Bicoxidens flavicollis, Attems, 1928

Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle L. & Slotow, Robert H., 2007, A taxonomic review of the southern African millipede genus, Bicoxidens Attems, 1928 (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Spirostreptidae), with the description of three new species and a tentative phylogeny, Zootaxa 1452, pp. 1-23 : 5-6

B. flavicollis Attems, 1928

Fig. 2

Bicoxidens flavicollis Attems, 1928 ; Lawrence, 1965; Schubart, 1966; Krabbe, 1982; Hamer, 1998; Mwabvu, 2005 Bicoxidens nasti Mwabvu, 2000, 2005 Syn. n.

Type material (examined): Holotype: ZIMBABWE: 1 ɗ, Umtali [18°50'S, 32°35'E], 1926 ( SAMC 13743).

Additional material examined: ZIMBABWE: 1 ɗ, Chivi Police Station [2030B3], 5.ii.1994. F. Nyathi (NMZ/D750); 1 ɗ, Matopos [20°04'S, 28°06'E], (NMZ/D691); 1 ɗ, Lumene [2028B2], 1.xii.1992, M. Fitzpatrick (NMZ/D698); 1 ɗ, Bubiana Conservancy [2129B2], 26.xi.1993, (NMZ/D710); 1 ɗ, Kungwe Farm [1829B3], 4.v.1984, R. Jooste (NMZ/D143); 1 ɗ, Vumba [19° 05'S, 32°40'E], 20.ii.1985, C. T. Masango (NMZ/D232); 1 ɗ, Dwala Ranch [2129B2], 18.iv.1987, (NMZ/D485); 1 ɗ, Maleme (NMZ/D655); 1 ɗ, Murewa, Maramba [17°10'S, 31°50'E], 15.xii.1997, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20521); 1 ɗ, Mutasa, Sahumani [18°30'S, 32°30'E], xi.1997, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20526); 1 ɗ, Chiredzi [2131B1], 26.iii.1985, M. Davy (NMZ/D236); 1 ɗ, Vumba [19° 05'S, 32°40'E], i.1955, Stuckernberg ( NMSA 6261); 1 ɗ, Old Mutare [18º45'S, 32º30'E], xi.1997, T. Mwabvu ( NMSA 20527); 3 ɗ, Salisbury [17º30' S, 31º05' E], xii.1967, P. Hulley ( NMSA 18955); MOZAMBIQUE: 1 ɗ, Maguge [2032D1], 8.xii.1991, D. G. Broadley (NMZ/D648).

Diagnosis: Lateral edge of apical telocoxite folds and extends medially into a long weakly curved, flattened and tapering median process that completely overlaps the opposite one, aborally ( Figs. 2 a, 2b). Apical region of telocoxites also with a prominent rounded median lobe distal to the axe-shaped process. Aborally, a small lobe extends downwards from the apical telocoxite ( Fig. 2b ).

Description:

Size: Body length 82–110 mm; minimum and maximum body width 3–8 mm and 6–9 mm; antenna length 4–6 mm.

Number of body rings: 49–59.

Colour: Body yellow or brown or black; antennae and legs brown.

Collum: Square, with two complete folds ( Fig. 2 d).

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Long and narrow distally, tips weakly directed away from each other ( Fig. 2 c).

Sigilla on body ring: Two to three rows present, become one ventrally.

Gonopod: 4–5 mm long. Apical telocoxite with a flattened median process which completely overlaps the opposite one ( Fig. 2b ). Median leaf apically with median axe-shaped process ( Fig. 2 a). Apically lateral leaf with a small, rounded nipple below level of axe-shaped processes, aborally ( Fig. 2b ). Telopodite forming a complete loop apically.

Distribution: Widely distributed in east, north, south west and central Zimbabwe ( Fig. 10)

Abbreviations: asp, axe-shaped process; llb, lateral leaf lobe; lp, lateral process; mp, median process; pc, paracoxite; pfl, prefemoral lobe; tp, telopodite; tpl, telopodite loop.

Remarks: There are variations in colour and size (including gonopod) between populations. Many colour morphs (some yellow) with similar gonopods and external morphological characters have been collected in the eastern region of Zimbabwe. This species is part of the group of relatively small-bodied Bicoxidens species that includes nyathi , matopoensis , friendi , gokwensis and nigerrimus . Like grandis , the gonopods of flavicollis have long overlapping median processes on apical telocoxites, median axe-shaped processes on the median leaf and lack an aboral lobe on the lateral leaf. This species also resembles grandis by having a relatively long and curved femoral lobe ( Figs. 2 a, 3a).

Figures

FIGURE 2. B. flavicollis (NMZ / D 232). a, oral view of gonopods; b, aboral view of gonopods; c, oral view of prefemoral lobe of first pair of male legs; d, lateral view of collum.