Prionopetalum Attems 1909
Creators: name: Henrik Enghoff
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Spirostreptida
Odontopygidae
Prionopetalum

description: A key to the species of Prionopetalum
This key builds extensively on previous keys provided by Kraus (1960) and VandenSpiegel & Pierrard (2009).The new species described here is included, but Aquattuor fasciatus is excluded, and P. stuhlmanni is treated as a synonym of P. kraepelini (cf. above). I follow VandenSpiegel & Pierrard (2009) in not considering Spinotarsus werneri Attems, 1910 as a species of Prionopetalum, although Kraus (1960) suggested such a relationship (but still listed S. werneri under ”species incertae sedis ”).
1. Coxa with a straight, mostly long lateral spine pointing basad, laterobasad or laterad (Fig. 9 A –L) ......................................................................................................................................................2
– Coxa different, sometimes with another type of lateral process, but not a straight basad, laterobasad or laterad spine.................................................................................................................................13
2. Lateral coxal spine directed laterad, set off by right angles from main coxal margin (Fig. 9 A) ...... ......................................................................................................... P. megalacanthum Attems, 1912
– Lateral coxal spine different.............................................................................................................3
3. Lateral coxal spine directed basad, in part overlying main body of coxa (Fig. 9 B) ....................... ............................................................................................................. P. frundsbergi (Attems, 1927)
– Lateral coxal spine different.............................................................................................................4
4. Tip of distal telomere process (tdp) divided into two equal branches (Fig. 10 A). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 C ............................................................ P. bifidum VandenSpiegel & Pierrard, 2009
– Tip of distal telomere process not divided into two equal branches, but one or two small subapical processes may be present..................................................................................................................5
5. Distal telomere process (tdp) ending in three dark spines (Fig. 10 B). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 D ................................................................................................ P. tricuspis Brolemann, 1920
– Tip of distal telomere process at most with a single accessory process/spine...........................6
6. Proximal telomere process (tpp) distally expanded, asymmetrically club-shaped (Fig. 11 A –F)......7
– Proximal telomere process not strongly expanded distally (Fig. 11 G–K).......................................12
7. Distal telomere process (tdp) with a small accessory process (Fig. 10 C)....................................8
– Distal telomere process without accessory process (like Fig. 10 D).............................................9
8. Lateral coxal spine relatively short, directed almost basad (Fig. 9 E). Proximal telomere process (tpp) moderately asymmetrical (Fig. 11 A) ............................................. P. aculeatum Attems, 1914
– Lateral coxal spine directed almost laterad (Fig. 8 F). Proximal telomere process strongly asymmetrical (Fig. 11 B) ............................................................. P. ndelei VandenSpiegel & Pierrard, 2009
9. Coxa mesapically rounded (Fig. 9 G). Proximal telomere process as in Fig. 11 C ............................... ...................................................................................................................... P. serratum Attems, 1909
– Coxa mesapically with a spinous projection (Fig. 9 H–J, arrows)................................................10
10. Distal margins of proximal telomere process (tpp) smooth (Fig. 10 D). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 H .................................................................................................. P. dentigerum Verhoeff, 1941
– Distal margin of proximal telomere process wavy or with a denticle (Fig. 11 E–F).........11
11. Distal margin of proximal telomere process (tpp) wavy (Fig. 11 E). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 I ............................................................................................................. P. tanganjikum Verhoeff, 1941
– Distal margin of proximal telomere process with a single denticle (Fig. 11 F, arrow). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 J .............................................................................. P. xerophilum (Carl, 1909)
12. Proximal telomere process (tpp) straight, apically rounded (Fig. 11 G). Body diameter 5.5 mm. Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 K ..................................................... P. clarum (Chamberlin, 1927)
– Proximal telomere process slightly curved, pointed (Fig. 11 H). Body diameter 3 mm. Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 L .............................................................................. P. pulchellum Kraus, 1960
13. Coxa with a strongly curved lateral spine (Fig. 9 M–N)............................................................14
– Lateral coxal spine, if present, not strongly curved.....................................................................15
14. Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 M. Body diameter 2.5 mm ............ P. etiennei Damange, 1982
– Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 N. Body diameter 3.3–3.8 mm ........................................................ ............................................................................................ P. lindi VandenSpiegel & Pierrard, 2009
15. Lateral coxal spine sizeable, directed apicad and partly overlying main body of coxa. Coxa apically bifid (Fig. 9 O–Q)...............................................................................................................16
– Coxa at most with a tiny lateral spine or bump (Fig. 9 R–W).............................................18
16. Both apical branches of coxa pointed, the mesal branch hook-like (Fig. 9 O) ................................ ................................................................................................................... P. coronatum Kraus, 1958
– Mesal-apical branch of coxa not pointed (Fig. 9 P–Q)...............................................................17
17. Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 P ........................................................ P. exaratum (Attems, 1938)
– Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 Q ............................................................ P. cornutum Kraus, 1958
18. Proximal telomere process (tpp) with several lobes along one side (Fig. 11 I). Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 9 R ................................................................................. P. kraepelini (Attems, 1896)
– Proximal telomere process at most with a single lateral lobe (Fig. 11 J–K)..........................19
19. Coxal apex hook-like (Fig. 9 S). Body diameter 2.5 mm .................... P. glomeratum Attems, 1935
– Coxal apex not hook-like (Fig. 9 T–W). Body diameter 4.4–5 mm ............................................20
20. Coxal apex with three mesad processes (Fig. 9 T) ................................ P. urbicolum (Carl, 1909)
– Coxal apex with two mesad processes (Fig. 9 U–W)...................................................................21
21. Both mesad processes of coxal apex pointed (Fig. 9 U) ...................... P. suave (Gerstäcker, 1873)
– Subapical mesad process of coxal apex rounded (Fig. 9 V–W).....................................................22
22. Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 8 V. Solenomere with a short accessory branch at c. ⅔ of its length. Proximal telomere process as Fig. 11 J. ............................................................ P. fryeri (Turk, 1956)
– Gonopod coxa profile as Fig. 8 W. Solenomere without an accessory branch. Proximal telomere process as Fig. 11 K ........................................................................................... P. asperginis sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Henrik Enghoff, 2016, A mountain of millipedes IV: Species of Prionopetalum Attems, 1909, from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. With notes on " P. " fasciatum (Attems, 1896) and a revised species key (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae), pp. 1-23 in European Journal of Taxonomy 215 on pages 16-20, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.215, http://zenodo.org/record/399800