Colossobolus pseudoaculeatus Wesener, 2009

Wesener, Thomas, Enghoff, Henrik & Sierwald, Petra, 2009, Review of the Spirobolida on Madagascar, with descriptions of twelve new genera, including three genera of ' fire millipedes' (Diplopoda), ZooKeys 19 (19), pp. 1-128 : 37-38

Colossobolus pseudoaculeatus Wesener , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2C06B20E-C62D-4CAE-9030-0761193A9DE9

Material examined: 1 ♂ Holotype: 1 ♂ (119 mm long), ZSM FGZC 1847 , Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Forêt d’Ambre, Provate Reserve Le Fontenay , leg. Köhler and Franzen, 26.II.2008.

Differential diagnosis: the anterior and posterior gonopods of C. pseudoaculeatus sp. n. can only be confused with those of C. aculeatus . See the latter for a list of the characters distinguishing these two species.

Description. Measurements: male with 49 body rings, circa 119 mm long, 9.55 mm wide. Female unknown.

Coloration affected by alcohol. Head, antennae, legs and telson red ( Figs 21A, B ). Median part of collum dark, margins red ( Fig. 21A ). Body rings anteriorly dark brown, posteriorly wine-red. Antennae protruding back to ring 4. Male coxal processes present on coxae 3 and 4, on coxae 5–7 absent. Preanal process well-rounded, not projecting over anal valves ( Fig. 21B ).

Anterior gonopod sternite elongated into a wide, broadly rounded lobe ( Fig. 21D ). Mesal process of coxite weakly developed, protruding into a very short wide lobe with a well-rounded tip; lobe only slightly longer than sternite ( Fig. 21D ). Telopodite process long and well-rounded, apically thicker than basally. Mesal margin laterally sharp, not projecting ( Fig. 21C ).

Posterior gonopods telopodites positioned parallel to one another, generally Ushaped ( Figs 21E, F ). Coxite branch absent ( Fig. 21E ), lateral branch basally slender, width apically increasing ( Figs 21E, F ); tip swollen, slightly curved mesally ( Fig. 21E ). Central membranous area present as a wide, well-rounded knob ( Fig. 21E ). Main branch slightly shorter than lateral branch, latero-apically towards lateral branch with a large membranous area ( Figs 21E, F ).

Distribution and ecology: C. pseudoaculeatus is only known from the Forêt d’Ambre ( Fig. 10 ).

Etymology: pseudoaculeatus , adjective, refers to the close similarity of the species to Colossobolus aculeatus .

Figures

Figure 10. Distribution of the genus Colossobolus gen. n.

Figure 21. Colossobolus pseudoaculeatus sp. n., male holotype. A head, lateral B telson C anterior gonopods, posterior view D anterior gonopods, anterior view E right posterior gonopod, posterior view F right posterior gonopod, anterior view. Apo = apodeme; av = anal valves; Co = collum; Cx = coxite; ma = membranous area; Md = mandible; Pre = preanal ring; St = sternite; sub = subanal scale; T = telopodite; T-Lbr = telopodite lateral branch; T-mbr = telopodite main branch; Tp = telopodite process. Not to same scale.