Archispirostreptus microgigas, Enghoff, 2024

Enghoff, Henrik, 2024, A lesser giant millipede from Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), Zootaxa 5437 (3), pp. 424-432 : 425

Archispirostreptus microgigas sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 4

Diagnosis. Differs from all other species of Archispirostreptus by having a completely smooth antetorsal process and by having fewer body rings. Differs from all congeners except A. gigas ( Peters, 1855) and A. divergens Krabbe & Enghoff, 1978 , by having a rounded lobe on the gonopod telopodite, distal to the antetorsal process.

Etymology. From Greek mikró (small) and gigas (giant), i.e. a small giant, referring to the relatively small size, especially the low number of body rings. Noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Archispirostreptus microgigas sp. nov., holotype male (NHMD 1184694). A. Head and collum, ventral view. B. Head, collum and rings 2–6, lateral view. C–D. Midbody rings. C. Lateral view. D. dorsal view. Abbreviation: ds = distal seta. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Archispirostreptus microgigas sp. nov., holotype male (NHMD 1184694). A. First pair of legs, anterior view. B–D. Right gonopod telopodite. B. Anterior view. C. Posterior view. D. Close-up of telopodite tip; the row of Xs indicates the presumed approximate position of the second branch of the efferent canal. E–F. Gonopods except right telopodite. E. Anterior view. F. Posterior view. Abbreviations: ap = apical metaplical process, atp = antetorsal process, cxs = coxosternal setae, ec = efferent canal, lp = lateral metaplical process, mp = metaplica, ol = ovoid lamella, pfl = prefemoral lobe, pp = proplica, rl = rounded lobe, st = sternum, th = thumblike process. Scale bars = 1 mm (A, E, F); 0.5 mm (B, C): 0–1 mm (D).

FIGURE 4. Size, expressed as number of podous rings and midbody horizontal diameter, of adult males of Archispirostreptus divergens Krabbe & Enghoff, 1978, A. gigas (Peters, 1855) and A. microgigas sp. nov., based on specimens in NHMD and VMNH.