Doratogonus rugifrons (Attems, 1928)

Vohland, Katrin & Hamer, Michelle, 2013, A review of the millipedes (Diplopoda) of Namibia, with identification keys and descriptions of two new genera and five new species, African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 251-251 : 275-276

Doratogonus rugifrons (Attems, 1928)

Figs 47–49

Alloporus rugifrons: Attems 1922: 98 (nomen nudum); 1928: 349, figs 305, 306; 1950: 205; Lawrence 1965: 49; Schubart 1966: 76; Krabbe 1982: 123.

Doratogonus rugifrons: Hamer 1998: 49 ; 2000: 56; Hamer & Slotow 2000: 301.

Diagnosis: Distal half of median lamella of telocoxite cup-shaped, median edge of cup serrated, and setae confined to rim area of cup. Median lamella with a distinct, triangular, spine-like projection medially on distal margin ( Fig. 47). Telopodite long, with lamellate femoral process curved through about 300° ( Fig. 48, fp); postfemoral process lamellate, narrowing abruptly at second bend ( Fig. 47).

Description:

Size: Male about 175 mm long, 63 segments in male and female.

Colour: Dark brown, legs chestnut brown, anal segment dark brown. Head: Antenna reaching to just behind collum.

Collum: Subquadratic, projected anteriorly and with folds ( Fig. 49).

Tergites and sternites: First ozopore on 5 th segment. Prozonites finely striated longitudinally, horizontal ridge of metazonites ending below ozopores, metazonites medially with fine suture.

Legs: Pads on legs up until last body segment.

Gonopod: Median lamella of telocoxite with strong, tapered distal spine; telopodite with tibial and femoral processes ( Figs 47, 48).

Material examined: NAMIBIA: 1♂ Otjozondjupa region, Waterberg [20°31'S 17°14'E], xi.1972, H.C. Strauss ( SMN 21738 ) ( NMNW) ; 1♂ 1♀ Otjozondjupa region, Biodiversity Observatory Otjiamongombe , 100 km N of Windhoek (Erichsfelde), 21°35'S 16°56'E, 14.iv.2001, S. Lüdecke (BIOTA-638) ( ZMHB / MYR 13728 ) ; 1♂ 1♀ same locality and date, K. Vohland (BIOTA­614/5) ( NMNW) .

Distribution:This is one of the most widely distributed species of the genus Doratogonus ( Hamer 2000) . It is to be found from the Okavango region in northern Namibia to the northern parts of South Africa and has also been recorded from Botswana.

Habitat: Doratogonus rugifrons occurs predominantly in the savanna biome and its presence seems to be related to the distribution of Brachystegia woodland in the northern parts of its range ( Hamer & Slotow 2000).

Remarks: According to a cladistic analysis by Hamer and Slotow (2000), D. rugifrons is most closely related to D. rhodesianus (Chamberlin, 1927) , the distribution range of which is adjacent to that of D. rugifrons . The gonopods of the two species are almost identical, but in D. rhodesianus the projection on the median lamella of the telocoxite is smaller, the lower rim of the cup on the surface of the median lamella is shallower and the femoral process is less curved ( Hamer 2000).