B. brincki Schubart, 1966

Fig. 1

Bicoxidens brincki Schubart, 1966; Lawrence, 1966; Krabbe, 1982; Hamer, 1998; Mwabvu, 2000, 2005

Type material (examined): Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ɗ, Kruger National Park [22° 08'S, 31°03'E], Transvaal, 6.v.1951 (MZLU /L951/3645).

Additional material examined: ZIMBABWE: 1 ɗ, Beitbridge [22°02'S, 30°00'E], x.1985, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D835); 1ɗ, Crooks Corner [2231A4], 18.xii.1996, (NMZ/D841); 1 ɗ, Pande Mine [2230A4], 9.ii.1994, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D756); 1 ɗ, Lundi River [2131B4], 20.vi.1984, (NMZ/D196); 1 ɗ, Malipati [2231A2], (NMZ/D842); 1 ɗ, Matopo National Park, [2028D1], 6.xi.1987, J. Minshull (NMZ/D480); 1 ɗ, Dwala Ranch [2129B2], 18.iv.1987, (NMZ/D486); 1 ɗ, Doddieburn Ranch [2129A4], 15.iv.1986, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D382); 1 ɗ, Shashi Wilderness Camp [2129C3], 18.iv.1990, (NMZ/D670).

Diagnosis: Distal telocoxite with a large rounded lateral process, a distal median process, a slender beaklike process medially overlapping that from opposite gonopod, and a small bulbous lobe below it (Fig. 1 a).

Description:

Size: Body length 84–155 mm; minimum and maximum body width 2–5 mm and 4–11 mm; antenna length 5–9 mm.

Number of body rings: 51–62.

Colour: Body brown or black; antennae and legs brown.

Collum: Rounded, two complete folds (Fig. 1 d).

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Broad, rounded with a short pointed apex (Fig.1 c).

Sigilla on body ring: Three rows present (the third one poorly developed), becoming 2 or reduced to 1 laterally.

Abbreviations: at, apical telocoxite; cf, collum fold; llb, lateral leaf lobe; ll, lateral leaf; lp, lateral process; ml, median leaf; mp, median process; pc, paracoxite; pfl, prefemoral lobe; st, sternite; tp, telopodite; tpk, telopodite knee.

Gonopod: 5–6 mm long. Apical telocoxite with three median processes, the middle beak-shaped and overlapping opposite median process, below it a rounded lobe; rounded lateral process folded and partly overhanging knee of telopodite (Fig. 1 a). Median leaf with a small sub-apical lateral lobe facing telopodite (Fig.1 a).

Aborally, a raised bulb-shaped, basally rounded lobe present on lateral leaf below the level of median leaf tip (Fig. 1b). Postfemur of telopodite overlap over sternite and terminates in an incomplete loop.

Distribution: Kruger National Park, South Africa and southern part of Zimbabwe (Fig. 10).

Remarks: Other than in colour there appears to be no variation between populations, especially in the form of the gonopods. This species is one of the largest species in Bicoxidens, it falls in the same size range as grandis . It differs from grandis by having three median processes and an aboral bulbous lobe (Fig. 1b), and a rounded lateral leaf lobe as in matopoensis, gokwensis, friendi and nigerrimus (Figs. 1b, 3b, 4 b, 6b, 7b). The apex of the inner margin of the median leaf lacks the axe-shaped median processes that are only found in flavicollis and grandis (Figs. 2 a, 5a).