Eviulisoma nessiteras, Enghoff, 2018

Enghoff, Henrik, 2018, A mountain of millipedes VII: The genus Eviulisoma Silvestri, 1910, in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, and related species from other Eastern Arc Mountains. With notes on Eoseviulisoma Brolemann, 1920, and Suohelisoma Hoffman, 1963 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 445, pp. 1-90 : 40-42

Eviulisoma nessiteras sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7442C1C4-8C4F-4CCB-BD53-64347CB6185 A

Fig. 19

Diagnosis

Differs from other species of the E. kwabuniense group by having map and the spinose iap extremely slender, in combination with a solenophore with very to extremely slender dorsal and ventral processes, such that the acropodite seems to consist of four very slender branches (in addition to the solenomere).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition. Nessiteras is the genus name given to the famous Loch Ness Monster, and the dorsal lobe of the solenophore of E. nessiteras sp. nov. resembles the most famous photograph of the alleged monster sticking its long neck out from the lake surface.

Material studied (total: 7 ♂♂)

Holotype

TANZANIA: ♂, Kitungulu FR, 1500 m a.s.l., 08°09′ S, 36°05′ E, forest, Jan. 1996, M. Andersen, P. Gravlund and A. Jakobsen leg. ( ZMUC).

Paratypes

TANZANIA: 3 ♂♂, same collection data as for holotype (ZMUC); 3 ♂♂, Morogoro Region, Udzungwa Scarp Catchment FR, Chita, Plot 18, 2 Nov. 2014. 08°29′19.5″ S, 35°54′27.3″ E, 1531 m a.s.l., pitfall trap, J. Malumbres-Olarte leg., sample codes 18 PT1 and 18 PT6 (ZMUC).

Referred non-type material

TANZANIA: 1 ♀, tentatively referred to this species, Morogoro Region, Udzungwa Scarp Catchment FR, Chita, Plot 18, 2 Nov. 2014. 08°29′19.5″ S, 35°54′27.3″ E, 1531 m a.s.l., pitfall trap, J. Malumbres- Olarte leg., sample code 18 PT6 ( ZMUC).

Description (male)

SIZE. Length 18 mm, max. width 1.9 mm.

COLOUR. After three years in alcohol all whitish, only vertigial region of head very light brownish.

ANTENNAE. Reaching back to end of ring 3.

BODY RINGS. Paranota at most indicated by faint ridge on body ring 2 (as Fig. 4C ), otherwise completely absent. Stricture between pro- and metazonite striolate. A transverse row of setae on all body rings.

HYPOPROCT. Large, trapezoid to almost rectangular, with three apical tubercles.

LEGS. Length 1.2× body width. Relative lengths of podomeres: femur> prefemur> tarsus> tibia> postfemur. Scopulae prominent on femur, postfemur, tibia and tarsus, only missing from posteriormost legs.

STERNUM 5. A small subpentagonal process between legs 4.

STERNUM 6. Deeply excavated. Rim of excavation simple.

GONOPODS ( Fig. 19 ). Coxal lobe (cxl) large. Prefemoral part (prf) ca 0.3 × as long as acropodite. Mesal acropodital process (map) a very slender, smooth, slightly arched rod with a short triangular subapical side branch. Intermediate acropodital process (iap) as slender and ca as long as map, slightly arched, densely covered in long spines along dorsal side ( Fig. 19F ). Solenophore (sph) deeply split into two long lobes; dorsal lobe (sph-d) almost as long as acropodital processes, stouter than these, apically bent at right angles and ending in two triangular lobes; ventral lobe (sph-v) ca as long and stout as sph-d, somewhat sinuous (in Fig. 19C the sph-v looks strongly twisted, but this is due to distortion during preparation of the SEM mount), apically pointed; a tiny intermediate lobe (sph-i) between sph-d and sph-v; internal surface of sph with a ridged area (ra).

Distribution and habitat

Known from Udzungwa Scarp FR and Kitungulu / Kiranza FR. Altitudinal range 1500–1531 m a.s.l. Collected together with E. dabagaense and E. navuncus sp. nov. in Kitungulu/ Kiranza FR.

Figures

Fig. 4. Eviulisoma spp. A–B. E. paradisiacum sp. nov., ♂. A. Head and rings 1–8, lateral view. B. Head and collum, frontal view. C. E. Zebra sp. nov., ♂, head and rings 1–3, lateral view. Abbreviation: pn = paranotum. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 19. Eviulisoma nessiteras sp. nov., paratypes from Udzungwa Scarp Catchment FR, right gonopod. A. Mesal view. B. Lateral view. C. Ventral view. D. Dorsal view. E. Solenophore, latero-ventral view. F. Spiny surface of iap. Abbreviations: cxl = coxal lobe; iap = intermediate acropodital process; map = mesal acropodital process; prf = prefemoral part; ra = ridged area of solenophore; slm = solenomere; sph-d, sph-i, sph-v = dorsal, intermediate and ventral lobes of solenophore. Scale bars: A–E = 0.1 mm; F = 0.005 mm.