Zoosphaerium smaragdinum, 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 : 80-83

Zoosphaerium smaragdinum , new species

Derivatio nominis: smaragdinum , adjective, refers to the shiny green coloration pattern.

Studied material: 1 M, 1 F

Holotype: 1 M (30 mm long), CAS BLF 9079 , Province Antsiranana, Parc National de Marojejy, Antranohofa , 26.6 km 31° NNE Andapa, 10.7 km 318° NW Manantenina, 14°26'36"S, 049°44'36"E, 1325 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 18.xi.2003.

Paratype: 1 F, CAS BLF 9079 , same data as holotype .

Distribution & Ecology: Recorded from the montane rainforest of Marojejy from 1325 m elevation (Fig. 50).

Diagnosis: Up to 30 mm long. Color faded in alcohol, best conserved specimens green, with light brown thoracic and anal shield. Head, legs and antennae also green. Texture of tergites orange-peel like, anterior part with some short hairs. Anal shield well-rounded, in males covered densely with numerous hairs. Disc of antenna with 10–15 apical cones (Fig. 55B). Tarsus of leg pairs 1–3 without apical spine, tarsi of legs 4–21 with only up to eight ventral spines. Movable finger of posterior telopods slender, with well-rounded tip, one triangular lobe and three sclerotized spines (Fig. 54D), posterior side with 10 sclerotized teeth (Fig. 54E). Fixed finger long and slender, weakly curved, basally with one small spine, distally at inner margin with numerous sclerotized spots (Fig. 54D). Fixed finger almost as long as movable finger. Two strongly developed stridulation ribs on each male harp (Fig 54B). Anal shield with two locking carinae, anterior small, posterior>3 times longer than first. Female with two stridulation ribs on each side of subanal plate. Operculum of vulva protruding into two well-rounded, same sized tips, strongly extending beyond apical coxal margin (Fig. 54A). Lateral tip slightly sharper than inner tip.

Similar species: In no other species of the group is the posterior telopod movable finger as slender as in Z. smaragdinum , n. sp.. The telopods of Z. smaragdinum , n. sp. feature in contrast to the coloration pattern no similarity to the sympatric living Z. viridissimum , n. sp..

FIGURE 054. Zoosphaerium smaragdinum n. sp., A female paratype, B–E holotype, A: second left coxa and prefemur with vulva, posterior view; B: right half of anterior telopods, anterior view; C: last two podomeres of anterior telopod, lateral view; D: posterior telopod, anterior view; E: chela of posterior telopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: cav = cavity; cr-t = crenulated teeth; Cx = coxa; EP = external plate of vulva; IP = mesal plate of vulva; ml = membranous lobe; O = operculum; Pre = prefemur; s-p = sclerotized spot; scl-t = sclerotized teeth; SR = stridulation ribs. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 055. Zoosphaerium smaragdinum n. sp., paratype, SEM, A: antenna, lateral view; B: antenna, apical view on disc; C: right mandible, mesal view. Abbreviations: 3iT = 3 inner teeth; Co = condylus; eT = external tooth; mp = molar plate; pL = pectinate lamella.

Description: Body length (holotype only): Length up to 30 mm, width of thoracic shield up to 14.5 mm, height of thoracic shield up to 7.1 mm.

Coloration: Possibly faded in alcohol. Quite different in male specimen in comparison to much smaller female. Both specimens with jade-like greenish colored legs, head, collum, antenna and posterior margin of tergites. Medial part of the thoracic shield and anal shield light brown. In larger male holotype, anterior part of tergites also light brownish.

Head: Eyes with>60 ocelli.

Antennae: Length of antennomeres: 1>2=3>4=5<6 (Fig. 55A), sixth antennomere bearing disc with 11–14 sensory cones (Fig. 55B). First antennomere remarkably broader than others, with groove. Sclerotized teeth on antennomeres 1–4 (Fig. 55A).

Mandible: General appearance unusually slender (Fig. 55C). 5–6 rows of pectinate lamellae, number of teeth declining apically to proximally (Fig. 55C). Condylus with strongly developed step near apical margin (Fig. 55C).

Gnathochilarium: Laterally of palpi four sensory cones, located together. Depression on posterior side of palpi without sensory cones.

Collum: Median part of collum with some long, isolated hairs.

Thoracic shield shaped like in other species of the genus.

Tergites: Paratergites projecting posteriorly.

Endotergum: Inner area with thin conical spines and very long hair. Single row of large, circular cuticular impression, regularly distributed (Fig. 63C). One row of marginal bristles, reaching up to 1/2 of space towards tergite margin (Fig. 63C).

Anal shield: Well-rounded, neither bell-shaped nor tapered. In female without any hair. Underside carrying two well-developed black locking carinae, anterior one small, but well developed, projecting posteriorly strongly towards anal shield margin. Posterior carina>3 times longer than anterior one.

Legs: Tarsi of first pair of legs with four, second with four or five, third pair with six or seven long ventral spines. First three leg pairs with only weakly curved claws and without apical spine. Tarsi of legs 4–21 with curved claws, 8 ventral spines and an apical spine. In 9th leg femur 1.9 times, tarsi 4.9 times longer than wide.

Stigmatic plate: First lobe short and well-rounded.

Female sexual characters: Subanal plate with washboard, consisting of well-developed stridulation ribs, two ribs on each side. Stridulation ribs symmetrical, of medium length. Vulva large, covering slightly more than 2/3 of coxa. Operculum large, surmounting coxa up to basal 1/3 of prefemur (Fig. 54A). Apical margin of operculum medially notched, with two rounded lateral tips. Both tips of same height, space between them deeply constricted, dividing operculum in two almost same-sized parts. Lateral tip slightly sharper than inner tip (Fig. 54A). Mesal plate long and broad, protruding up to half of operculum height.

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

Anterior telopods (Figs 54B, C): Syncoxite and first podomere almost glabrous. Harp with two stridulation ribs, straight, broad and well-developed. Second podomere process lobe-like and little curved with rounded edges, reaching 1/3 of third podomeres height, apically with sclerotized spots. Third podomere cavity mesally with several sclerotized spots and four sclerotized spines laterally basally ascending, with four sclerotized, crenulated teeth. Apical margin of third podomere well-rounded, one sclerotized spot located closely to tip. Second and third podomere on both sides with hairs.

Posterior telopods (Figs 54D, E): Movable finger of chela relatively slender, 2.5 times longer than wide, weakly curved, slightly tapering apically. Hollowed-out inner margin with single triangular membranous lobe and three sclerotized spines; posterior aspect with circa 10 or 11 small, sclerotized teeth. Fixed finger more slender and slightly shorter than movable one, tip of former only weakly curved, anterior side basally with one short sclerotized spine, on tip with numerous sclerotized spots. Second and third podomere covered on both sides with numerous long hairs. Inner horns apically curved. Tips pointed, covered with short hairs.