Melogona broelemanni (Verhoeff, 1897)

Vagalinski, Boyan, 2025, Melogona sintica sp. nov. - a surprising seventh member of Melogona Cook, 1895, with a key to species of the genus (Diplopoda: Chordeumatida: Chordeumatidae), Zootaxa 5728 (3), pp. 549-560 : 555

Melogona broelemanni (Verhoeff, 1897)

Figs 5 , 6B, E

Material examined (All from Bulgaria). 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Western Rhodope Mts, Plovdiv District, between the villages of Yugovo and Belitsa, on the left side of the road in direction to Belitsa, ca. 1.5 km after the junction leading to v. Borovo, 41.83895°N, 24.85941°E, ca. 670 m a.s.l., carved limestone scree with sparse Corylus , young Carpinus and Pinus , Viburnum , etc., in soil and litter between stones, 1. V.2015, P. Mitov & B. Vagalinski leg.; 3 ♂, Pirin Mts , Blagoevgrad District, above v. Ilindentsi, in soil at the base of marble rocks, 11. V.2014, P. Mitov & B. Vagalinski leg. ; 1 ♂, Western Rhodopi Mts, Smolyan District, N of v. Uhlovitsa by the path to Uhlovitsa Cave , Fagus forest, under stones, 5. V.2018, P. Mitov & B. Vagalinski leg. ; 9 ♂, 2 ♀, Blagoevgrad District, ca 1.5 km NNE of v. Mesta, near the right bank of Mesta River , 41.77700°N, 23.68149°E, 663 m a.s.l., stony area with various scattered broadleaf trees and shrubs, pitfall trap next to a young Salix , 02.III–02.IV.2023, M. Naumova, G. Hristov, B. Vagalinski leg. ; 1 ♂, Blagoevgrad District, ca 2.5 km SSW of v. Slashten, 41.46843°N, 24.01734°E, 417 m a.s.l., meso-xerophytic meadow with sparse trees and shrubs by the left bank of Mesta River , pitfall trap under a young Quercus , 02.III– 02.IV.2023, M. Naumova, G. Hristov, B. Vagalinski leg.

Descriptive notes. Anterior paragonopods ( Fig. 5C ) very similar to those in M. sintica sp. nov., but setose also posteriorly, not only apically. Anterior gonopods ( Figs 5A , 6B, E, H ) with very characteristic syncolpocoxite ( Fig. 6B, E , sc in Fig. 5A ): with distinct distolateral corners and a long and stout, subtriangular apicomedian process, both structures ending with sharply pointed tips turned anteriad; lateral lobes ( ll) oblong, distally narrowing.Angiocoxites ( Figs 5E , 6H , ac in Fig. 5A ) apically with scoop/visor-like projections directed mesad. Posterior gonopods ( Fig. 5B ) practically indistinguishable from those in M. sintica sp. nov., except for the fimbriate tip of pseudoflagellum ( pf) being short and somewhat fan-like broadened, unlike its more slender, somewhat tapering shape in M. sintica sp. nov. Posterior paragonopods ( Fig. 5D ) differing in details from those in M. sintica sp. nov., viz., posterior process ( pp) larger, plus presence of a well-pronounced hump distally of the latter.

Remark. The distribution range of M. broelemanni extends southwards to Chalkidiki and Epirus in Greece ( Kime & Enghoff 2021), so it is very likely that the species co-occurs with M. sintica sp. nov. in parts of southwestern Bulgaria and northern Greece. M. broelemanni was recently reported as new to Germany ( Decker et al. 2025)

Mauriès et al. (1997), in their review of the Albanian millipedes, listed M. albanica as a subspecies of M. broelemanni , but without giving any comments on its taxonomic history and status. This publication was probably used as the source of synonymy between the two species in the later treatments in Kime & Enghoff (2021) and www. millibase.org (accessed on 1.X.2025), as, to my knowledge, neither has M. albanica been officially synonymized nor has it been treated as subspecies in older publications. However, considering that Mauriès et al. (1997) explicitly indicated all other new synonymies and supported them with comments, the mere listing of “ M. b. albanica ” in the paper’s supplement can hardly be regarded as a proper nomenclatural act. Also given the fact that Verhoeff (1901) emphasized the similarity between M. albanica and M. broelemanni , and listed few but significant characters to distinguish between the two species, it seems reasonable to accept M. albanica as a separate species, until the type material is re-examined or new, topotypic material is made available.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Melogona broelemanni, ♂ from Blagoevgrad District, near village Mesta (IBER). A. Anterior gonopods (left angiocoxite detached, right one twisted along its axis to reveal the mesal surface), anterior view. B. Coxite of right posterior gonopod, meso-anterior view. C. Anterior paragonopods (somewhat deformed in the drying process), posterior view. D. Posterior paragonopods (somewhat deformed in the drying process), posterior, somewhat lateral view. E. Left angiocoxite of anterior gonopods, anterior view. Abbreviations: ac: angiocoxite, ap: anterior coxal process, bb: blade-like branch of median coxal process, ll: lateral lobe, mp: median coxal process, pf: posterior coxal process (pseudoflagellum), pp: posterior process sb: spinigerous branch of median coxal process, sc: syncolpocoxite, t: telopodite. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Melogona sintica sp. nov., ♂ holotype (NMNHS) (A, D) and ♂ paratype (G) (IBER), M. broelemanni, ♂ from Western Rhodope Mts, near village Belitsa (IBER) (B, E, H), and M. transsylvanica, ♂ from Pernik District, village Bosnek (IBER) (C, F, I). A–C. Syncolpocoxites of anterior gonopods in lateral view. D–F. Same in anterior view. G–I. Left angiocoxites in meso-anterior view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.