Sechelleptus variabilis VandenSpiegel & Golovatch, 2007

Vandenspiegel, Didier, Henrard, Arnaud & Mathys, Aurore, 2021, Sechelleptus arborivagus sp. nov., a new arboreal spirostreptid millipede (Diplopoda, Spirostreptidae) endemic to Mayotte Island (Comoros Archipelago), Indian Ocean, European Journal of Taxonomy 755 (1), pp. 1-21 : 7-8

Sechelleptus variabilis VandenSpiegel & Golovatch, 2007

Fig. 2

Material examined

Holotype

UNION OF THE COMOROS • ♂; Mohéli, Fomboni; 12°15′ S, 043°45′ E; 21 May 2003; dead wood; R. Jocqué and D. VandenSpiegel leg.; BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.21733 .

New material

FRANCE – Department of Mayotte (Comoros archipelago) • ♂; Mereni , back of mangrove; 19 Nov. 2019; hand collecting; D. VandenSpiegel and A. Mathys leg.; BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.22878 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21 Nov. 2019; BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.22879 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.22983 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mont Benara ; 12°52′ S, 045°09′ E; 21 Nov. 2019; hand collecting & sieving, litter; D. VandenSpiegel and A. Mathys leg.; BE_ RMCA_MYR.Dip.22883 • 1 ♂; Mont Combani, 500 m before Lodge; 12°47′ S, 045°09′ E; 15 Nov. 2019; sieving; litter; D. VandenSpiegel and A. Mathys leg.; BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.22930 .

Remarks

In the original description of the species, the length unit given for the specimens’ sizes is wrong and should have been cm instead of mm. Correct measurements are: length ♂♂: 3.4–8.0 cm; ♀♀: 5.0– 7.0 cm; midbody width 0.34–0.5 cm and 0.3 – 0.5 cm, respectively.

Taking this modification into account, the recently collected specimens agree with the description ( VandenSpiegel & Golovatch 2007).

Figures

Fig. 2. Sechelleptus variabilis VandenSpiegel & Golovatch, 2007 (BE_RMCA_MYR.Dip.22883). SEM views. A. Ommatidia, lateral view. B. Transversal section of midbody, frontal view. C. Tarsal claw, lateral view. Scale bars: A = 100 µm; B = 1 mm; C = 20 µm.