Brevitibius gokwensis, Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle L. & Slotow, Robert H., 2007

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 : 8-9

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.176282
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6251137
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B587B0-6D0B-FFF9-FF54-FC54669EF87C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Brevitibius gokwensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

B. gokwensis sp. n. Mwabvu

Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4

Type material (examined): Holotype: ZIMBABWE: 1 ɗ, Gokwe, Kuwirirana Centre [18°02'S, 28°08'E], 18.ii.1998, T. Mwabvu ( MRAC 20556).

Etymology: So named to highlight type locality, Gokwe, Zimbabwe.

Additional material examined: 1 ɗ, Gokwe, Kuwirirana Centre [18°02'S, 28°08'E], 18.ii.1998, T. Mwabvu (NMZ uncatalogued).

Diagnosis: Antennae yellow. Laterally, apical telocoxite folded inwards into an ear-shaped lobe just above the knee. Inner margin of apical telocoxite with a short median process and a rounded proximal median lobe that are separated by a U-shaped groove ( Figs. 4 View FIGURE 4 a, 4b).

Description:

Size: Body length 95–132 mm, minimum and maximum body width 5–7 mm and 8–9 mm; antenna length 6–7 mm.

Number of body rings: 54–55.

Colour: Body black, legs reddish-brown; antennae yellow.

Collum: Rounded, with two complete folds ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 d).

Pre-femoral process of 1st pair of male legs: Spade-shaped distally ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 c).

Sigilla on body ring: Three rows present, merging to a single ventral row.

Gonopod: 4–6 mm long. Apical telocoxite with two median processes separated by a deep U-shaped groove. Orally, lateral leaf folded just above the knee bend and extending distally to the apex of telocoxite ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a).

Aborally an extension from the proximal lobe forms a median process, which may touch but not overlap the opposite process ( Figs. 4 View FIGURE 4 a, 4b).

Aborally, a large basally rounded-bulb shaped lobe on lateral leaf extends below level of median leaf apex. Distally telopodite forms a complete loop ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a).

Distribution: Known only from type locality, Gokwe, Zimbabwe ( Fig. 10).

Abbreviations: at, apical telocoxite; cf, collum fold; llb, lateral leaf lobe mp, median process; odtp, overlapping distal telopodite; pfl, prefemoral lobe; st, sternite; tp, telopodite.

Remarks: This is the only species of Bicoxidens with yellow antennae. Other species have antennae and legs of the same colour. As in brincki , matopoensis , nyathi , nigerrimus and friendi the gonopod lacks median axe-shaped processes on median leaf, but it has a raised basally rounded or bulb or flask-shaped lobe on the lateral leaf as in brincki , friendi , gokwensis , matopoensis , nigerrimus and nyathi ( Figs. 1b View FIGURE 1. B , 3b View FIGURE 3. B , 5b View FIGURE 5. B , 6b View FIGURE 6. B , 7b View FIGURE 7. B , 8b View FIGURE 8. B ).