Harpagophora arida Redman, 2003

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 : 287-289

Harpagophora arida Redman, 2003

Figs 65–70

Harpagophora arida: Redman et al. 2003: 215–217 , figs 20–26.

Diagnosis: Gonopod teloxocite apically broadly rounded, in oral view with small sclerotised, basally directed projection ( Fig. 66, t). Gonopod telopodite with a larger straight femoral spine having a slightly furcated tip ( Fig. 65, fp1), and a shorter strong spine at the telopodite knee ( Fig. 65, fp2), as well as a smaller third spine at flexure of telopodite ( Fig. 65, as). Pectinophore elongate, ribbon-like, curling distally, with proximal margin serrated ( Fig. 65, pe). Spine branch short, narrow, and apically bifid ( Fig. 65, sb).

Description:

Size: Relatively stout. In males, body width anteriorly 8.4 mm, posteriorly 8.5 mm, length about 90 mm; in females 8–9 mm, 9–10 mm and 93–101 mm, respectively. There are 56–58 body segments.

Colour: In life, dark red-brown to black, appearing slightly striated due to lighter prozonites and venter. Frons and first antennomeres chestnut brown. Head, collum and segment 2 dark brown, further segments nearly black, anal segment dark brown. Legs and distal antennomeres dark brown. Sternites and anterior part of prozonites yellowish, ventrally and dorsally reaching suture between meta- and prozonite.

Head: Frons hairless, slightly wrinkled. Epicranial groove shallow, ending at distinct interocular groove. There are 6 supralabral pits. Eyes with suture from hind edge. Antenna reaching 2 nd segment; antennomere 2>3>4>5=6>2>7. Gnathochilarium having mentum ( Fig. 67, m) and prebasilare ( Fig. 67, pb) merged; stipes ( Fig. 67, st) connected with cardo ( Fig. 67, c); hypostoma with median suture ( Fig. 67, h).

Collum: Subquadratic, slightly protruded backwards, with a strong lateral ridge, channeled anteriorly ( Fig. 68).

Tergites and sternites: Ozopores from 6 th segment onwards. Prozonites and sternites with transverse striation, metazonites below ozopores with marked longitudinal stripes. Limbus finely dentate. Epiproct ( Fig. 69) with very small, slightly upwards­directed projection, hypoproct broadly rounded.

Legs: Syncoxosternite of 1 st pair of legs with distinct suture. Pads present on tibia and postfemur, distal pad always larger than interior one, smaller on posterior legs, absent on legs of last 3 or 4 diplosegments.

Gonopods: As in diagnosis.

Paratypes (examined): 1♂ 3♀ NAMIBIA: Karasburg district , Karios 8, Fish River Canyon , 27°40'58"S 17°48'47"E, 1.iv.2001, M. Uhlig, BIOTA 522, plot 19 ( ZMHB / MYR 13730 ) .

Other material examined: NAMIBIA: 1♂ ‘ Plateau’ , Aar, Lüderitz [26°42'S 15°16'E], 15–18.i.1972 ( NMSA 19707 ) ; 1♂ 1♀ Fish River Canyon [26°50'S 17°17'E], 14–15.i.1972 ( SMN 22138 ) ( NMNW) .

Distribution: Distributed in southern Namibia, in the Fish River Canyon area (Karas). The holotype (Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa, uncatalogued) was collected from Ais-Ais [27°55'20"S 17°29'23"E, 242 m] (Redman et al. 2003), which is part of the Fish River Canyon.

Ecology: The animals were seen in large numbers after a rain event by M. Uhlig (pers. comm.).