Harpagophoridae Attems, 1909

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 : 284

Family Harpagophoridae Attems, 1909

Harpagophorid millipedes occur in areas as arid as Gobabeb in the Namib Desert ( Crawford & McClain 1983). During the BIOTA project, representatives of the family were located in soil at a depth of 5–10 cm adjacent to east-facing bases of granitic boulders.As no adult males were found, the species identity is uncertain. In more northern parts of Namibia, harpagophorid millipedes have not been recorded ( Fig. 62).

Diagnosis: A diagnostic somatic character of this family is the epiproct, which is prolonged into a spine ( Fig. 74). In the gonopods, the seminal duct ends in a typical plate which is beset with spines ( Fig. 63, pe).