Spinaxytes efefi Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha

Srisonchai, Ruttapon, Enghoff, Henrik, Likhitrakarn, Natdanai & Panha, Somsak, 2018, A revision of dragon millipedes IV: the new genus Spinaxytes, with the description of nine new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 797, pp. 19-69 : 19

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.797.29510

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A5403588-F43D-40FF-81EE-2009E49823B4

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/935306A6-160D-4903-B3B4-BE046F963661

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:935306A6-160D-4903-B3B4-BE046F963661

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Spinaxytes efefi Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha
status

sp. n.

Spinaxytes efefi Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha View in CoL sp. n. Figs 4D, E; 5B; 9, 10, 11

Material examined.

Holotype. ♂, MYANMAR, Tanintharyi Region, Myeik, 20 km northeast of Monoron, Lenya National Park, limestone mountain near Ngawun Chaung River, 11°40'20"N, 99°13'30"E, ca. 64 m a.s.l., 9 Jun. 2015, FFI staff and ASRU members leg. (CUMZ-pxDGT00207). Paratypes. 20 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀, same data as for holotype (CUMZ-pxDGT00208); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (ZMUC00040250); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (ZMUM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (NHMW9422); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (NHMUK).

Etymology.

The name is an artificially constructed homophone ( efefi = FFI) honouring FFI (Fauna and Flora International, Myanmar), an organization for biodiversity conservation; in recognition of their hard work to protect wildlife including invertebrates.

Diagnosis.

Sternal lobe between male coxae 4 not bilobed and male femora without modification. Similar in this respect to S. hasta sp. n., but differs by having: collum with 5(4)+5(4) tubercles in anterior row, 2+2 tubercles in intermediate row and 3+3 tubercles in posterior row; metaterga 2-8 with 3+3 cones in anterior row and 3+3 cones in posterior row; metaterga 9-18 with 3+3 cones in anterior row and 4+4 cones in posterior row; metatergum 19 with 3+3 tubercles/cones in anterior row and 4+4 tubercles/cones in posterior row; postfemoral part of gonopod with a triangular process and a triangular ridge.

Description.

SIZE. Length 26-30 mm (male), 30-32 mm (female); width of midbody metazona 2.1-2.2 mm (male), 2.7-2.9 mm (female). Width of collum = ring 2 = 3 = 4 <head = 5-17, thereafter body gradually tapering towards telson.

Colour (Figure 9A, B). Specimens in life with body brown/yellowish brown; paraterga yellow; antennae (except whitish distal part of antennomeres 7 and 8), head and prozona brown/blackish brown; collum, metaterga and surface below paraterga brown/yellowish brown; sterna, epiproct and legs brown; a few basal podomeres pale brown/whitish brown.

Antennae. Reaching to body ring 9 or 10 (male) and 7 or 8 (female) when stretched dorsally.

Collum (Figure 10A). With three transverse rows of setiferous tubercles, 5(4)+5(4) tubercles in anterior row, 2+2(1) tubercles in intermediate row and 3+3 tubercles in posterior row; with two inconspicuous setiferous notches at lateral margin; paraterga wing-like, quite short and small, tip obtuse, elevated at ca. 15°-25° (male) 10°-15° (female), directed caudolaterad.

Tegument. Quite dull; collum, metaterga (posterior part) and surface below paraterga coarsely microgranulate; metaterga (anterior part) smooth.

Metaterga (Figure 10A, C, E). With two transverse rows of setiferous cones; metaterga 2-8 with 3+3 cones in anterior row and 3+3 cones in posterior row; metaterga 9-19 with 3(4)+3(4) cones in anterior row and 4(5)+4(5) cones in posterior row; all cones subequal in length and size.

Paraterga (Figure 10 A–E, H). Very long; directed almost dorsad on body rings 2-16, elevated at ca. 65°-80° (male) 60°-70° (female); directed dorsocaudad on ring 17; directed increasingly caudad on body rings 18 and 19. Ozopore visible in lateral view.

Telson (Figure 10E, H, I). Epiproct quite long; tip subtruncate; lateral setiferous tubercles conspicuous; apical tubercles inconspicuous. Hypoproct subsemicircular; caudal margin round (in some specimens angular), with conspicuous setiferous tubercles.

Sterna (Figs 4D; 10F, G). Sternal lobe between male coxae 4 erect, subrectangular, very long; tips emarginate, in situ directed ventrad; posterior surface bearing one pore near tip.

Legs (Figs 4E, 10J). Male femora without modification.

Gonopods (Figs 5B, 11). Coxa subequal in length to femur. Prefemoral part ca. 2/3 as long as femur. Femur not enlarged distally, ventrally swollen in middle part. Postfemoral part broad; mesally with a long triangular process (directed mesoanteriad) and a long triangular ridge, between process and ridge with a wide furrow. Mesal sulcus and lateral sulcus wide. Solenophore bigger and longer than postfemoral part; basally very broad: lamina lateralis long and slender, curved, tip round: lamina medialis long and slender; with two ridges in middle portion; slightly attenuated near tip; tip in situ resting very close to solenomere, terminating in small spines. Solenomere flat, curving down; tip terminating in three sharp spines, directed mesoventrad.

Distribution and habitat

(Figure 9C). Known only from the type locality. The specimens were found exclusively on rock walls or in caves. We have tried to find this species in other places near the type locality, but no further specimens have been collected. Given the finding only at the type locality, the new species is considered to be endemic to southern Myanmar.

Remarks.

No variation was found. Body ring 19 of S. efefi sp. n. seems to be shorter than in other species, and the tip of paraterga on collum is obtuse whereas in other species (except S. biloba sp. n.) it is sharp.