Symphylella kalundu, Camacho & Vandenspiegel, 2012

Camacho, Miguel Domínguez & Vandenspiegel, Didier, 2012, Scolopendrellidae (Myriapoda, Symphyla) from the Afrotropics with descriptions of seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 32, pp. 1-28 : 8-9

Symphylella kalundu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:85A76008-BDBE-4679-9271-EC8A4ACCA7B7

Figs 3 , 7C

Type material

Holotype ³, CONGO D.R., Terr. Uvira , Kalundu (03º27’ S, 029º08’ E), 800 m, coll. Leleup N., Feb. 1958 ( MRAC 22152 ).

Paratypes 4, sex unknown, same data as holotype ( MRAC 22153 ).

Type locality

CONGO D.R., Terr. Uvira, Kalundu (03º27’ S, 029º08’ E), 800 m.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Description (holotype)

LENGTH. 2 mm.

HEAD. 1.2 times as long as broad, with broadest part behind the middle on a level with the lateral protuberances of the head ( Fig. 3A ). Lateral margins nearly straight. Central rod distinct, thin, with a node at the middle. Frontal branches present, no median branches. Dorsal surface covered by setae of subequal length. Cuticle with faint and dense pubescence ( Fig. 3B ).

ANTENNAE. Right antenna broken, left antenna 16 segments ( Fig. 3F ). First segment elongate, about 0.5 times as wide as long; 2 nd and 3 rd as wide as long; following segments of equal size, about 1.2 times as wide as long. Setae about 0.2 of diameter of segments, shorter in the most distal segments. No second whorl of setae. Apical segment subglobular. All segments with faint pubescence.

TERGITES ( Figs 3A, E , 7C ). First tergite rudimentary with six setae arranged in two groups of three. One short seta between first and second tergites in the median part ( Fig. 3E ). Second tergite with one seta between apical and inner basal setae of the triangular processes. Triangular processes with very small end-swellings ( Fig. 3E ). Margin between processes slightly curved. Second tergite with a total of seven posteromarginal setae, one central seta in the medial position. Five lateromarginal setae on the right side, short. Anterolateral setae slightly longer than the other lateromarginal setae. Only three lateromarginal setae visible on the left side. Third tergite with five posteromarginal setae, without setae between apical and inner basal setae of the triangular processes, seven lateromarginal setae on the right side, only four visible on the left side. All tergites with very faint, short and sparse pubescence.

LEGS. First pair of legs reduced to small spiny knobs, each with one distal seta ( Fig. 3C, D ). Last pair of legs with few and small setae. Tarsus with few long and curved setae in the distal part ( Fig. 3G ), absent in one paratype ( Fig. 3H ). Cuticle pubescent.

STYLI. Extremely short, barely visible ( Fig. 3I ).

CERCI. 3.2 times as long as wide, laterals slightly curved, with 10 dorsal setae long, slightly curved and depressed ( Fig. 3G ). Ventral side with five protruding and erect setae arranged in a longitudinal row ( Fig. 3H ). Cuticle pubescent. Terminal area conical, 0.14 times as long as the total length of the cerci, with 4 proximal striae straight and three distal striae curved and concentric. No apical setae, probably lost in all specimens.

Affinities and differential diagnosis

The species is similar to S. vulgaris ( Hansen, 1903) and S. asiatica Scheller, 1971 , since they share some similarities in the chaetotaxy of the two first tergites: six setae on the first tergite, seven posteromarginal setae on the second tergite with one central seta in the medial position and one seta between apical and inner basal setae of each triangular process. Further similarities in the chaetotaxy of the tergites are shared by S. kalundu sp. nov. and S. asiatica , such as 5 lateromarginal setae on the second tergite and 8 on the third one, while they are respectively 8 and 10 in S. vulgaris ( Hansen, 1903) . The absence of setae between the apical and inner basal setae of the triangular processes on the third tergite is characteristic of S. kalundu sp. nov. The chaetotaxy of the cerci is more similar to that of S. vulgaris ( Hansen, 1903) than the one observed in S. asiatica , since there is only one row of ventral setae erect, and there are no erect dorsal setae.

Figures

Fig. 3. Symphylella kalundu sp. nov., holotype (dorsal views) and paratype (ventral and lateral views). A. Head and first 4 tergites (T1, T2, T3, T4), dorsal view. Arrow: node in the middle of the central rod (cr); fb, frontal branches, lp, lateral protuberance of the head. B. Detail of the surface of the head and lateral protuberance (lp). C. Detail of the first leg. D. Head and anterior part of the trunk, ventral view. E. Detail of the first (T1) and second (T2) tergites. Arrows, small end-swelling of triangular processes; as, apical setae; cs, central seta of the posteromarginal setae; ibs, inner basal setae of the posteromarginal setae; s, seta between first and second tergites. F. Right antenna. G. Last tergite, last pair of legs and cerci (C), dorsal view. Arrows, longer and erect setae of tarsus (t) of last pair of legs; ta, terminal area of cerci. H. Posterior part of the trunk, last right leg and right cercus (C), lateral view. Es, erect setae of ventral side of cerci; t, tarsus of last leg, without setae. I. Stylus of the leg 10 (arrow and circle).

Fig. 7. Schemata of the three first tergites and chaetotaxy of the described species of Symphylella. A. S. erecta sp. nov. B. S. fuko sp. nov. C. S. kalundu sp. nov. D. S. lubumbashi sp. nov. E. S. malagassa sp. nov. F. S. tanganyika sp. nov. — Marginal setae of second and third tergites labelled: lm, lateromarginal setae; lm (al), anterolateral seta of lateromarginal; p, posteromarginal setae; p(a), apical setae – belonging to the posteromarginal setae; p(c), central setae of posteromarginal; p(ib), inner basal setae of posteromarginal; s, seta between first and second tergites. Scale: 50 μm.