Chaleponcus tintin, Enghoff, 2014

Enghoff, Henrik, 2014, A mountain of millipedes I: An endemic species-group of the genus Chaleponcus Attems, 1914, from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 100, pp. 1-75 : 65-67

Chaleponcus tintin sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E350A221-3166-45FA-B897-F5A36A31A900

Figs 9 , 31 , 34

Diagnosis

Small. Distinguished from all other species in the C. dabagaensis group by the hook-like tip of the gonopod coxa ( Fig. 9 ). Gonopod coxa without a lateral process; metaplical shelf-spine long.

Etymology

The name is a noun in apposition and refers to a cartoon character developed by the Belgian author Hergé because of the (somewhat remote) resemblance of the shape of the gonopod cucullus to Tintin’s hairstyle.

Material studied (total: 1 ♂)

Holotype

TANZANIA: ♂, Iringa District, Udzungwa Mts, Chervemba, Mufu forest , Ndundulu forest , Udekwa village , 2100 m, montane evergreen forest, in dead wood, 6 Sep. 1991, Louis Hansen leg. ( ZMUC).

Type locality

TANZANIA: Iringa District, Udzungwa Mts, Chervemba, Mufu forest, Ndundulu forest, Udekwa village, 2100 m, montane evergreen forest.

Description (male)

DIAMETER. 1.6 mm, 41 podous rings.

COLOUR. After 23 years in alcohol almost uniform pale brownish, with traces of a pale dorsal band.

ANAL VALVES. Each with a strong dorsal spine and a very small ventral one; marginal rim raised, setiferous tubercles inconspicuous, not on ‘ravelins’.

LIMBUS. With triangular lobes; lobes slightly longer than wide, striate on outer surface.

TARSAL SETATION. Normal

GONOPOD COXA ( Figs 9 , 31 ). About 3 × as high as wide. Lateral margin straight, apically curving mesad at right angles, cucullus (cu) produced in characteristic laterad-curving hook. Metaplical flange ending in triangular process (mfp). Metaplical shelf (ms) small and simple; metaplical shelf-spine (mss) short, thin, sinuous, pointing mesad.

GONOPOD TELOPODITE ( Fig. 31 ). Solenomere with a very small proximal spine (ps). Telomere with two

branches:

• a relatively small, subrectangular anterior lamella (al),

• a more elaborate posterior lamella (pl) with strongly spiny margins and with a basal branch (plb) ending in long spine; pl including plb curving anteriad and best visible in anterior view.

Distribution and habitat

The unique holotype was found in Udzungwa Mts, Chervemba, Mufu forest, Ndundulu forest, Udekwa village.Altitude: 2100 m asl (the highest accurate record of the C. dabagaensis group). Habitat: montane evergreen forest, in dead wood.

Coexisting species

No further species of the C. dabagaensis group is known from Ndundulu forest. However, C. basiliscus sp. nov., C. circumvallatus sp. nov., C. gracilior sp. nov., C. ibis sp. nov. and C. netus sp. nov. also occur in West Kilombero FR to which Ndundulu forest belongs.

Figures

Fig. 9. Chaleponcus spp., outline of coxite of left gonopod, posterior view. (The ’transverse’ plane of the gonopod is usually slightly at angles with the exact transverse plane of the millipede, so it may be necessary to tilt the gonopod slightly in order to obtain the view shown on the drawings.) The stippled lines indicate the place where the telopodital basomere emerges from the coxal cavity. Not to scale.

Fig. 31. Chaleponcus tintin sp. nov., left gonopod. A. Anterior view. B. Mesal-anterior view. C. Ventral (-anterior) view. D. Posterior (-mesal) view. al = anterior telomeral lamella, cu = cucullus, mfp = metaplical flange process, ms = metaplical shelf, mss = metaplical shelf-spine, pl = posterior telomeral lamella, plb = basal branch of pl, ps = proximal spine on solenomere. Scales 0.1 mm.

Fig. 34. Intercalary cuticular microscutes in Chaleponcus spp. A. C. netus sp. nov. B. C. tintin sp. nov. C–D. C. nikolajscharffi sp. nov. Fig. D shows fungus-like outgrowths from scutes. Scales 0.001 mm.