Zinophora diplodonta (Attems, 1928)

Redman, Guy T., Hamer, Michelle L. & Barraclough, David A., 2003, Revision of the Harpagophoridae (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida) of southern Africa, including descriptions of five new species, African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 203-277 : 237-241

Zinophora diplodonta (Attems, 1928)

Figs 2 , 84–96

Poratophilus diplodontus Attems, 1928: 378 ; Attems 1934; Demange 1961.

Philoporatia diplodonta ; Lawrence 1965.

Poratophilus (Philoporatia) diplodonta ; Schubart 1966.

Zinophora diplodonta ; Demange 1983; Hamer 1998.

Type material (not examined): The types are recorded as being housed at SAMC (Attems 1928), but they were not found there. The type locality is Johannesburg [2628AA] in Gauteng .

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: 1ơ, Pretoria [2528CA] Riviera , i.1913, Van Dam ( TMSA 20624 ) ; 1ơ, Pretoria [2528CA] ( SAMC B8983 ) ; 2ơ1^, Pretoria [2528CA], xi.1961, O. Fiedler ( NMSA 8216 ) ; 1ơ Pretoria [2528CA], xi.1961, O. Fiedler ( NMSA 2302 ) ; 4ơ2^, Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve (25.86470˚S:28.27728˚E), 18.i.2000, R. Slotow & M. Hamer ( NMSA 18712 ) ; 1ơ, Krugersdorp Game Reserve , on road (26.07400˚S:27.70722˚E), 21.i.2000, M. Hamer ( NMSA 19094 ) ; 1ơ, Krugersdorp Game Reserve (26.08388˚S:27.71810˚E), 21.i.2000, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19093 ) . North West Province: 2ơ, Waterberg [2427BC], xii.1996, E. Green ( NMSA 18939 ) ; 1ơ, R511 to Hartebeespoort (29.61901˚S:30.43513˚E), 20.xii.1999, R. Slotow ( NMSA 18710 ) ; 1ơ, 30 km from Pilanesberg National Park (25.53171˚S:27.40003˚E), 20.xii.1999, R. Slotow ( NMSA 18709 ) ; 1ơ, Madikwe Game Reserve (24.69245˚S:26.28886˚E), xii.1999, N. Govender ( NMSA 18941 ) ; 1ơ, Rustenburg Nature Reserve (25.71403˚S:27.18851˚E), 9.i.2000, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA

85

18713); 3ơ, on road to Brits (27.8089˚S:25.56225˚E), 14.i.2000, R. Slotow & M. Hamer ( NMSA 19095 ) ; 1ơ2^, Madikwe Game Reserve , near Abjagterskop Gate (24.82629˚S:26.18989˚E), 16.i.2000, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 18714 ) , 1ơ, Madikwe Game Reserve , near Abjagterskop Gate (24.82629˚S:26.18989˚E), 16.i.2000, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19092 ) ; 1ơ, Pilanesberg National Park (25˚ 02.145S:26˚ 43.751E), 31.x.2000, R. Slotow ( NMSA 19031 ) ; 1ơ, Pilanesberg National Park , Manyane Gate (25.25760˚S:27.10309˚E), 2.xi.2000, R. Slotow ( NMSA 18953 ) ; 3ơ, Pilanesberg National Park (25.25760˚S:27.10309˚E), 8.xii.2000, G. Van Dyk & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19033 ) .

Diagnosis: Telopodite with one short, apically tapered, slightly curved femoral spine ( Figs 86, 87 ), concealed under posterior telocoxal fold ( Fig. 84 ). Thumb narrow, elongate and curved towards pectinophore ( Fig. 88 ). Posterior telocoxal fold with elongate medial lobes narrowing apically, with apices of opposing folds overlapping medially. Lateral process of telocoxite somewhat rectangular ( Figs 84, 85 ). Anterior telocoxal fold with two medially directed telocoxal spines, one above the other ( Fig. 85 ).

Description:

Dimensions: Males, n = 14. Body width 6.0–9.0 [7.3]; collum width 6.0–8.9 [7.3]; body length 54.0–118.0 [77.9]; leg length 3.5–4.8; antenna length 4.1–6.0 [5.0].

Number of segments: 41–45 [43].

Colour: Head, clypeus and collum brown. Prozonites light brown, mesozonites brown, and metazonal surface dark brown. Pre-anal ring, anal valve, legs and antennae brown. First ozopore: Segment 6.

Collum: One submarginal groove, anterior corner rounded and moderately pointed ( Fig. 89 ).

Gonopods: Telopodite with one femoral spine, this apically tapered with slight curvature ( Figs 86, 87 ), concealed under posterior telocoxal fold ( Fig. 84 ). Thumb narrow, elongate and curved towards pectinophore ( Fig. 88 ). Second lamella a hyaline laminate plate widening distally ( Fig. 88 ). Anterior telocoxal fold with two medially directed telocoxal spines, one above the other ( Fig. 85 ). Distance between telocoxal spines subequal to length of single telocoxal spine. Distal spine sometimes concealed under posterior telocoxal fold when viewed aborally ( Fig. 84 ). Lateral margin of distal end of telocoxite formed into wedge-like, somewhat rectangular, laterally directed protuberance ( Figs 84, 85 ). Posterior telocoxal fold with medial lobes narrowing apically and apices of opposing folds overlapping medially ( Figs 84, 85 ).

Pre-anal ring: Caudal spine moderately upturned distally, extending beyond distal margin of anal valve.

Distribution: Z. diplodonta has been collected in Gauteng and the North West Province ( Fig. 2 ), in both the savanna and grassland biomes. The identity of the following specimens from KwaZulu-Natal, labelled as Z. diplodonta , were not confirmed as the gonopods had been removed and were not in the containers with the specimens: 2ơ, Ubombo, Mseleni [2732BC], ( NMSA 18720); 1ơ, Mseleni [2732BC], Zululand ( NMSA 18721). Based on the other distribution localities, it is unlikely that these specimens represent Z. diplodonta .

Remarks: The type specimens are recorded as housed in SAMC (Attems 1928), but the specimen examined from this museum was not labelled as a type.

All the material examined had lost colour due to storage in alcohol. Live specimens from Pilanesberg National Park were recorded as ‘black, alternating with bright yellow’, however this material had lost colour by the time it was examined.

There is a degree of variation in the structure of the gonopods. Some specimens collected in the Pilanesberg National Park have three telocoxal spines on each gonopod and in other specimens from this locality, one of the gonopods has three spines and the other has two spines ( Figs 93, 94 ). In some specimens of the Pilanesberg material, one of the telocoxal spines is apically bifid and this was also observed in material from the Rustenburg Nature Reserve ( Fig. 92 ). In other specimens the thumb on the posterior limb of the telopodite has an extra falcate spine where the thumb emerges from the base of the pectinophore ( Figs 86, 87 ). This additional spine is shorter than the thumb. The first pair of legs of the male also shows variation in the extent to which the prefemora are in contact, and the extent of a syncoxosternal suture ( Figs 90 , 95, 96 )

100–102 Figs 97–104. Zinophora gracilis (Brand, 1841) . 97. Aboral view of gonopods ( AMSA 6226). 98. Aboral view of gonopods ( NMSA 9629). 99. Oral view of gonopods ( AMSA 6226). 100–102. Apical elements of telopodite, different orientations.103. Lateral view of collum; arrow indicates anterior end of millipede. 104. Oral view of first pair of male legs. c = telecoxal spines; f = femoral spine;

lp= lateral process; p = pectinophore; sl = second lamella; t = thumb; t1 = second plate of thumb.

Figures

Fig. 2. Distribution of southern African Zinophora species.

Figs 84–90. Zinophora diplodonta (Attems, 1928). 84. Aboral view of gonopods (SAMC B8366). 85. Oral view of gonopods (SAMC B8366). 86–87. Telopodite. 88. Apical elements of telopodite. 89. Lateral view of collum; arrow indicates anterior end of millipede. 90. Oral view of first pair of male legs. c = telocoxal spines; cs = coxal shelf; f = femoral spine; l = lobe of posterior fold of telocoxite; lp = lateral process; p = pectinophore; sl = second lamella; t = thumb.

Figs 91–96. Zinophora diplodonta (Attems, 1928). Variation in gonopods and first legs of male. 91. Aboral view of gonopods (NMSA 18713). 92. Oral view of gonopods (NMSA 18713). 93. Aboral view of gonopods (NMSA 19031). 94. Oral view of gonopods (NMSA 19031). 95–96. Oral view of first pair of male legs. 95. NMSA 18709. 96. SAMC B8366.