Boreohesperus furcosus, Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013

Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013, A review of the Western Australian keeled millipede genus Boreohesperus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 290, pp. 1-19 : 12-14

Boreohesperus furcosus sp. n. Figs 1E79

Type material.

Holotype male:9.5 km S. of Mt Minnie, Pilbara Biological Survey site WYW04, Western Australia, Australia, 22°11'19.1"S, 115°33'13.2"E, May 2004, CALM Pilbara Survey (WAM T76078).

Paratypes: 4 males and 4 females, same data as holotype (WAM T126118).

Etymology.

This species is named for the solenomere of the gonopod that is more branched than those of other species (furcosus, Latin, adjective, full of forks).

Diagnosis.

This species may be distinguished from the other small species of Boreohesperus found in the Pilbara by the more upright solenomere and the presence of two processes on the solenomere of the gonopod which are also found in Boreohesperus curiosus sp. n. and Boreohesperus undulatus sp. n. In Boreohesperus curiosus sp. n., however, these processes arise at the solenomere tip (Fig. 3E) while in Boreohesperus furcosus sp. n. and Boreohesperus undulatus sp. n., one process is situated near the solenomere tip and the other occurs approximately one third along the solenomere length from the tip (Figs 7E, 8E). Most importantly, Boreohesperus furcosus sp. n. lacks the posterior process of Boreohesperus undulatus sp. n., and has a noticeably long femorite compared with all the other species.

Description.

Holotype male:body approximately 8 mm long; mid-body ring approximately 0.75 mm wide dorsally, with distinct waist between prozonite and meta zonite; legs of moderate length, approximately equal to the length of 1 to 2 mid-body rings. Colour bleached by alcohol. Paranota on all but first few body rings small. Sternites, other than those of fifth body ring, with no noticeable features. Anterior spiracles at mid-body flat circular. Antennae distinctly clavate, long, extending well beyond body segment 2, antennomeres relatively robust (Figs 7A, B).Gonopod long, extending at least to fifth body ring; coxa (C) much broader than acropodite and approximately 2x as long as broad; prefemur (PF) short, sub-globose; femorite approximately half acropodite length, slightly narrower at base, then broadening; non-seminiferous branch (NSB) short, broad with pointed tip; process on medial surface of NSB (nsbp) sharply pointed, arising close to NSB tip, longer than NSB, extending well beyond branch tip; solenomere (S) relatively slender and upright, arising closer to NSB tip than to prefemur;. solenomere tip divided into two, main pointed ribbon like forks, with third small spine like process (stp) arising at base of main forks; solenomere process (sp) present, short; separate posterior process (pp) absent (Figs 1E, 7C-F).

Female: Similar to male, except for genitalic features.

Distribution.

This species had been found from only one locality, Mt Minnie, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (Figure 9).