Hylekobolus albicollaris Wesener, 2009

Wesener, Thomas, Enghoff, Henrik & Sierwald, Petra, 2009, Review of the Spirobolida on Madagascar, with descriptions of twelve new genera, including three genera of ' fire millipedes' (Diplopoda), ZooKeys 19 (19), pp. 1-128 : 108-109

Hylekobolus albicollaris Wesener , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1E02878D-956E-4FFB-8175-15B8ECB7D5F6

Material examined: 18 ♂, 23 ♀, 18 imm. Holotype: 1 ♂ (35 mm long), FMMC W084 , Western slope of Vohimena Mountains, Ivorona, rainforest, 114 m, 24°50.026’ S, 46°56.943’ E, leg. T. Wesener et al., 23.V.2007 Paratypes: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, FMMC W084 , same data as holotype ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZMUC W084 , same data as holotype ; 1 ♂, ZMH W084 , same data as holotype ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, CAS W084 , same data as holotype ; 1 ♂, ZSM W084 , same data as holotype .

Other material examined: 2 ♂, 9 ♀, 3 imm., W089, same data as holotype, University Antananarivo ; 1 ♀, FMMC W048 D, Andohahela, Isaka-Ivondro Sud , rainforest, 46 m, 24°49.690’ S, 46°51.971’ E, leg. T. Wesener et al., 08.VI.2007 ; 5 ♂, 5 ♀, 7 imm., FMMC W008 , Ambatotsirongorongo Mountain, Petit Lavasoa , rainforest, 668 m, 25°05.021’ S, 46°46.110’ E, leg. T. Wesener et al., 21.V.2007 ; 5 ♂, 5 ♀, 8 imm., W008, same data as previous, University Antananarivo .

Differential diagnosis: the colour pattern of Hylekobolus albicollaris is unique for Malagasy species of Spirobolida and allows an easy identification in the field. For a separation of H. albicollaris and H. griseus see above.

Description. Measurements: males with 42–45 rings, 33–36 mm long, 2.7–3.1 mm wide. Females with 42–46 rings, 30–36 mm long, 3.0– 3.6 mm wide.

Coloration: anterior part of head, entire collum and telson as well as posterior margin of body rings, legs and antennae white ( Figs 53C , 58A, C ). Posterior part of head and anterior 2/3 of body rings dark grey to black ( Figs 53C , 58A ). Eyes with 32–34 ocelli ( Fig. 58A ).

Anterior gonopod sternite basally wide, apically elevated into a slender, triangular lobe with a well-rounded tip ( Fig. 58D ). Mesal coxite process slender and protruding ( Fig. 58D ). Apical process of telopodite large and well-rounded. Retrorse margin wide, widely projecting above telopodite margin ( Fig. 58F ); margin basally of apical process not projecting ( Fig. 58F ).

Posterior gonopods telopodite bent 90° ( Fig. 58G ). Lateral margin without a projection (w, Fig. 58E ). Apical process (x) wide, swollen and membranous ( Fig. 58E ). A membranous lobe (y) present, in posterior view overlapping part of sperm canal ( Fig. 58E ). Projection of sperm canal (z) extraordinary long and slender, twice as long as apical process ( Fig. 58G ).

Distribution and ecology: this species was found in the isolated Ambatotsirongorongo Mountain, the Andohahela Isaka-Ivondro corridor as well as on the western slopes of the Vohimena Mountains ( Fig. 54 ). H.brachiosauroides occurs sympatrically at all three sites. H. albicollaris sp. n. was not found at the Malio sites in the southern Anosy Mountains, the eastern slopes of the Vohimena Mountains or in the lowland littoral rainforests of Mandena and Sainte Luce, where the species is replaced by H. griseus sp. n.

Etymology: albicollaris refers to the white collum ( Fig. 53C ) of this species, a unique feature for Malagasy Spirobolida .

Figures

Figure 53. Living specimens of A Hylekobolus brachiosauroides sp. n., male B H. griseus sp. n., mating pair C H. albicollaris sp. n.

Figure 54. Distribution map of the genus Hylekobolus gen. n.

Figure 58. Hylekobolus albicollaris sp. n., male holotype. A head, lateral view B male legs 1–7, ventral view C telson D anterior gonopod, anterior view E left posterior gonopod, anterior view F anterior gonopod, posterior view G left posterior gonopod, posterior view. Apo = apodeme; av = anal valves; Co = collum; Cx = coxite; Md = mandible; Pre = preanal ring; St = sternite; sub = subanal scale; T = telopodite. Scale bars = 1 mm.