Boreohesperus curiosus, Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013

Car, Catherine A. & Harvey, Mark S., 2013, A review of the Western Australian keeled millipede genus Boreohesperus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 290, pp. 1-19 : 6-7

Boreohesperus curiosus sp. n. Figs 1B39

Type material.

Holotype male: 14.5 km NNW. of Mt Elvire, Pilbara Biological Survey site OYE07, Western Australia, Australia, 21°42'39"S, 116°45'57"E, ethylene glycol pitfall traps, 2 October 2005-21 May 2006, CALM Pilbara Survey (WAM T124633).

Paratype: 1 female, same data as holotype (WAM T126116).

Etymology. This species is named for the shape of the gonopod that is markedly different from those of the other species (curiosus, Latin, adjective, odd, different).

Diagnosis.

Boreohesperus curiosus sp. n. has an easily recognizable gonopod in which the solenomere, when seen in medial or lateral view, curves in an arc (Figs 3E, F) and ends in two large claw-like processes (Fig. 3D). This species also bears two, small, spine-like processes situated at the tip of the solenomere (Fig. 3E).

Description.

Holotype male: Body approximately 7 mm long; mid-body ring approximately 1 mm wide dorsally, with distinct waist between prozonite and metazonite; legs of moderate length, approximately equal to length of 1 to 2 mid-body rings. Colour bleached by alcohol. Paranota on all but first few body rings small. Sternites, other than those of fifth body ring, with no noticeable features. Anterior spiracles at mid-body flat circular. Antennae distinctly clavate, of moderate length, extending approximately to first body ring behind collum (to body segment 2), antennomeres relatively robust (Figs 3A, B). Gonopod long, extending at least to fifth body ring; coxa (C) much broader than acropodite and approximately 2 × as long as broad; prefemur (PF) short, sub-globose; femorite (F) short, one-quarter to one-third length of acropodite, slightly narrower at base, then broadening; non-seminiferous branch (NSB) broadest at solenomere base, then narrowing to form blunt finger shape; process on medial surface of NSB (nsbp) sharply pointed, arising close to NSB tip, and slightly shorter (approximately two-thirds length) than NSB, extending well beyond rounded branch tip; solenomere (S) relatively long and slender, arising midway between NSB tip and prefemur, basal third curving away from NSB and tip curving back towards gonopod midline to form definite arc; solenomere tip divided into two, main pointed claw like forks, with two small spine-like processes (stp) occurring at base of shorter fork when viewed medially; solenomere process (sp) absent; separate posterior process (pp) absent (Figs 1B, 3 C–F).

Female: similar to male, except for genitalic features.

Distribution.

This species in known only from two specimens found at Mt Elvire in the Pilbara region (Fig. 9).