Plagiotaphrus sulcifer Attems 1914

Fig. 1

Plagiotaphrus sulcifer: Attems 1914, p. 160, figs 165–171.

Plagiotaphrus sulcifer: Attems 1914, 1928; Hoffman 1971; Krabbe 1982; Hamer 1999

Type material (not examined): EAST AFRICA: Chire (MALAWI, Shire?): [13 0S, 33 0 51'E]

Additional material examined: ZIMBABWE: 1 ♂, Makuvatsine Secondary school, Guruve [16 0 14'S, 30 0 38'E], 1.xii.1998, T. Mwabvu (NMSA 20506). 1 ♂, Cirad Camp, Mushumbi [16 0S, 30 0E], 19.iii.1997, F. Nyathi (NMZ/D830); 1 ♂, Mahuwe, Guruve [16 0 39'S, 30 0 42'E], 1.xii.1998, T. Mwabvu (NMSA 20486).

Diagnosis: Subapical proplica without a rounded lateral lobe; apical proplica narrow and convex medially (Fig. 1 a); antetorsal process crescent-shaped distally (Figs 1 b, 1e).

Description: Size: Body length 158–172 mm; minimum and maximum body width 7–9 mm and 11–13 mm.

Number of body rings: 57–62.

Colour: Black.

Collum: Produced into a rounded anterior lobe, with 3–4 complete folds and 2–3 incomplete folds (Fig. 1 d).

Prefemoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Proximally broad with nipple-shaped and apically acute extension (Fig. 1 c).

Gonopod: (Figs 1 a, 1b) Sternite conical, with a rounded apex, apex not reaching level of paracoxite apex; paracoxite triangular, apically acute and not tightly fused to metaplica (Figs 1 a, 1b).

Proplicae proximally grooved. Apical proplica overlapping proximal lateral process; medial edge of apical proplica convex (Fig. 1 a); medial edge of subapical proplica with a short medial lobe which is concealed by oral fold of metaplica.

Medial edge of proximal half of oral fold of metaplica raised (Fig. 1 b). Distal metaplica with a broad and apically rounded lobe; rounded lobe is adjacent to proximal lateral process. Rounded lobe produced into a rounded median hump.

Lateral process with surface folds.

End processes deflected laterally onto proplica apex. Distal medial edge of end process convex (Figs 1 a, 1b).

Post-knee telopodite with two spirals; telopodite trifid at extremity. Antetorsal processes distally crescentshaped and extends laterally past paracoxite apex.

Distribution: Known only from Chire, East Africa (probably Shire in Malawi) and from northern Zimbabwe.

Remarks: The exact locality where P. sulcifer was first collected was given as Chire, East Africa; Krabbe (1982) and Hoffman (1971) suggested that this could be Shire in Malawi. This seems plausible given that P. sulcifer has been collected in northern Zimbabwe (Fig. 3). This is the only species in the genus to have been collected from more than one locality. The location of the type material is unknown (Krabbe 1982). Although Krabbe (1982) gave NHMW as the institution likely to be housing the material, the museum does not have the material. It is presumed lost.