Zoosphaerium bartolozzii Anilkumar & Wesener, 2020

Wesener, Thomas & Anilkumar, Pooja Avinipully, 2020, The millipedes collected by the Museum " La Specola " on Madagascar 1989 / 1991, with the description of three new species of giant pill-millipedes (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae), ZooKeys 930, pp. 3-35 : 3

Zoosphaerium bartolozzii Anilkumar & Wesener sp. nov. Figures 4 , 5B , 6 , 7

Etymology.

Adjective, the species is named after the Italian beetle expert Dr. Luca Bartolozzi who collected this species.

Material examined.

1 ♂ Holotype (MZUF), Madagascar: 5 km S di Ambalamanakana, (strada Ambositra - Fianarantsoa) in forests, 20°46'49.2"S, 47°10'48.5"E, n. Mag. 1107. Legit: Bartolozzi, S. Taiti, C. Raharimina, 10 May 1991.

Diagnosis.

Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov. is most similar to Z. tigrioculatum due to the presence of three sclerotized crenulated teeth on the podomere three of the anterior telopod, and also in the visibility of the process of the 2nd podomere in anterior view (Figs 6D , 7G ). Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov. differs from Z. tigrioculatum in the presence of a single row cuticular impression on the endotergum (two rows in the latter), the absence of sensilla basiconica on antennomeres one and two, and the presence of a well-rounded anal shield which is slightly bell-shaped in Z. tigrioculatum .

Description

(all measurements in mm):

Body length: holotype male: length 24.2, width 11 (2nd = widest), height 6.2 (2nd = highest).

Coloration: Faded due to 27 years of preservation in alcohol. Legs and antennae dark green. Head and collum dark olive-green. Tergites and anal shield faded dark green-brown.

Head: Eyes with 90-100 ommatidia. Antennae long and protruding up to leg pair six. Size of antennomeres 1>2<3=4<5<6 (Fig. 4A ). Antennomere 1 broad, antennomeres 1-3 with large rounded protuberant sclerotized teeth (Fig. 4B ). Antennomeres 3-6 covered with large setae. Antennomere 6 with a single row of sensilla basiconica surrounding the apical disc, with four apical sensory cones (Fig. 4C ).

Gnathochilarium: Lateral stipites and central mentum with long setae, setae absent at center of lamellae linguales. Inner palpi protruding to medial side of gnathochilarium bearing single field of sensory cones. Rudimentary lateral palpi sharing a well-developed base bearing four sensory cones. Hypopharynx with single row of marginal teeth. Central pads apically protruding from lamellae linguales, with a median triangular incision on each pad. Posterior half of underside with single field of large sensory cones interspersed with longer, slimmer structures.

Mandible not dissected.

Stigmatic plates: First stigmatic plate triangular, with marginal setae and some extra setae at elliptical apex, three spines near tracheal opening (Fig. 6A ). Second stigmatic plate triangular, with a slightly curved apex. Marginal setae dense at base, 19 spines near tracheal opening (Fig. 6B ).

Pleurite: First pleurite with a rounded tip protruding backwards.

Collum: Surface glabrous, anterior margin with two rows of setae. Posterior margin laterally with few isolated setae.

Thoracic shield: Lateral grooves shallow, setae only present in lateral grooves.

Tergites: Surface glabrous and slightly chagrined. Tips of paratergites slightly extending posteriorly.

Endotergum: Inner area with conical spines, broad at base with few setae and numerous small sharp spines in between. Single row of elliptical cuticular impressions. Smooth marginal ridge. Two rows of marginal bristles, majority protruding 1/4-1/2, a few to 3/4 of distance to margin (Fig. 5B ).

Anal shield: Large and well rounded, completely covered with tiny setae, underside carrying two locking carinae, second 3.5 times longer than first.

Legs: Leg 1 with three or four, leg 2 with six or seven, leg 3 with seven ventral spines. Legs 1 and 2 without an apical spine. Legs 4-21 with eleven ventral spines and one apical spine (Fig. 6C ). In leg 9 femur 1.7, tarsus 5.4 times longer than wide. Coxa with few spines. Femur ridge present. All podomeres covered with setae.

Female unknown.

Male sexual characters: Gonopore rounded, slightly divided near to apex, covered by 1/4 membranous plate apically and 3/4 sclerotized plate basally with few setae. Gonopore covering 1/4 height and 1/2 width of coxa (Fig. 6C ).

Anterior telopod: Harp carrying one stridulation rib. Podomere 1 with few marginal and apical setae (Fig. 6D ), and a shallow mesal cavity laterally (Fig. 6E ). Podomere 2, process visible in anterior view, reaching 2/3rd of length of podomere 3 (Fig. 6D ). Podomere 2 process slightly slender apically, with sclerotized nubs along apical-mesal margin and a basal spine present below field of spots (Fig. 7F, G ). Podomere 3 apically wide, visible as small triangular lobe in anterior aspect (Fig. 6D ), with one dark sclerotized spot near apical margin (Figs 6E , 7F ) and a broad mesal cavity with sclerotized spots running along apical-basal margin, with four spines and three sclerotized crenulated teeth at meso-apical margin of cavity (Fig. 7F, G ). Two spines merged at apical margin above field of spots, one at center of cavity with tip protruding to sclerotized spots, one basal spine below field of spots. Podomeres 2 and 3 covered with setae (Fig. 7F, G ).

Posterior telopod: Movable finger thicker (2.5 times longer than wide) and slightly longer than immovable finger, carrying one spine just below dark sclerotized spot along apical margin (Fig. 7H ). Hollowed-out margin with two membranous lobes, each with one marginal spine centrally (Fig. 7I ). 12 sclerotized crenulated teeth present marginally. Six teeth apically positioned together, three at center of margin (between two membranous lobes), and last three separated by a short distance, two directly at base and one near base of posterior membranous lobe (Fig. 7H ). Movable finger with few basal marginal setae. Tips of podomeres 2 and 3 slightly curved towards one another. Immovable finger slender (3.2 times longer than wide) with sclerotized spots running from apical to mid margin. Immovable finger covered with setae in posterior aspect, one membranous lobe present between podomeres 2 and 3. Podomere 1 large, rectangular with no setae in anterior or posterior aspect (Fig. 7H, I ).

Figures

Figure 4. Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov., male holotype, SEM, Right antenna. A lateral view B antennomeres 1 and 2 with sclerotized teeth C apical disc with four sensory cones. Abbreviations: ac = apical cone; ad = apical disc; sb = sensilla basiconica; sc-t = sclerotized teeth.

Figure 5. SEM, Endotergum of mid body tergites, ventral view. A Zoosphaerium mangabe sp. nov., male from Marojejy B Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov., male holotype C Zoosphaerium taitii sp. nov., male holotype. Abbreviations: IA = inner area; ci = cuticular impressions; mr = marginal ridge; mb = marginal bristles.

Figure 6. Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov., male holotype. A, B Coxae of first and second right legs, D, E Left anterior telopod. A first stigmatic plate B second stigmatic plate C 9 th left leg D anterior view E posterior view. Abbreviations: as = apical spine; cx = coxa; fe = femur; f-rdg = femur ridge; gp = gonopore; mem-p = apical membranous part of plate covering gonopore; pf = prefemur; po = postfemur; scl-p = sclerotized plate; sp-p = second podomere process; sr = stridulation rib; ss = sclerotized spot; st = stigmatic plate; syn = syncoxite; ta = tarsus; ti = tibia; to = tracheal opening. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 7. Zoosphaerium bartolozzii sp. nov., male holotype. F, G Left anterior telopod, H, I posterior telopod. F mesal view G lateral view H posterior view I anterior view. Abbreviations: cav = cavity; cr-t = crenulated teeth; ds-p = dark sclerotized spot; imm-f = immovable finger; mf = movable finger; ml = membranous lobes; sn = sclerotized nubs; ss = sclerotized spot. Scale bars: 1 mm.