Symphylella tanganyika, Camacho & Vandenspiegel, 2012

Camacho, Miguel Domínguez & Vandenspiegel, Didier, 2012, Scolopendrellidae (Myriapoda, Symphyla) from the Afrotropics with descriptions of seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 32, pp. 1-28 : 15-17

Symphylella tanganyika sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E92B089D-B6F7-44C2-8CC1-52CDFA5BE742

Figs 6 , 7F

Type material

Holotype

Sex unknown, TANZANIA, Mt. Uluguru, Kinola, 1500-1750 m, coll. Berger, Leleup and Debecker, 6-13 Jun. 1971 ( MRAC 22159 ).

Paratypes

2 ³³, same data as holotype ( MRAC 22160).

Type locality

TANZANIA, Mt. Uluguru, Kinola, 1500-1750 m.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition taken from the old name of the type locality.

Description (holotype)

LENGTH. 1.7 mm.

HEAD. 1.2 times as long as broad with broadest part behind the middle on a level with lateral protuberances ( Fig. 6A ). Lateral margins rounded. Central rod very thin, well distinct in the posterior part. Frontal

branches present, faint, and median branches absent. Dorsal surface with rather short setae. Cuticle with faint and dense pubescence ( Fig. 6B ).

ANTENNAE. Left antenna with 16 segments, right with 17 ( Fig. 6F ). First segment much smaller than following ones, about 0.3 times the length of 2 nd segment. Following segments with regular size. Inner setae of 2 nd and 3 rd segments longer than the ones of the following segments. Longest inner seta of the third segment 0.4 times the diameter of segment, length of the ones in the following segments about 0.2-0.3 times of diameter, gradually shorter towards the apex. Secondary whorl of setae begins on the ventral side of the 7 th segment. Apical segment globular, with several small terminal setae. All segments with faint pubescence.

TERGITES ( Figs 6A, E , 7F ). Small in comparison with the general width of the head and the body; width 0.6-0.8 times of the diameter of the trunk at the same level. First tergite rudimentary with eight setae arranged in two groups of four. One seta between first and second tergites in the median part ( Fig. 6E ). Lateral and posterior margins of second tergite straight. Nine posteromarginal setae with two central setae. One seta between apical and inner basal setae on the left triangular process, two on the right one. Six lateromarginal setae. Anterolateral setae comparatively not very long in the anterior tergites. Third tergite with eight posteromarginal setae and nine lateromarginal. Setae of the central part of third tergite clearly shorter than marginal ones. All tergites with faint pubescence.

LEGS. First pair of legs strongly reduced, in a small spiny spot with two protruding setae ( Fig. 6C, D ). Last pair of legs with thick and erect setae, sparse in the dorsal parts of the joints: femur with one erect seta in the distal part, tibia with two and tarsus with three protruding setae in a longitudinal row ( Fig. 6H ). Cuticle pubescent.

STYLI. Very small, subglobular, covered by a moderate number of spiny hairs ( Fig. 6G ).

CERCI. 2.5-2.7 times as long as wide, slightly curved laterally ( Fig. 6I ) and dorsally straight ( Fig. 6H ). Many short, slightly curved and depressed setae on all sides. Outer side with one protruding setae in the distal part ( Fig. 6I ), ventral with five setae arranged in a longitudinal row ( Fig. 6H ). Terminal area of the right cercus not entirely visible; terminal area of the left cercus conical, quite wide, 0.1 times as long as the total length of the cerci, with five transversal proximal striae and four curved, concentric distal striae ( Fig. 6I ). Apical seta curved, about as long as terminal area.

Affinities and differential diagnosis

S. tanganyika sp. nov. is similar to S. erecta sp. nov.; they share the presence of eight setae on the first tergite and the subglobular styli. It is distinguished from S. erecta sp. nov. the chaetotaxy of the second and third tergites, the length of the antennae, which are longer in S. tanganyika sp. nov., the smaller general size of the tergites and the presence of several protruding setae on the dorsal side of the last pair of legs.

Figures

Fig. 6. Symphylella tanganyika sp. nov., holotype (dorsal views) and paratype (ventral and lateral views). A. Head and first 4 tergites (T1, T2, T3, T4), dorsal view. Cr, central rod; fb, frontal branches; lp, lateral protuberances of the head. B. Detail of the surface of the head and lateral protuberance (lp). C. Detail of the first leg. D. Head and first 2 pairs of legs, ventral view. E. Detail of first (T1) and second (T2) tergites. Arrows, small end-swelling of triangular processes; al, anterolateral setae; as, apical setae; cs, central seta of the posteromarginal setae; ibs, inner basal setae of the posteromarginal setae; s, seta between first and second tergites. F. Left antenna. Arrows, longer inner setae of the second and third segments. G. Stylus of the leg 11 (arrow). H. Posterior part of the trunk, last pairs of legs and cerci (C), lateral view. Arrows, longer setae of the femur (f), tibia (t) and tarsus (ta) of last legs; es, erect setae of ventral side of right cercus. I. Last tergite and cerci (C), dorsal view. As, apical setae; es, erect setae of outer side of cerci; ta, terminal area.

Fig. 7. Schemata of the three first tergites and chaetotaxy of the described species of Symphylella. A. S. erecta sp. nov. B. S. fuko sp. nov. C. S. kalundu sp. nov. D. S. lubumbashi sp. nov. E. S. malagassa sp. nov. F. S. tanganyika sp. nov. — Marginal setae of second and third tergites labelled: lm, lateromarginal setae; lm (al), anterolateral seta of lateromarginal; p, posteromarginal setae; p(a), apical setae – belonging to the posteromarginal setae; p(c), central setae of posteromarginal; p(ib), inner basal setae of posteromarginal; s, seta between first and second tergites. Scale: 50 μm.