Ribautiella Brölemann, 1926

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 : 25

Genus Ribautiella Brölemann, 1926 .

Type species

Ribautiella zagnanadina Brölemann, 1926 , described from Benin.

Diagnosis

23 tergites, which means that the tergal areas 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15 (fide Domínguez Camacho, 2009, fig. 4, page 108) are subdivided into two subtergites; first tergite small, tergites 3, 5-7, 9-11, 13-15, 17, 18 and 21 with paired, triangular posterior processes. In his Keys to the Genera of Symphyla, Edwards (1959) mentions the presence of 24 tergites as a diagnostic feature for this genus. This higher number is due to a supposed subdivision of the first tergite. However, this characteristic is questionable since descriptions and illustrations are not satisfactory and this subdivision appears in different grades among the species. The present study using SEM suggests that it is probably an artefact of the mounts for light microscopy ( Fig. 11A, D ).

First pair of legs reduced either to hairy or spiny knobs or spots. This diagnostic character is also present in Symphylella . Accordingly, the combination of the characters 1 and 2 is the strongest diagnostic character set for Ribautiella .

Only both exterior parts of the tergites 2-21 completely sclerotized ( Fig. 11A, D ). This character is also present in other scolopendrellid genera, such as Scolopendrellopsis , Geophilella, Parviapiciella ( Domínguez Camacho 2009) and probably Remysymphyla .

Terminal area of cerci small, with basis diagonal, pointing back- and inwards rather than transverse ( Fig. 11B, E ). Striae – if present – also diagonal rather than transverse, pointing back- and inwards ( Fig. 11F ).

Species included

Eight species are known ( Scheller 2007): Ribautiella amazonica Scheller & Adis, 1984 , from Amazonia, South America ( Scheller & Adis 1984); Ribautiella borbonica Jupeau, 1954 , from the island La Réunion ( Jupeau 1954) and Madagascar ( Rochaix 1956); Ribautiella cathetus Scheller, 2007 , from Amazonia, South America ( Scheller 2007); Ribautiella delphini Rochaix, 1956 , from Madagascar ( Rochaix 1956); Ribautiella machadoi Hinschberger, 1954 , from Ivory Coast and Angola ( Hinschberger 1954; Juberthie- Jupeau 1958); Ribautiella schoutedeni Hinschberger, 1954 , from Ivory Coast, Angola and the Congo D.R. ( Hinschberger 1954; Juberthie-Jupeau 1958); Ribautiella tuxeni Allen, 1998 , from Amazonia, South America ( Allen 1998); Ribautiella zagnanadina Brölemann, 1926 , from Benin ( Brölemann 1926), Angola and Ivory Coast ( Hinschberger 1954; Juberthie-Jupeau 1958; Rochaix 1955).

Figures

Fig. 11. — A-C. Ribautiella zagnanadina Brölemann, 1926. Museum material (MRAC 7832). — D-F. Ribautiella schoutedeni Hinschberger, 1954. Museum material (MRAC 6033). — A, D. Head and tergal areas 1-3 (TA1-TA3) (fide Domínguez Camacho 2009: 108, fig. 4). Arrows, fold in the first tergite – artefact. B, E. Penultimate (T22) and last (T23) tergites, and cerci (C). Arrows, diagonal end of cerci – basis of the terminal areas (ta). C, F. Detail of the terminal area of the cerci. Arrow, striae.