Diagnosis. Telopodite of gonopod without antetorsal process, its posttorsal region with distinct abrupt flexure ( Fig. 9 ); paraprocts fossate and diastemmate; promentum without deep paramedian pits; metazona with a median belt of indistinct fine ridges

Material. Male holotype (Virginia Museum of Natural History Martinsville) from the Rondo Plateau (10o10'S, 39o10'E), 800 m. ASL, ca. 60 km WSW of Lindi, Lindi Region, Tanzania; Jan Kielland leg. 1 April 1986 (“in thick forest”). Male and female paratype ( VMNH) from the Litipo Forest Reserve (10º02'S, 39º29'E), ca. 200 m ASL, Lindi District and Region, Tanzania; “Frontier Tanzania ” group, July–September 1993.

Holotype: Body with 48 segments. Broken into fragments; maximum diameter at midbody, 8.0 mm.

Coloration annulate: prozona and front half of mesozona yellowish-gray, metazona black (restricted to posterior margin on lower sides); legs and antennae yellow, probably lemon yellow in life.

Head convex, smooth, surface undmodified. Ocellaria large, subtriangular-reniform, 2.2 mm long, and closeset, twice the interocellarial width of 1.1 mm. Gnathochilarium similar to that of inflatannulus , proportionately a little wider and with much deeper mental cavity; basilar sclerite intact, shallowly indented on each side of middle but not distinctly fossate. Basomere of mandible without medially directed apical process.

Prozona and mesozona smooth, without concentric striations. Metazona somewhat coriaceous, with a middorsal belt of fine, parallel longitudinal ridges (most evident on dried surface). Sides of segment below ozopores with fine striations, larger and more prominent on segments 2–8, where projecting beyond edge of metazona as small prominent knobs. Ozopores very small, placed on metazona at about midlength, not associated with a longitudinal groove. Distal margins of paraprocts diastemmate ( Figs.10 d, ll). Legs long (7.6 at midbody) and slender, three podomeres visible from above when extended. Tibial pads present back to legs of 36th segment; postfemoral pads smaller, visible only to 30th segment. Posterior coxal cavities closed, with median projection. Anterior sternum smooth, posterior with median carina. Procoxae and metacoxae slightly dissimilar, the latter somewhat thicker and more produced caudally. Sigilla small, rounded, in a single row placed at midlength of pigmented belt of metazona.

First legs similar to those of H. inflatannulus ( Fig. 3 ). projecting directly anteriad and actually longer than suggested by the posterior aspect drawing in which they are foreshortened.

Gonopods ( Figs.8, 9 ) similar to those of inflatannulus , but mesal edge of the proplica slightly incurved distally, partly obscuring the apical process a. Telopodite with extended torsion region, no antetorsal process present, posttorsal region with distinct cingulum at about midlength.

Name. Refers to the reflexed modification (cingulum) of the posttorsal region of the gonotelopodite. Distribution. While known so far only from two localities on the Rondo Plateau, this species may occur southward into adjacent Mozambique ( Fig.12 ).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Tanzania and adjacent countries, showing known localities of the three species of Haplogonopus. Star, H. jeanneli; square, H. inflatannulus; triangle, H. cingulatus.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Haplogonopus, gonopod structure of three species. 6. H. inflatannulus, right gonopod, anterior aspect. 7. H. jeanneli, left gonopod, anterior aspect (adapted from Brolemann, 1920). 8. H. cingulatus, right gonopod, anterior aspect. 9. Midlength section of posttorsal telopodite, enlarged, to show form of cingulum. Abbreviations: a, apicomedial process of proplica; atp, antetorsal process of telopodite, mp, distal end of metaplica.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Haplogonopus inflatannulus Verhoeff., structural features. 1. Gnathochilarium and adjacent parts of mandibles and collum. 2. Right mandible, posterior aspect, with distal lobe of basomere indicated by the ↔. 3. First pair of legs of male, syncoxa, sternum, and basal podomeres, anterior aspect. 4. The same, posterior aspect, sclerite of uncertain identity indicated by the? 5. Dorsal half of three midbody segments, lateral aspect, showing convex metazona with ovoid depressions.