Afraustraloxenodes, Duy-Jacquemin, 2003

Duy-Jacquemin, Monique Nguyen, 2003, A new genus of Penicillata from Southern Africa with pseudoarticulated sensilla on the palpi of the gnathochilarium (Diplopoda: Polyxenida: Polyxenidae), African Invertebrates 44 (1), pp. 71-88 : 72-73

Afraustraloxenodes gen. n.

Type species: Afraustraloxenodes namibiensis sp. n.

Etymology: Afraustral refers to the southern (austral) African distribution pattern of this genus; xenodes means inhabitant, chosen by analogy to the related genus Macroxenodes .

Generic Diagnosis: Distinguished by the following combination of character states:

Trichomes: short and thick.

Head: Eight ocelli on each side. Vertex with one pair of posterior tufts not separated from the anterior tufts and consisting of two rows (anterior and posterior); last trichome of posterior row slightly more posterior than the trichobothria. Distance between each tuft of vertex short. Three or more short, thick sensilla basiconica on antennal article VI, and two on article VII. One setiform and one coeloconicum sensilla on articles VI and VII.Three trichobothria of equal size with cylindrical funiculi ( Fig. 3 ). Entire surface of labrum with numerous and varied papillae and armed with lamellate teeth at anterior margin. Outer palp of gnathochilarium with sensilla pseudoarticulated apically. Middle palp with sensilla pseudoarticulated apically, except for seven short antero-median sensilla ( Figs 8 , 26, 28 ).

Trunk: Two lateral tufts of trichomes on each tergite connected by a posterior row of trichomes arranged along posterior margin of tergite. Tergites II to VIII or IX with three rows of trichomes: an anterior row (a.r.) with trichomes directed anteriad; a median (m.r.) and a posterior (p.r.) row with trichomes directed caudad. Median row often sinuous; anterior row convex towards head with first and last trichomes often at same level as median row ( Figs 18, 19 ).

Legs: Setae on coxae, trochanters and prefemora with subcylindrical, elongate and naked funiculi. Other small, thick but pointed setae present on all prefemora, femora, tibiae and tarsi II. Pretarsus bearing anterior process with spinous projection slightly shorter than claw and posterior lamellate process longer than claw, latter projection thickened and pleated basally. Claw with two strongly pointed latero-anterior and posterior teeth, subequal in length.

Telson : Two latero-dorsal penicils of crooked trichomes joined side by side. Dorsal face of telson with a few barbate trichomes (a), two subcircular groups composed of barbate trichomes (c), and one barbate antero-internal trichome (b) ( Fig. 17 ). Ventral face with a subrectilinear row of barbate trichomes located at edge of penicil of crooked trichomes, usually with three to four crooks ( Figs 20 , 43, 48 ).

Generic grouping: Macroxenus Brölemann, 1917 ; Chilexenus Silvestri, 1948 ; Macroxenodes Silvestri, 1948 ; Afraustraloxenodes gen. n.

Distribution: Southern Africa.

Figures

Figs 2–9. Afraustraloxenodes namibiensis sp. n. 2–3. Adult male no. 5. 2. Head and collum, dorsal view. 3. Structural details of right trichobothria. 4–6.Allotype, adult female. 4. Left antenna. 5–6. Sensilla of articles VII and VI of the same antenna. 7. Adult male from near Windhoek, sensilla of right antennal article VI. 8. Adult male no. 2, left palp of gnathochilarium. 9. Male holotype, labrum, papillae only represented on median and left parts. Scale bars: Figs 2, 4, 9 = 50 m; other figures = 25 m.

Figs 22–28. Afraustraloxenodes coineaui sp. n. 22. Adult female from Angola, head, dorsal view. 23–26. Holotype, adult female. 23. Left antenna. 24–25. Sensilla of articles VII and VI of the same antenna. 26. Left palp of gnathochilarium. 27–28.Adult female from Mirabib. 27. Labrum, interior granules only represented in a few papillae. 28. Left palp of gnathochilarium. Scale bars: Figs 24, 25, 27 = 25 m; other figures = 50 m.

Figs 10–20. Afraustraloxenodes namibiensis sp. n.10–16. Male holotype. 10. Right leg II and penis. 11–12. Coxal and prefemoral setae of the same leg. 13. Small seta on the same prefemur. 14. Seta on tarsus II of right leg II. 15. Telotarsus of the same leg. 16. Telotarsus of left leg VIII. 17–20. Male no. 5. 17. Telson, dorsal view: a, b and c, barbate dorsal trichomes. 18. Insertions of trichomes on tergite III: a.r. anterior row; m.r. median row, p.r. posterior row. 19. Trichomes on tergite III. 20. Crooked trichome. Scale bars: Figs 10, 17 = 50 m; other figures = 25 m.

Figs 41–54. Afraustraloxenodes hulleyi sp. n. 41–43. Paratype, adult male; 41. Head and collum, dorsal view. 42. Sensilla of articles VI of left antenna. 43. Distal part of crooked trichomes. 44–52. Holotype female. 44. Right antenna. 45–46. Sensilla of articles VII and VI of the same antenna. 47. Labrum, only part of cuticular setae shown. 48. Distal part of crooked trichome. 49. Seta on prefemur of right leg I. 50. Seta on coxa of left leg III. 51–52. Right telotarsi IV and VI, anterior view. 53–54.Adult male from Kowie River mouth, sensilla of articles VII and VI of left antenna. Scale bars: Figs 41, 43, 44 = 50 m; other figures = 25 m.