Spirostreptus sebae Brandt 1833

Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle, Slotow, Robert & Barraclough, David, 2009, A revision of the taxonomy and distribution of Spirostreptus Brandt 1833 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae) with descriptions of a new species and a new genus of spirostreptid millipede, Zootaxa 2211, pp. 36-56 : 43-45

Spirostreptus sebae Brandt 1833

Figs 3 , 7 c

Spirostreptus sebae Brandt 1833 , p.203, figs 40–45; Golovatch & Hoffman 2001; Hoffman et al. 2001; Mwabvu 2005a; Hoffman 2008

Triaenostreptus petersi Attems 1928 , p. 367; Hoffman 1971, 2008; Krabbe 1982; Hamer 1998; Hoffman et al. 2001

Type material: Holotype: MOZAMBIQUE: 1 3, Tete, Peters ( ZMB 477).

Additional material examined: MOZAMBIQUE: 1 3, Tete, Peters ( ZMB 2179). ZIMBABWE: 1 3, Tobwe School, Kamativi [18 0 18'S, 27 0 02'E], 3.viii.1985, J. M. Sango (NMZ/D248); 1 3, Rifa Camp [1628B2], 8.xii.1995, (NMZ/D799); 1 3, Chapoto Village [1530C2], 21.iii.1997, S. Nyathi (NMZ/D820); 1 3, Mzola Camp [1827C2], 4.xii.1997, (NMZ/D847); 1 3, Gweru [19 0 27'S, 29 0 48'E], 17.xii.2002, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20500); 1 3, Mount Darwin [16 0 46'S, 31 0 34'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 22050); 1 3, Karoi [16 0 48'S, 29 0 41'E], 1999, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 22048); 1 3, Gokwe [18 0 02'S, 28 0 08'E], i.1999, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20488); 1 3, Chipangali [20 0 10'S, 28 0 40'E], 2001, M. Perrin ( NMSA 20416); 2 3, Chihota [18 0 40'S, 31 0 30'E], 11.ii.2006, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 21938); 2 3, Chegutu [18 0 20'S, 30 0 20'E], 19.xii.2008, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 21940); 2 3, Marange [19 0 00'S, 32 0 40'E], 23.xii.2008, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 21967); 1 3, Bulawayo [20 0 10'S, 28 0 40'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Selous [18 0 04'S, 30 0 26'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Gokwe [18 0 02'S, 28 0 08'E],1999, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued);1 3, Guruve [16 0 43'S, 30 0 18'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Mushumbi Pools [16 0 10'S, 30 0 33'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Centenary [16 0 44'S, 31 0 04'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Raffingora [17 0 02'S, 30 0 26'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Mutoko [17 0 30'S, 32 0 20'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); 1 3, Esigodini [20 0 17'S, 28 0 56'E], 1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued); ZAMBIA: 2 3, 5 Ƥ, Lusaka [15 0 24'S, 28 0 15'E], 12.xii.2008, M. Bingham & T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 22048).

Diagnosis: Apical medial edge of proplica extended into a narrow medial tip which touches distal lobe of telocoxite proximally; distal lobe tilted anteriad, lateral width of distal lobe 0.5 times greater than length, apex of distal lobe horizontal ( Fig. 3 a). Apical metaplica with horizontal hump, medial hump and central cone reaching apex giving two prong appearance ( Fig. 3 b).

Description: Size: Body length 162–215 mm; minimum and maximum body width 7–11.5 mm and 11–14 mm; antenna length 8–12 mm.

Number of body rings: 57–63.

Colour: Body black or dark brown; legs and antennae brown or black.

Collum: Anterior lobe slightly produced ventrally, with 3–4 complete and 1–2 incomplete folds.

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Proximally oval, with a strongly laterally deflected medial nipple.

Gonopod: ( Figs 3 a, 3b) 6 mm long. Sternite apex extended distally to the level of paracoxite apex.

Telocoxites approximately parallel, wider apart distal to sternite apex.

Proplica wide sub-apically, medial edge extended apically into a narrow medial tip which may touch the distal lobe of telocoxite proximally.

Metaplica wider proximal to telopodite knee, with humps along the length. Distally metaplica with horizontal hump, raised medial edge and central cone giving a two prong appearance; central cone extending distally to the apex of the distal lobe, the central cone may have perpendicular folds ( Fig. 3 b).

Finger-like lateral lobe folded and rounded apically. Lateral lobe extends slightly beyond lateral margins of proplica and distal lobe.

Lateral edge of distal lobe extending to or beyond the lateral margin of proplica apex. Surface of distal lobe rough, with folds extending to edges, lateral width of distal lobe 0.5 times greater than length.

Telopodite with antetorsal process extending past paracoxite or may bend medially and crossing the metaplica. Antetorsal process strongly curved into a crescent shape; post knee telopodite with loose coil ( Figs 3 a, 3b, 7c).

Distribution: Known from central, northern, north-eastern, eastern and western parts of Zimbabwe, Beira and Tete ( Mozambique) and Lusaka ( Zambia).

Remarks: The gonopods of sebae closely resemble those of tripartitus . In these species the gonopods are smaller and the surface of the distal lobe is rough with several folds, unlike in unciger , batokensis , heros and kruegeri . Despite the similarities, the distal lobe of tripartitus differs from sebae by being smaller and more rounded (see remarks under tripartitus ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Spirostreptus sebae (NMZ / D 820). a, oral view of gonopods; b, aboral view of gonopods; c, oral view of prefemoral lobe of first pair of male legs; d, lateral view of collum. Abbreviations: p, proplica; m, metaplica; llb, lateral lobe; dl, distal lobe; dlf, distal lobe fold; tp, telopodite; at, antetorsal process; pc, paracoxite; st, sternite; cf, collum fold; al, anterior lobe; pfl, prefemoral lobe.

FIGURE 7. Shape of antetorsal process of the telopodites of Spirostreptus species. a, S. heros; b, S. kruegeri; c, S. sebae; d, S. unciger; e, S. batokensis; f, S. tripartitus. Abbreviations: tp, telopodite; tk, telopodite knee; at, antetorsal process.