Kophosphaera shivapuri, Wesener, Thomas, 2015

Wesener, Thomas, 2015, The Giant Pill-Millipedes of Nepal (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Zephroniidae) *, Zootaxa 3964 (3), pp. 301-320 : 313-316

Kophosphaera shivapuri new species

Figures 2 D, 3C, 8A–F

Etymology. shivapuri , noun in apposition, after the type locality, which is located in the Shivapuri Mountains.

Material examined. 1 M holotype (deposited at the SMF), 'N2 field label 305', Nepal, Kathmandu District, Sheopuri Mountain [= Shivapuri , 27°47'42.82"N, 85°20'48.33"E], degraded forest, bushes, 1700–2100 m, leg. J. Martens & W. Schawaller, 25.VI.1988.

Diagnosis. Syncoxite of anterior telopod without any udder-like projections, distinguishing K. shivapuri from K. mammifera new status. Male antennae with>45 apical cones, tarsi with 2 or 3 ventral spines, distinguishing K. shivapuri from K. excavata . Differing from K. martensi n. sp., among other characters, in the presence of a longer, divided locking carina and the shape of the process of the first pleurite, which is sharp-edged in K. martensi n. sp. and well-rounded in K. shivapuri . K. shivapuri with single, dense row of marginal bristles ( Fig. 2 D), while K. martensi n. sp. has two rows ( Fig. 2 E).

Description. Measurements: 22.7 mm long, 9.8 mm (2nd) wide, 5.8 mm (2nd) high.

Colouration faded. Tergites brown, slightly dark greenish, legs dark brown.

Head: Eyes with ca. 60 ocelli. Antennae short, protruding back to coxae 5. Antennomeres 1–5 with few longer setae, 6 more densely pubescent. Antennomere 6 only slightly wider than preceding antennomeres. Size relations of antennomeres 1=2=3=4=5<<6. Disc with 48/45 apical cones. Mouthparts not dissected. Palpi of gnathochilarium with sensory cones arranged in single field.

Collum glabrous except for few marginal setae.

Thoracic shield surface glabrous except for longer setae in grooves. Grooves shallow, without any ledges. Tergites 3–12 smooth, at higher magnification chagrinated, leather-like, paratergite tips only weakly projecting posteriorly.

Anal shield massive, strongly bell-shaped ( Fig. 3 C), covered with numerous small sensory hair. Underside carrying divided, long locking carina. Small gap dividing locking carina into two carinae of equal length. Carina located close to margin.

Endotergum inner section covered with medium-length setae, each inserting in an elevated area ( Fig. 2 D). Between ridge and inner section, single row of circular cuticular impressions. Externally, single row of marginal bristles ( Fig. 2 D). Bristles short, not reaching tergite margin ( Fig. 2 D).

First stigma-carrying plate with a well-rounded projecting apex.

Pleurite 1 laterally elongated into a slender, well-rounded process. Pleurite 2 also weakly elongated into a broader and well-rounded process.

Leg 1 with 2, 2 with 3, 3 with 5 ventral spines. Leg pairs 4–21 with 7 or 8 ventral spines. Legs 3–21 with single apical spine, which is absent in leg pairs 1 and 2. Coxa process strongly developed and well-rounded ( Fig. 8 A), absent from leg pair 1 and 2. Femur 1.5, tarsus 3.2 times longer than wide. Femur with short toothed ridge.

Male gonopore large, simple pit covered by partly membranous plate, located centrally at the mesal margin of coxa 2, size ca. 1/3 of coxal height ( Fig. 8 B).

Anterior telopod ( Figs 8 C, D): syncoxite wider than podomere 1, with few longer setae. Podomere 1 larger than podomere 2 or 3, rectangular, wider than following podomeres. Podomere 2 large, posterior process not visible in anterior view, process relatively slender only weakly curved, protruding as far as podomere 4. Podomere 3 shorter and slenderer than podomere 2. Podomere 4 long, reaching almost half the size of podomere 3, towards process of podomere 2 with at least one sclerotized spine. Podomeres 1 and 2 in anterior view sparsely covered with long setae, podomeres 3 and 4 glabrous except for some marginal hair.

Posterior telopod ( Figs 8 E, F): typical for Kophosphaera , with 4 podomeres, 2 membranous ledges and lacking any lobes, or sclerotized teeth. Podomere 3 straight, 2.3 times longer than wide. Hollowed-out inner margin with membranous ledge. Podomere 4 well-developed, 0.5 times as long as podomere 3, with three large sclerotized spines next to membranous ledge. Podomeres 3 and 4 curved towards immovable finger. Immovable finger wide, apically only weakly tapering, shorter than podomeres 3 and 4. Podomeres 1 and 2 in anterior view covered with setae, in posterior view podomere 1 setose, but podomere 2 only with marginal hair. Podomere 3 in posterior aspect glabrous, anteriorly with setae in its basal half, podomere 4 glabrous.

Distribution. Only known from the mountain of Shivapuri , north of Kathmandu in central Nepal (Fig. Map 1).

Figures

FIGURE 2. SEM of tergites or endoterga of different Zephronia and Kophosphaera species. A: Zephronia montana (Karsch, 1881), ZMB 55, tergite surface; B: Zephronia nepalensis n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum; C: Kophosphaera politissima Attems, 1935, ZFMK MYR 4176, endotergum; D: K. shivapuri n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum; E: K. martensi n. sp., holotype, SMF, endotergum.

FIGURE 3. Multi-layer photographs, anal shield and posterior tergites, lateral view. All specimens were males. A: Zephronia nepalensis n. sp., holotype, SMF; B: Kophosphaera politissima Attems, 1935, ZFMK MYR 4176; C: K. shivapuri n. sp., holotype, SMF; D: K. martensi n. sp., holotype, SMF. Abbreviations: 12 T = tergite 12; AS = anal shield. Not to scale.

FIGURE 8. Kophosphaera shivapuri n. sp., male holotype, SMF. A: left leg 9, posterior view; B: right coxa and prefemur 2, with gonopore; C: left half of anterior telopod, anterior view; D: left anterior telopod, podomeres 2 – 4, lateral view; E: right posterior telopod, anterior view; F: right posterior telopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: Co = coxa; Go = gonopore; IH = position of inner horns; Pre = prefemur; St = stigmatic plate 2; Syn = syncoxite; numbers refer to podomere. Scale bars = 1 mm.