Suohelisoma Hofmann, 1964

Enghoff, Henrik, 2018, A mountain of millipedes VII: The genus Eviulisoma Silvestri, 1910, in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, and related species from other Eastern Arc Mountains. With notes on Eoseviulisoma Brolemann, 1920, and Suohelisoma Hoffman, 1963 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 445, pp. 1-90 : 81

The status of Suohelisoma Hofmann, 1964

Hoffman (1964) erected Suohelisoma (monotypic for S. ulugurense Hoffman, 1964 ) on the basis of an unbranched gonopod telopodite without “Femoralfortsätze”. Examination of the gonopod of a specimen of S. ulugurense ( Tanzania, Uluguru Mts, Lupanga, W, 1900 m a.s.l., 1 Jul. 1981, M. Stoltze and N. Scharff leg., ZMUC) with the SEM ( Fig. 39 ) has, however, revealed a small separate sclerite at the base of the acropodite. This sclerite might be interpreted as a very small mesal acropodital process, but also as a separate ʻfemoriteʼ as seen in E. articulatum ( Fig. 33 ). If the latter interpretation is correct, S. ulugurense has no mesal acropodital process.

In other characters, S. ulugurense agrees with Eviulisoma spp., notably in the presence of a strongly excavated sternum 6 and only one transverse row of setae on postcollar body rings. The sternum 6 excavation in S. ulugurense is, however, smaller than that of Eviulisoma spp. Future analyses may show that S. ulugurense is nothing but a highly specialized Eviulisoma , but for the time being Suohelisoma is retained as a valid, separate genus.

Figures

Fig. 33. Eviulisoma articulatum sp. nov., holotype, right gonopod. A. Mesal view. B. Lateral view. C. Ventral view. D. Dorsal view. E. Acropodite, distal (-anterior) view. Abbreviations: cxl = coxal lobe; fet = ʻfemoriteʼ; map = mesal acropodital process; ra = ridged area on internal surface of sph; sb = side branch of map; slm = solenomere; sph = solenophore. Scale bars: A–D= 0.1 mm; E = 0.05 mm.

Fig. 39. Suohelisoma ulugurense Hoffman, 1964, specimen from Uluguru Mts, Lupanga, M. Stoltze and N. Scharff leg. A–C. Right gonopod. A. Mesal view. B. Ventral view. C. Lateral view. D. Body ring 6 showing excavated sternum, ventral view. E. Anterior leg, showing scopulae. Abbreviations: cxl = coxallobe; map/ fet = mesal acropodital process / ʻfemoriteʼ; prf =prefemoral part; slm =solenomere; sph = solenophore. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.