Aquattuor nguruensis, Enghoff, 2020

Enghoff, Henrik, 2020, A mountain of millipedes VIII. The genus Aquattuor Frederiksen, 2013 revisited - a new species from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania, another from the Nguru Mts, and introduction of the first pair of male legs as a source of taxonomic characters (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 626, pp. 1-32 : 19-22

Aquattuor nguruensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B691ECD6-3E7E-4731-AD33-1DD9D39381DB

Figs 1 , 4 A–C, 14–15

Aquattuor sp. – Enghoff & Frederiksen 2015: 21 (?).

Diagnosis

Diameter 2.0 mm. Differs from congeners by lacking lateral and mesal incisions on the gonopod coxa and by having the telomere tip flattened and smooth. Differs from A. mollilobus sp. nov., in which the lateral and mesal incisions are indistinct, by lacking a distal prefemoral lobe on the first pair of male legs.

Etymology

The name is an adjective referring to the type locality.

Material studied (total: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀)

Holotype

TANZANIA • ♂; Morogoro Region and District, west side of Nguru Mountains , near Maskati mission, 20 km W of Turisani; 1900 m a.s.l.; unknown date; Jan Kielland leg.;moist evergreen forest; VMNH110617 .

Referred non-type material

TANZANIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; VMNH110618 • 1 ♀; Nguru Mts , Mhonda Mission at Turiani; Oct. 1992; M. Andersen leg.; NHMD 621649 .

Description (male)

MEASUREMENTS. Vertical diameter 2.0 mm; posterior part of body missing.

COLOUR. Faded, but apparently similar to that of A. claudiahempae ( Enghoff & Frederiksen 2015: fig. 1). Traces of a light mid-dorsal stripe present.

LIMBUS ( Fig. 14F ). Quite worn, but still shows rectangular, detachable flaps as typical of the genus. FIRST PAIR OF MALE LEGS ( Figs 4 A–C). Prefemoral processes relatively stout, triangular; distal (ventral) surface of processes with a large, sharply delimited depression (pfd); setae of telopodite distal to prefemur same length as setae of normal walking legs.

GONOPOD COXA ( Fig. 14 ). In anterior or posterior view ca 3 × as long as broad. Margins of proplica subparallel, but lateral margin regularly convex, mesal margin correspondingly concave. No mesal and lateral incisions, apical palette (pa) hence poorly delimited, triangular.

GONOPOD TELOPODITE ( Fig. 15 ). Solenomere (slm) thin, whip-like. Main part of telomere a rather broad gutter describing a 270° curve in almost one plane; tip of telomere flattened, smooth.

In all other characters conforming to the general description of Aquattuor in Enghoff & Frederiksen (2015) .

Distribution

Known only from one, possibly two sites in the Nguru Mts. Altitude: 1900 m a.s.l.

Figures

Fig. 1. Collecting sites for Aquattuor spp. in the Udzungwa Mts. Based on Marshall et al. (2010: fig. 1); inset by permission of the Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund.

Fig. 4. A–C. Aquattuor nguruensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (VMNH110617), first pair of legs. Notice mite larva (”hypopus”) on left femur. D–F. A. denticulatus Frederiksen, 2013, paratype, ♂ (NHMD 621640), left leg of first pair. A, D. Anterior view. B, E. Sublateral view. C, F. Sub-ventral view. Abbreviation: pfd = prefemoral depression. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 14. Aquattuor nguruensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (VMNH110617). A–E. Left gonopod coxa. A. Anterior view. B. Mesal view. C. Meso-posterior view. D. Posterior view. E. Apical view. F. Midbody dorsal limbus. Abbreviations: pa = palette; pp = proplica. Scale bars: A–D = 0.1 mm; E = 0.05 mm; F = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 15. Aquattuor nguruensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (VMNH110617), left gonopod telopodite. A. Anterior view. B. Posterior view. C. Distal (ventral) view. D. Basal (dorsal) view. E. Mesal view. F. Tip of telomere (damaged). Abbreviations: slm = solenomere; tm = telomere. Scale bars: A–E = 0.1 mm; F = 0.05 mm.