Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus, Wesener, 2009

Wesener, Thomas, 2009, Unexplored richness: discovery of 31 new species of Giant Pill-Millipedes endemic to Madagascar, with a special emphasis on microendemism (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida), Zootaxa 2097 (1), pp. 1-134 : 46-52

Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus , new species

Derivatio nominis: pseudopriapus refers to the similarity of this species to the smaller Z. priapus ( de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) .

Studied material: Holotype: 1 M (32 mm long), CAS BLF 9871 . Locus typicus: Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Forêt de Bekaraoka , 6.8 km 60° ENE Daraina, 13°10'00"S, 049°42'36"E, 150 m, tropical dry forest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 07.xii.2003.

Paratypes: 3 M, 4 F, CAS BLF 9871 : same collection data as holotype .

FIGURE 030. Zoosphaerium aureum n. sp., SEM, paratype, A: antenna, lateral view; B: gnathochilarium, right inner palpus with rudimentary lateral palpus; C: gnathochilarium, details of sensory cells on endochilarium; D: epipharynx, apical view. Abbreviations: iP = inner palpus; mp = central pads or median palps on endochilarium; rlp = rudimentary lateral palpus.

FIGURE 031. Zoosphaerium aureum n. sp., SEM, paratype, left mandible, mesal view. Abbreviations: 3iT = 3 inner teeth; Co = condylus; eT = external tooth; iP = inner palpus; mp = molar plate; pL = pectinate lamella.

Other material: 7 M, FMMC 5488 : near Analamozava River , 7.5 km SW Daraina, 13°15.3'S, 049°37.0'E, 325-600 m, undisturbed lowland forest, coll. S. Goodman, 3–10.xi.2001 , pitfall trap. 5 M, CAS BLF 9973 : Forêt d'Ampondrabe , 26.3 km 10° NNE Daraina, 12°58'12"S, 049°42'00"E, 175 m, tropical dry forest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 10.xii.2003 .

Distribution: Lowland dry forests around Daraina (Fig. 5).

Diagnosis: Up to 44 mm long. Males smaller than females. Color light brown, posterior margin of tergites and anal shield laterally with black pattern. Head, collum and appendages dark olive green. Texture of tergites smooth and glabrous. Antennomeres 1–5 with sclerotized teeth (Fig. 33A), disc with 35–85 apical cones (Fig. 33B), all antennomeres without groove (Fig. 33A). Spination of legs variable, in holotype first two pair of legs without apical spine. All stigmatic plates completely covered with numerous sclerotized spines. Movable finger of posterior telopods weakly curved with two large, non-sclerotized lobes and circa four sclerotized spines (Fig. 32C), posterior side with up to 20 sclerotized teeth (Fig. 32D). Fixed finger slightly shorter and more slender than movable finger, basally with single large, membranous lobe and sclerotized spine. First podomere of anterior telopods large, longer than third podomere and width up to 1.7 times larger than its height (Fig. 32A). Two stridulation ribs on each male harp (Fig. 32A). Anal shield with two locking carinae, shape and length variable, in holotype both carinae short, second even more weakly developed and as long as first. Female with 3 or 4 stridulation ribs on each half of washboard. Shape of operculum variable, not extending beyond coxa and apically at least weakly notched.

Similar species: Coloration, inconstant shape of the locking carinae of the anal shield, shape of anterior telopods and the absence of an apical spine on the third pair of legs are shared with the possible sister-species Z. priapus ( de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) . Z. pseudopriapus n. sp. differs from Z. priapus in size, in the presence longer and more slender leg podomeres, far longer antenna (Fig. 33A), and different shaped anterior telopods (Figs 32A, B).

FIGURE 032. Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus n. sp., holotype, A: right side of anterior telopod, anterior view; B: anterior telopod, last two podomeres, lateral view; C: posterior telopod, anterior view; D: posterior telopod, chela, posterior view. Abbreviations: cav = cavity; cr-t = crenulated teeth; ml = membranous lobe; s-p = sclerotized spot; SR = stridulation ribs. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Description: Body length: Males (16 specimens): length up to 33 mm, width of thoracic shield up to 18.4 mm, height of thoracic shield up to 9.3 mm. Females (4 specimens): length up to 44 mm, width up to 21.1 mm, height up to 11.8 mm. Females more voluminous and circa 10 mm longer than males.

Habitus: Width of specimens seems to be unusually great in relation to the length.

Coloration: Faded in alcohol. Tergites light brown, through posterior body end dark black coloration pattern, getting much thicker towards paratergite tips. Posterior end of anal shield also dark. Head and collum dark olive-green to blackish. Antenna and legs olive-greenish.

Antennae: Antenna long, reaching up to 4th tergite. Length of antennomeres: 1<2>3>4=5<6 (Fig. 33A), sixth antennomere longest, bearing disc with 35–86 sensory cones (Fig. 33B). First antennomere remarkably broader than the others, but short and without groove, apically with row of sensilla basiconica (Fig. 33A). Sclerotized teeth at base of antennomeres 1–5 (Fig. 33A).

Mandible: Thin, five rows of pectinate lamellae, number of teeth declining apically to proximally (Fig. 34). Condylus with single step near apical margin (Fig. 34).

Gnathochilarium: Lateral of palpi four sensory cones, located together (Fig. 33C). Depression on posterior side of palpi with numerous sensory cones (Fig. 33C).

Collum: Median part of collum glabrous, in some specimens with 4 or 5 short hairs.

Thoracic shield: Surface similar to those of other tergites.

FIGURE 033. Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus n. sp., SEM, paratype, A: antenna, lateral view, arrow points to sensilla basiconica; B: antenna, apical view on disc; C: gnathochilarium, ventral view. Abbreviations: endo = endochilarium; Epi = tentorium?; iP = inner palpus; mp = central pads or median palps on endochilarium; rlp = rudimentary lateral palpus; sb = sensilla basiconica.

FIGURE 034. Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus n. sp., SEM, paratype, right mandible, mesal view. Abbreviations: 3iT = 3 inner teeth; Co = condylus; eT = external tooth; iP = inner palpus; mp = molar plate; pL = pectinate lamella.

Tergites: Paratergites only slightly projecting posteriorly. Tergites smooth and glabrous.

Endotergum: Inner area with conical spines and long hair. Between inner area and marginal brim no cuticular impressions (Fig. 35D). Up to three rows of marginal bristles, standing closely to one another. Marginal bristles extending beyond tergite margin (Fig. 35D).

Anal shield: Well-rounded, neither bell-shaped nor tapered, reaching its hindmost point slightly above its lower side. Underside carries two black locking carinae, anterior one small, posterior carina as large as first, but only weakly developed.

Legs: Tarsi of first pair with five to seven, second with six to eight and third with eight to ten long ventral spines. First two leg pairs with only weakly curved claws and without apical spine. Tarsi of legs 3–21 with curved claws, 12–14 ventral spines and one apical spine. Femur 1.9 and tarsi 4.2 times longer than wide.

Stigmatic plates: First lobe straight, only weakly curved, protruding above coxa. All stigmatic plates covered completely with numerous sclerotized spines.

Female sexual characters: Washboard with three or four ribs of medium length on each half. Vulva covering more than 2/3 of coxa surface. Operculum large, ending closely before apical coxal margin. Apical margin of operculum variable, always weakly notched. Mesal plate reaching up to operculum's height.

Male sexual characters: Anal shield at hindmost point covered with numerous short hairs.

Anterior telopods (Figs 32A, B): First podomere remarkably broad, width 1.7 times greater than height, harp with two stridulation ribs, both straight and short. Second podomere process lobe-like and little curved with rounded edges, reaching almost half of third podomere height, apically with sclerotized spots. Third podomere cavity mesally with numerous sclerotized spots and four small spines, three of them located closely towards tip. Lateral of cavity in some specimens with 1–3 large, crenulated teeth. Tip with one sclerotized spot.

FIGURE 035. Endoterga, underside of midbody tergites, holotypes, A: Zoosphaerium endemicum n. sp.; B: Z. xerophilum n. sp.; C: Z. aureum n. sp.; D: Z. pseudopriapus n. sp. Abbreviations: ci = cuticular impressions; IA = inner area; mb = marginal bristles; mr = marginal ridge.

Posterior telopods: Movable finger of chela weakly curved; hollowed-out inner margin with two nonsclerotized lobes and circa four smaller, sclerotized spines, posterior aspect with circa 22 crenulated teeth. Fixed finger only half as wide as movable finger, with almost straight tip, basally with single membranous lobe and spine, on inner margin broadly covered with numerous sclerotized spots. First podomere on both sides almost glabrous, second podomere except for fixed finger on both sides covered with numerous hair. Third podomere only basally with numerous hair.

Intraspecific variation: In no other species of the genus Zoosphaerium was the observed intraspecific variation as strong as in Z. pseudopriapus , n. sp.. Even in the same specimen, the specificity of the locking carinae on the anal shield may vary. In some specimens, those locking carinae are barely visible at all, while in other those carinae are black and readily visible. Especially the second, more posterior carina is difficult to detect in some specimens. The length of the second podomere of posterior telopods varies to some degree in different males. Even more surprising, the number of sclerotized teeth on the third podomere of anterior telopods may even vary between none and three in the same individual.

The number of apical cones at the antenna in the holotype is 86 on the left, but only 62 of the right antenna, while other specimens of the type series have as few as 38 apical cones.

It is unclear if the differences found among specimens of Z. pseudopriapus from the three different localities Forêt Bekaraoka, Analamozava River and Forêt de Ampondrabe are present because of local intraspecific variation or cryptic speciation.