Chaleponcus hamerae, Enghoff, 2014

Enghoff, Henrik, 2014, A mountain of millipedes I: An endemic species-group of the genus Chaleponcus Attems, 1914, from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 100, pp. 1-75 : 53-54

Chaleponcus hamerae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E27E3FB0-22E6-46EF-81CB-447DA44E3090

Figs 9 , 26

Diagnosis

Medium-sized. Characterized by the sub-rectangular outline of the cucullus, resembling C. teres sp. nov. in this character, but differing by having a dorsal spine on each anal valve. Telomeral lamellae largely smooth. Gonopod coxa ( Fig. 9 ) without a lateral process; metaplical shelf-spine long.

Etymology

The name honours Michelle Hamer in recognition of her work on the taxonomy and conservation of African millipedes.

Material studied (total: 9 ♂♂)

Holotype

TANZANIA: ♂, Iringa Region, Udzungwa Mts, Udzungwa Scarp FR, above Chita village , 1600–1650 m, 8–13 Nov. 1984, pitfall traps, montane rain forest, N. Scharff leg. ( ZMUC).

Paratypes

All from TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Udzungwa Mts, Udzungwa Scarp FR, all in ZMUC: 4 ♂♂, above Chita village, 1600–1650 m, 8–13 Nov. 1984, pitfall traps, montane rain forest, N. Scharff leg; 4 ♂♂, 11 km SE of Masisiwe village, Kihanga Stream, 1800 m, 08°22’ 05.7” S, 35°58’ 41.6” E, 17–27 May 1997. ZMUC & SI Exp.

Type locality

TANZANIA: Iringa Region, Udzungwa Mts, Udzungwa Scarp FR, above Chita village, 1600–1650 m, rain forest.

Description (male)

DIAMETER. 2.1–2.3 mm, 46–47 podous rings.

COLOUR. After 30 years in alcohol (brownish) yellow, traces of broad light dorsal stripe flanked by dorsolateral dark stripes, narrow lateral dark line at ozopore level.

ANAL VALVES. Each with a small dorsal spine and a very small ventral spine; marginal rim raised, setiferous tubercles on ravelins.

LIMBUS. With broadly rounded to spatulate, apically finely serrate lobes; lobes as broad as long or slightly broader, separated by rounded incisions much narrower than width of lobes, or by short stretches of straight, finely serrulate margin.

TARSAL SETATION. Normal.

GONOPOD COXA ( Figs 9 , 26 ). About 3½-4 × as long as wide. Lateral margin basally slightly sinuous, basally convex, ca. at level of proplical lobe (prl) concave and then again convex, meeting oblique, straight apical margin under blunt angle; cucullus (cu) hence subrectangular in outline. Metaplical flange (mf) ending in blunt, rounded angle, no process; metaplical mesal margin slightly concave up to level of prl, distally tucked in, on posterior side sinuous: first concave, then convex, then concave again up to level of metaplical shelf (ms). ms very prominently projecting mesad but not notably posteriad. Metaplical shelf-spine (mss) short, originating from anterior-mesal part of ms, projecting distad, slightly curved.

GONOPOD TELOPODITE ( Fig. 26 ). Solenomere without a proximal spine. Telomere distally with two distal

branches, both curving anteriad:

• anterior lamella (al) broad, twisted, mostly with smooth edges but with terminal, subrectangular lobe (al’) with dentate terminal edge,

• posterior lamella (pl) situated basal to al and rest of telopodite, large, smoothly curved, with smooth edges and subterminally with long, apical spine (pls).

Distribution and habitat

Known only from Udzungwa Mts, Udzungwa Scarp FR. Altitudinal range: 1600–1800 m asl. Habitat: montane rain forest.

Coexisting species

C. nikolajscharffi sp. nov. was found in the same samples as C. hamerae sp. nov. In addition, C. circumvallatus sp. nov. was found in Udzungwa Scarp FR.

Notes

The gonopods quite resemble those of C. teres sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 9. Chaleponcus spp., outline of coxite of left gonopod, posterior view. (The ’transverse’ plane of the gonopod is usually slightly at angles with the exact transverse plane of the millipede, so it may be necessary to tilt the gonopod slightly in order to obtain the view shown on the drawings.) The stippled lines indicate the place where the telopodital basomere emerges from the coxal cavity. Not to scale.

Fig. 26. Chaleponcus hamerae sp. nov., left gonopod. A. Mesal-anterior view. B. Posterior view. C.Anterior view. D. Ventral view. al, al’ = anterior telomeral lamella, cu = cucullus, mf = metaplical flange, ms = metaplical shelf, mss = metaplical shelf-spine, pl = posterior telomeral lamella, prl = proplical lobe, pls = spine on pl. Scales 0.1 mm.