Hylekobolus latifrons 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 : 115-116

Hylekobolus latifrons Wesener , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4D6051E1-AC6D-4DEC-8DB9-466BB336BBB9

Material examined: 2 ♂, 1 ♀ Holotype: 1 ♂ (47 mm long), MNHN, Madagascar, Localité : Karianga, p. de Farafangana, alt. 700 m, région montagneuse et boisée, 22°26’ S, 47°22’ E, leg. Mission R. Decary, Octobre 1926, Entrée n°17–1927 Paratypes: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, MNHN, same data as holotype .

Differential diagnosis: the posterior gonopods of H. latifrons with their wide tip and additional rectangular extension ( Fig. 63B ), are unique.

Description. Measurements: males with 46 or 47 rings, circa 47 mm long, 4.1–4.2 mm wide. Female with 46 rings, 58 mm long, 4.7 mm wide.

Coloration: faded in alcohol. Anterior part of collum, posterior parts of rings, antennae, legs, anal process, valves and complete scale of lighter colour, remaining parts grey. Eyes with 32–34 ocelli.

Anterior gonopod sternite basally wide, apically elevated into a triangular lobe with a triangular, wide, well-rounded tip ( Fig. 63A ). Mesal coxite process wide and only slightly protruding ( Fig. 63A ). Apical process of telopodite large and well-rounded. Retrorse margin wide, projecting above telopodite ( Fig. 63C ); margin basally of process not projecting ( Fig. 63C ).

Posterior gonopods telopodite bent 90° ( Fig. 63D ). Telopodite 2 times longer than wide ( Fig. 63B ). Projection absent from lateral margin (w, Fig. 63B ). Apical process (x) wide ( Fig. 63B ). Membranous lobe (y) small and well-rounded ( Fig. 63B ). An additional sclerotized, rectangular lobe visible in anterior view ( Fig. 63B ). Projection of sperm canal (z) long and slender, slightly curved towards apical process ( Fig. 63D ).

Distribution and ecology: H. latifrons is until now only known from old collections made 80 years ago close to Karianga, a lowland forest in Southeastern Madagascar ( Fig. 54 ).

Etymology: latifrons , noun in apposition, refers to the surprisingly wide telopodite ‘face’ of the posterior gonopods.

Figures

Figure 54. Distribution map of the genus Hylekobolus gen. n.

Figure 63. Hylekobolus latifrons sp. n., male holotype. A anterior gonopod, anterior view B right posterior gonopod, anterior view C anterior gonopod, posterior view; D right posterior gonopod, posterior view. Apo = apodeme; Cx = coxite; St = sternite; T = telopodite. Not to same scale.