Zinophora taromberai Redman, 2010

Redman, Guy T., Hamer, Michelle L., Slotow, Robert H. & Barraclough, David A., 2010, Description of two new species of Zinophora Chamberlin, 1927 (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Harpagophoridae), with discussion of species groups in the genus, African Invertebrates 51 (2), pp. 385-385 : 392-393

Zinophora taromberai Redman , sp. n.

Figs 1B, 1C , 7–12

Etymology: The species epithet is a noun in apposition and honours Mr Tarombera Mwabvu who collected the type material of this species, and who has also made an enormous contribution to myriapod taxonomy in the region.

Diagnosis: Apical surface of metaplica with prominent ridge extending to lateral margin. Medial margin of metaplica formed into posteriorly directed lobes ( Figs 7, 8 ). Telocoxal spines medially directed with broad base. Femoral spine long, reaching the distal margin of the metaplica, and curving slightly with the lateral margin of the metaplica ( Fig. 9 ). Thumb on apical elements of telopodite formed into two processes, one narrow and falcate and directed towards palette, the other wide and concave ( Figs 9, 10 ).

Description:

Dimensions (mm): Male, n = 9; Body width 7, (7–7.5), [7.25]; collum width 7.4; body length 85; leg length 4.7; antenna length 4.5.

First ozopore: 6 th segment.

Number of body rings: 47, (47–51), [49].

Colour: Head and clypeus light brown. Collum brown. Prozonites light brown to orange, mesozonites brown,metazonite dark brown. Pre-anal ring brown. Legs and antenna brown. Collum: Anterior corner acutely produced with one submarginal groove, surface with light markings and punctures, otherwise smooth.

Pre­anal ring: Caudal spine extending well beyond margin of anal valve and upturned distally.

Anal valve: Surface bulbous and smooth. Margin smooth and raised, delimited by well-defined granular depression.

First pair of male legs: Prefemora in contact medially. Syncoxosternum with a slit medially between paracoxites. Prefemoral process produced into long finger-like protuberances supported by the coxal shelf.

Gonopods:Apical surface of metaplica with prominent ridge extending to lateral margin ( Fig. 7A ). Medial margin of metaplica formed into posteriorly-directed lobes ( Fig. 7 ). Telocoxal spines medially directed, with broad base ( Fig. 8 ). Telopodite with one long, narrow and acutely produced femoral spine partially concealed by metaplica with slight curvature ( Fig. 9 ). Thumb on apical part of telopodite formed into two processes, one narrow and falcate and directed towards palette, the other wide and concave ( Fig. 10 ). Spatulate lobe a thin hyaline plate broadening apically, with tip curled away from other apical elements ( Fig. 10 ).

Holotype: ♂ ZIMBABWE: Mashonaland West: Ngezi Game Park nr Kadoma [ca 18.686673°S: 30.412311°E], ix.2002, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 22099 ).

Paratype: 1♂ same data as holotype ( NMSA 22096 ) .

Other material Examined: TANZANIA: Lindi Region: 1♂ 1♀ Rondo Plateau , 800 m, iv.1986, Jan Kielland ( VMNH); Matemanga : 1♂ nr Tunduru , on side of main road, 24 xii.1979, Stephanie Tyler ; ZIMBABWE: Mashonaland Central: 2♂ Muzarabani, Zambezi Valley , ix.2002, T . Mwabvu ( NMSA 22101 ) ; 1♂ Mount Darwin North /NE, ix.2002, T . Mwabvu ( NMSA 220100 ) ; Mashonaland West: 1♂ Raffingora 20 km from Chinoyi, ix.2002, T . Mwabvu ( NMSA 22097 ) ; 1♂ Chegutu, Chinoyi Road 15 km from Chegutu , Bachinia woodland, 19 xii.2008, T . Mwabvu ( NMSA 21956 ) ; 11♂ Muterere Honde Valley , 25 xii.2008, T . Mwabvu , ( NMSA 21948 ) .

Distribution: Current records are from Zimbabwe (Raffingora, Chegutu, Ngezi Game Park, Muterere Honde Valley, Muzarabani in the Zambezi Valley and Mount Darwin) ( Fig. 11 ) and Tanzania (Lindi region, Rondo Plateau; Matemanga near Tunduru).

Remarks: Hoffman first recognised this as a new species, but did not publish it. The specimen was collected from Kwe Kwe, Zimbabwe, but this material was not examined. Illustrations by Hoffman were made available for examination.

In one of the specimens ( Fig. 12 ) the structure of the telocoxal spines on one of the gonopods was different from the general structure of gonopods observed in this species, in that the apical surface of one of the telocoxal spines was dentate. A similar intraspecific deviation has been observed in other Zinophora species such as Z. junodi , Z. thukela and Z. punctata . However, in these species both the telocoxal spines were dentate, unlike in the Z. taromberai specimen, where only one of the telocoxal spines was dentate on the apical surface.

Figures

Fig. 1. Illustrations of gonopods labelled according to terminology employed: (A) Zinophora lobata, posterior view of gonopods; (B) Z. taromberai, gonopods with telocoxal spines, anterior view; (C) Z. taromberai, telopodite, posterior view. Abbreviations: f – femoral spine, mt – metaplica, p – palette, pl – proplica, sl – spatulate lobe, t – thumb, ts – telocoxal spine. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs 7, 8. Zinophora taromberai sp. n.: (7A) apical view of telocoxites, (7B) aboral view of telocoxite; (8) oral view of telocoxite.Abbreviations:mp – metaplica,fs – femoral spine, pl – proplica, ts – telocoxal spine. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs 9, 10. Zinophora taromberai sp. n.: (9) telopodite; (10) apical elements of telopodites: (A) aboral view of right telopodite,(B) aboralview of left telopodite,(C) aboral view of left telopodite.Abbreviations: fs – femoral spine, p – palette, sl – spatulate lobe, t – thumb. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig.11. Map of Zimbabwe illustrating distribution of currently known localities of Z.taromberai.Elevations higher than 1300 m along central plateau highlighted.

Fig. 12. Zinophora taromberai sp. n., variation in telocoxal spines: (A) oral view of right telocoxite, (B) oral view of left telocoxite, (C) aboral view of right telocoxite.Abbreviations: mp – metaplica, pl – proplica, ts – telocoxal spine. Scale bars = 1 mm.