Podochresimus latus Vohland, 2013

Vohland, Katrin & Hamer, Michelle, 2013, A review of the millipedes (Diplopoda) of Namibia, with identification keys and descriptions of two new genera and five new species, African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 251-251 : 261-263

Podochresimus latus Vohland , sp. n.

Figs 12–16

Etymology: From Latin latus (broad), with reference to diagnostic tibiotarsal projection on gonopod.

Diagnosis: Small. Gonopod with solenophorous tibiotarsus branch apically dentate ( Fig. 13, s) and with two additional postfemoral branches laminate ( Fig. 12, a, tl).

Description:

Size: Width of male 0.7 mm.

Colour: Overall colour brown (in alcohol).

Head: Epicranial suture deep, ending above antennal sockets.Antenna long, antennomere 2=3>6>5=4>1>7; antennomeres 5+6 distally with microsensilla.

Tergites and sternites: Paraterga only slightly protruding backwards, very small and rounded ( Fig. 14). Constriction between prozonite and metazonite indistinct; metatergal sulcus smooth, slightly wrinkled distally ( Fig. 14). On juvenile specimen, two rows of setae on metatergum. Pleurotergal ridges distinct to about 8 th segment, vanishing posteriad. Pregonopodial sternite setose, sternite 5 with two small setose cones ( Fig. 16); postgonopodial sternites smooth.

Legs: Pregonopodial legs with tarsal brush ( Fig. 15); femur of anterior legs with small swelling only on segment 6. Postgonopodial legs unmodified.

Gonopods: Femur with bilobed process, divided into a broad shield and a more acute process ( Figs 12, 13, fp). Gonopod with solenophorous tibiotarsus branch curving slightly and apically dentate ( Fig. 13, s), with basal process broad and laminate ( Fig. 12, tl). A third postfemoral process smaller, short and roughly triangular ( Fig. 13, a).

Holotype: ♂ NAMIBIA: Erongo region, north end of Tsisab [21°06'01"S 14°33'52"E, 614 m], 21.i–27. ii.1995, E. Marais ( SMN 22104 ) ( NMNW).

Paratypes: 1♂ 2 juv., same data as holotype ( SMN 22104 ) ( NMNW) .

Remarks: In Podochresimus capensis (Porat, 1893) one gonopod tibiotarsal branch is also shield­like and apically bilobed (Attems 1928, fig. 86).

Contrary to the concept of Podochresimus (Attems 1929) , the pregonopodial femora of the legs do not have setose projections but only slight protuberances, which might be related to the small size of the animals.

Kraus (1958) described another small species from Angola as P. erratus , which shows similarities in the position of the femoral process, the course of the solenomere and a distinct division between the femur and postfemur of the acropodite. Jeekel (1968) removed it from Podochresimus to one of his “unnamed genera” because of the reduced femoral process.

Distribution: Podochresimus latus is only known from one locality in the Tsisab area of northern Namibia ( Fig. 1).