Campodesmus alobatus, Vandenspiegel & Golovatch & Fiemapong, 2015

Vandenspiegel, D., Golovatch, S. I. & Fiemapong, A. R. Nzoko, 2015, Two new species, including one representing a new genus, of the West African millipede family Campodesmidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida), European Journal of Taxonomy 139, pp. 1-11 : 6-10

Campodesmus alobatus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5483AFA3-1222-4B5F-B7C7-B85EEE2FFB58

Figs 4–6

Diagnosis

Differs from other members of the genus in the complete lack of a parabasal process/lobe on the gonopod telopodite which is not directed mesally, but held subparallel to the main body axis, coupled with much more numerous, nearly undifferentiated and low tubercles on metaterga and the presence of deeply incised and clearly separated antero- and caudolateral lobulations on the postcollum paranota.

Etymology

The name of this species emphasizes the absence of a dorsal/lateral parabasal process/lobe from the gonopod telopodite.

Material examined

Holotype

IVORY COAST: ♂, Appouesso , N 06°35’, W 003°28’, Forêt Classée Bossematié, station 5A, pitfall trapping, 30 Nov. 1994, leg. R. Jocqué & N. Séabé, MRAC 17.264 .

Paratypes

IVORY COAST: 1 ♂, same locality, station 1A, 31 Oct. 1994, MRAC 17.272; 1 ♂, same locality, station 5B, 30 Oct. 1994, MRAC 17.276; 1 ♂ ( SEM) and 1 ♂, same locality, 31 Oct. 1994, MRAC 17.278; 1 ♂, same locality, station 5D, 31 Oct. 1994, ZMUM ρ2665. All leg. R. Jocqué & N. Séabé.

Description

Length of holotype c. 17 mm, width on midbody pro- and metazonae 1.7 and 3.6 mm, respectively. Paratypes (males) also c. 17 mm long, width on midbody pro- and metazonae 1.6–1.7 and 3.0 mm, respectively. Coloration from light grey-brown to brown ( Fig. 4 ); clypeolabral region, antennae, prozonae, venter, legs and tip of epiproct pallid to light yellow; stricture as brown as metazonae.

HEAD. Densely setose, clypeolabral region smooth, remaining parts densely microdenticulate-

microgranulate, interantennal isthmus c. 1.5 times as broad as diameter of antennal socket. Antennae short and strongly clavate, C-shaped, antennomere 5 largest and longest, but only a little larger than 6 th, both with a dorso-apical group of tiny bacilliform sensilla; apical segment with usual four sensory cones ( Figs 4 , 5G ).

BODY. With 20 segments (male). In width, head << collum = segment 2 <3 <4 <5–17; thereafter body rapidly tapering towards telson. Collum transversely ellipsoid, subflabellate, covering most of head from above, dorsal surface rather regularly and densely tuberculate, with about 4–5 transverse rows of round, setigerous, undifferentiated tubercles lying between a moderately crenulate/lobulate and regularly rounded anterior margin and a clearly ribbed and almost straight caudal edge; small, but discernible caudal paranota with a rather sharp lateral tooth ( Figs 4 , 5A, D, G ). Prozonae smooth and poorly shining, stricture finely microgranulate; metazonae dull, densely tuberculate and microgranulate over entire surface; cerotegument well-developed, sometimes in places clothed with a crust of soil; dorsal surface usually with two regular, mixostictic (= not regularly longitudinal) transverse rows of normally similar round tubercles, much like on collum, lying between a fore row of denser and smaller knobs/tubercles behind stricture and a densely ribbed caudal edge represented by a flatter row of oblong tubercules ( Fig. 5 A–F). Paranota 2 not enlarged compared to following ones ( Figs 4 , 5A ). Postcollum paranota set rather low (at about half of midbody height, thus dorsum being very strongly convex), strongly declivous, continuing the outline of dorsum, but their tips not reaching level of venter ( Fig. 5 A–C, J); lateral margin of paranota usually 5-lobulate, laterals continuing into even more deeply lobulate caudo- and anterolaterals both at caudal and fore margin, respectively; caudo- and anterolateral lobulations continuing both caudal and fore rows of tubercles at base of paranota, respectively ( Figs 4 , 5 A–I). Caudal corner of paranota increasingly strongly inclined caudad behind rear tergal margin only in segments 17–19 ( Fig. 5C, F, I ). Tergal setae very short and thin ( Fig. 5 A–L). Ozopores inconspicuous, opening flush on tergal surface at about midlength of paranota 5 and 7 off lateral margin. Pleurosternal carinae absent ( Fig. 5G ). Limbus microcrenulate, with microserrate tips of crenulations, these latter clearly separated from one another ( Fig. 5M ). Epiproct short, small, subtruncate, slightly flattened dorsoventrally, tuberculate dorsally, with a pair of rather large subapical papillae ( Figs 4 , 5C, F, I ). Hypoproct nearly semi-circular with 1 + 1 caudal setae very distinctly separated and borne on minute knobs ( Fig. 5I ).

STERNA. Broad, almost twice as broad as coxa length, with a very deep axial impression ( Fig. 5 G–I). Gonapophysis on male coxae 2 a small tubercle. Legs short, even in male about 0.9–1.0 times as long as midbody height, very slender; in length, femur> tarsus> prefemur> postfemur = tibia = coxa; claw very small, very slightly curved; ventral surface of tarsi densely setose, but forming no brushes.

GONOPOD. Aperture transversely ovoid, large, its lateral and posterior edges slightly elevated, fully concealing gonocoxae and bases of telopodites. Gonopod coxites medium-sized, subcylindrical, fused at base to a small membranous sternal remnant, each with only one long distodorsal seta ( Fig. 6A, B ). Cannulae long and slender, without peculiarities. Telopodites rather regularly curved caudad, in situ held subparallel to each other, subcircular, long, slender and quite simple ( Fig. 6 ). Prefemoral (= densely setose) portion (pf) subcylindrical, rather long, totally devoid of outgrowths. Femorite (fe) with a small parabasal denticle (d) on ventral face and a series of inconspicuous folds (f) on opposite side. Seminal groove (sg) running entirely on mesal side, terminating at about halfway along fe, at base of a small denticle (o), with neither a hairpad nor an accessory seminal chamber. Tip of fe slightly broadened and bifid ( Fig. 6C ).

Remarks

The species described above is the 8 th known species of Campodesmus which, despite the peculiarities referred to in the diagnosis, remains a rather typical congener. This is primarily evidenced by the gonopod conformation which shows long and subcircular telopodites. Such non-gonopod characters as low paranota, a reduced pore formula, short antennae and legs etc. also attest to the unequivocal assignment of this new species to Campodesmus (cf. Hoffman 1951; Schiøtz 1966; Demange 1971).

The clearly abbreviated seminal groove in C. alobatus sp. nov., which only extends to about the midlength of an untwisted gonopod femorite, invites comparisons with other congeners. Regrettably, no such information is available in the literature. Schiøtz (1966) attempted to group most of the species of Campodesmus , but more data are needed, including the course of the seminal groove, to reach more secure conclusions.

Figures

Fig. 4. Habitus of Campodesmus alobatus sp. nov., ♂, holotype, lateral view. Photo by J. Brecko. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 5. SEM micrographs of Campodesmus alobatus sp. nov., paratype, ♂, MRAC 17.278. A, D, G. Anterior part of body, lateral, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. B, E, H. Midbody segments, lateral, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. C, F, I. Posterior part of body, lateral, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. J. Cross-section of a midbody segment, caudal view. K. Midbody paratergum, lateral view. L. Fine structure of pro- and metazonae, as well as of stricture between them, subdorsal view. M. Limbus and adjacent structures. Scale bars: A–J = 0.5 mm; K–L = 0.1 mm; M = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 6. Campodesmus alobatus sp. nov., paratype, ♂, MRAC 17.278. A–B. Left gonopod, ventrolateral and submesal views. C. Right gonopod, mesal view.Scale bars:A–B = 0.1 mm; C = 0.2 mm.Abbreviations are explained in the text.