Harpagophora attenuata (Brandt, 1841)

Redman, Guy T., Hamer, Michelle L. & Barraclough, David A., 2003, Revision of the Harpagophoridae (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida) of southern Africa, including descriptions of five new species, African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 203-277 : 217-221

Harpagophora attenuata (Brandt, 1841)

Figs 1 , 4 , 27–39

Julus (Spirostreptus) attenuatus Brandt, 1841: 108–109 .

Julus (Spirostreptus) pachysoma Brandt, 1841: 109 .

Harpagophora nigra Attems, 1914: 164 ; Attems 1928; Lawrence 1965; Schubart 1966.

Thyropygus poseidon Attems, 1936: 226 .

Poratophilus minor Lawrence, 1938: 229 . Syn. n.

Poratophilus (Philoporatia) minor ; Schubart 1966.

Zinophora minor ; Demange 1983; Hamer 1998.

Harpagophora (Harpagophora) nigra ; Demange 1983; Hamer 1998.

Harpagophora attenuata ; Hoffman & Golovatch 1998.

Type material: Holotype (not examined): SOUTH AFRICA: “ Cape ” ( ZMRAS) . Lectotype of H. nigra as designated in Hoffman & Golovatch (1998) (examined): SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1ơ, Hopefield [3318AB], ix.1965 ( ZMHB 2054 ) .

Type material of synonymised species examined: Poratophilus minor , no locality data on label ( TMSA 7783).

Additional material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1ơ, Kommetjie [3418AB] on shore on decaying debris, 6.iii.1977, A. V. Prins ( SAMC GC110 ) ; 1ơ, Jacobs Bay [3318CB], inland under semidry cow dung, xii.1978, A. J. Prins ( SAMC GC278–11 ) ; 1ơ, Buffels Bay , Cape of Good Hope (34˚19'S:18˚26'E), 25–29.x.1985, C. & T. Griswold & J. Doyen ( NMSA 15629 ) ; 2ơ4^, Hondeklipbaai dunes [3017AD], 2–3.xi.1985, C. & T. Griswold & J. Doyen ( NMSA 16150 ) ; 1ơ1^, Lamberts Bay (32˚05'S:18˚18'E), 6–7.xi.1985, C. & T. Griswold & J. Doyen ( NMSA 15615 ) ; 1ơ1^, Fynbos , 7.ix.1989, P. Croeser, J. Londt & B. Stuckenberg ( NMSA 16146 ) ; 1ơ, Dooringbaai (31˚51'S:18˚15'E), 3.viii.1995, J. G. H. Londt ( NMSA 15697 ) ; 1ơ, Dooringbaai (31˚51'S:18˚15'E), 30.viii.1995, J. G. H. Londt ( NMSA 16459 ) ; 5ơ2^, Namaqualand , viii.1995, J. G. H. Londt ( NMSA 16139 ) ; 1ơ1^, Clanwilliam [3218BB], Settlers Rest , ix.1996, M. Cooper ( NMSA 15714 ) ; 1ơ, Clanwilliam [3218BB], x.1997, C. L. Leipolds ( SAMC 7594 ) ; 1ơ, R399 from Veldrift to Piketburg (32.80113˚S:18.30772˚E), 8.ix.2001, R. Slotow & M. Hamer ( NMSA 19100 ) ; 1ơ, R27 just past Grotto Bay turnoff (33.48514˚S:18.32256˚E), Fynbos , 8.ix.2001, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19105 ) ; 1ơ3^, West Coast National Park (33˚10'09''S:18˚07'57''E), 8.ix.2001, J. G. H. Londt ( NMSA 19114 ) ; 1ơ, R27, 80 km south of Velddrif [3218AD], 8.ix.2001, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19106 ) ; 1ơ, 10 km north of Vanrhynsdorp (31.53877˚S:18.72275˚E), Succulent Karoo , 9.ix.2001, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19098 ) ; 1ơ, N7, 15 km north of Clanwilliam (32.1119˚S:18.8411˚E), Fynbos , 9.ix.2001, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19103 ) ; 1ơ, N7, 25 km north of Clanwilliam (32.07055˚S:18.81890˚E), Fynbos , 9.ix.2001, M. Hamer & R. Slotow ( NMSA 19104 ) ; 1ơ5^, Columbine Nature Reserve (32˚49'25''S:17˚50'55''), 12.ix.2001, J. G. H. Londt ( NMSA 19113 ) .

Diagnosis: Larger femoral spine terminating in two small projections, one acute and black and one rounded ( Fig. 32 ). Spine branch a laminate plate broadening apically with wavy margin and large, curved, black tooth at one end ( Figs 30, 31 ). Medial distal end of telocoxite produced to form a bluntly triangular lobe. Lateral margin of telocoxite with obvious lobe ( Fig. 28 ).

Description:

Dimensions: Males, n = 19; females, n = 9. Body width 10.0, 7.1–12.5 [9.6], female 10.0–12.7 [11.9]; collum width 8.0, 6.2–9.5 [8.1], female 7.5–9.8 [8.9]; body length 110.0, 63.0–110.0 [92.6], female 82.0–120.0 [95.8]; leg length 4.7, 3.2–5.4, female 4.0–5.4; antenna length 5.0, 4.0–6.0 [5.0], female 4.8–6.0 [5.5].

Number of segments: 49, 48–55 [51]; female 50–56 [51].

Colour: Head dark brown. Clypeus brown to orange. Collum light brown. Prozonites light brown, mesozonites grey, and metazonites dark brown. Anal valve light brown. Caudal spine brown. Legs and antennae dark brown.

First ozopore: Segment 6.

Collum: Anterior corner about 90. One large submarginal groove ( Fig. 29 ).

Gonopods: Larger femoral spine straight and upright, terminating in two small projections, one acute and black, other rounded ( Fig. 32 ). Smaller femoral spine partially curled around base of larger spine ( Figs 32, 33 ). Pectinophore with series of long setiform projections embedded in hyaline plate. Posterior limb of telopodite with ridges or corrugations along surface at base of pectinophore and spine branch ( Figs 31, 34 ). Spine branch broadening apically with wavy, sometimes dentate margin and one large, curved, black tooth at one end ( Figs 30, 31, 34, 35 ). Distal region of telocoxite with short, hooked and distally directed medial telocoxal spine. Medial distal margin of telocoxite (above telocoxal spine) forming bluntly triangular lobe. Lateral margin of telocoxite produced into obvious ovate lobe ( Fig. 28 ).

Pre-anal ring: Caudal spine long, extending well beyond margin of anal valve and upturned slightly distally.

Distribution: This species is distributed in the Western and Northern Cape in the fynbos and succulent Karoo biomes ( Fig. 1 ).

Remarks: The telocoxites of H. attenuata closely resemble those of H. diplocrada , but there is a distinct difference in the telopodites and in the size of the two species, H. attenuata being smaller.

There is a great deal of variation in the gonopods of H. attenuata , both within and between populations ( Figs 36–39 ). The structures where most variation occurs are the telocoxal spines (number and orientation of spines) and the apex of the larger femoral spine. In some specimens this femoral spine terminates in two short equal spines ( Fig. 39 ), while in others there is one larger spine which is often claw-shaped ( Fig. 36 ), or just a single simple spine ( Fig. 38 ).

H. attenuata has had many nomenclatural problems and an account of these is given in Hoffman & Golovatch (1998). H. attenuata was referred to as H. nigra since Attems (1914), and until Hoffman & Golovatch (1998), when H. nigra was synonymised with H. attenuata . Attems (1936) described a specimen identical to H. nigra as Thyropygus poseidon . This was highlighted when Hoffman (1975) worked on the Asiatic harpagophorids and expressed concern about this species, as it did not resemble the other Asiatic species. Some time later Hoffman, whilst going through Schubart’s (1966) publication, saw illustrations of gonopods labelled as H. nigra , identical to those of T. poseidon . He confirmed this synonomy after comparison with the original description of Attems (1914). In the current revision the synonymy was confirmed by comparing the illustrations of T. poseidon with the lectotype material of H. nigra . The name T. poseidon was published in ‘ The Diplopoda of India ’ (Attems 1936) on material supposedly collected in Ceylon by the Austrian ‘Novara Expedition’. According to Dr Pretzman (Museum of Natural History, Vienna, Austria), mislabelling of material on the Novara Expedition frequently happened. It seems that the specimen was collected in South Africa (in the Cape), and was labelled as coming from the next stop, Ceylon ( Hoffman & Golovatch 1998).

Later still, Golovatch, during the course of his own work with the collection in St Petersburg, discovered two more names proposed for the species ( Julus (Spirostreptus) attenuatus Brandt, 1841 and Julus (S.) pachysoma Brandt, 1841 ). Hoffman & Golovatch (1998) proposed the name Harpagophora attenuata , based on page priority. It is possible that intraspecific variation contributed to this species being described several times with different names or that Attems (1914) described H. nigra without the knowledge that Brandt (1841) had previously described the species as Julus (Spirostreptus) attenuatus .

Hoffman & Golovatch (1998) did not address the status of Poratophilus minor . Lawrence (1965) noted the potential synonymy of P. minor with H. nigra , but did not formalise it. The species was again recorded in a revision of the family by Demange (1983), who moved it to Zinophora and did not make the link with Harpagophora . Zinophora minor was subsequently listed by Hamer (1998). Examination of the holotype of Z. minor confirmed the synonomy with H. attenuata .

Figures

Fig. 1. Distribution of Harpagophora, Metaphora and Poratophilus species in southern Africa. G = Gauteng; KZN = KwaZulu-Natal; L = Lesotho; MP = Mpumalanga; S = Swaziland; NW Prov = North West Province; W Cape = Western Cape.

Figs 4–9. Characters of southern African Harpagophoridae. 4–6. Limbus from midbody segment. 4. H. attenuata. 5. Z. levis. 6. Z. munda. 7. Gnathochilarium (Z. punctata). 8. Mandible (Z. punctata). 9. Oral view of first pair of male legs (Z. levis).

Figs 27–35. Harpagophora attenuata (Brandt, 1841). 27. Oral view of first pair of male legs. 28. Aboral view of gonopods; arrow indicates median process. 29. Lateral view of collum; arrow indicates anterior end of millipede. 30–31, 34–35. Apical elements of telopodite. 30, 35. Ventral view. 31, 34. Dorsal view. 32–33. Telopodite. bp = black process; c = telocoxal spines; f1 = large femoral spine; f2 = small femoral spine; lp = lateral process; p = pectinophore; s = spine branch.

Figs 36–39. Harpagophora attenuata (Brandt, 1841). Variation in gonopods. 36, 38–39. Aboral view. 37. Oral view. 36–37. NMSA 19098. 38. NMSA 19103. 39. NMSA 19104.