Alluviobolus Wesener &amp; Enghoff &amp; Sierwald 2009, gen. n.
Creators: name: Wesener, Thomas
name: Enghoff, Henrik
name: Sierwald, Petra
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Spirobolida
Pachybolidae
Alluviobolus

description: <i>Alluviobolus</i> Wesener, gen. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3190519A-4F6B-45C8-BF88-209D0E41A9C8 <b>Type species</b>: <i>Alluviobolus laticlavius</i>, sp. n. <b>Other species included</b> : <i>A. tsimelahy</i> sp. n. <i>A. antanosy</i> sp. n. <b>Diagnosis</b>: anterior (Fig. 44E) and posterior gonopods (Fig. 45I) uniquely shaped for Malagasy Spirobolida: mesal process of anterior gonopod coxite absent (Fig. 44E); telopodite mesally protruding into slender process (Figs 44E, G), process apically with a sharp-edged retrorse projection (Fig. 44G). Coxite and telopodite of posterior gonopods not coaxial, telopodite slightly bended posteriorly (Fig. 45I). Telopodites with a torsion, opening of sperm canal discharging apico-laterally (Figs 45I, 47G). Natural colour varies between species from brown, red to pitch-black (Figs 42A, 44C), dorsally at least on mesozonites with an orange or red stripe of species-specific width. A similar stripe is also present in <i>Spiromimus</i>, <i>Caprobolus</i> and <i>Ostinobolus</i> gen. n. species. <i>Alluviobolus</i> species share the habitus and colour pattern with species of the sympatric living genus <i>Ostinobolus</i> gen. n. Both genera, however, possess completely different anterior and posterior gonopods. Gnathochilarium with a subdivided mentum and a single sclerotized ledge on each stipites (Fig. 44D), like in <i>Flagellobolus</i>, <i>Riotintobolus</i>, <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i>, <i>Granitobolus</i>, <i>Caprobolus</i>, <i>Ostinobolus</i> <b>gen. n</b>. A torsion of the posterior gonopods (Fig. 45I) is also present in <i>Zehntnerobolus</i> (Fig. 22G) and <i>Riotintobolus</i> (Fig. 26M). A strange similarity can be observed in the posterior gonopods of <i>Alluviobolus</i> with drawings of <i>Trigoniulus castaneus</i> Attems, 1915 from New Guinea (Attems 1915: pl. I, fig. 13). <b>Distribution and ecology</b> : species of <i>Alluviobolus</i> were found in spiny, subhumid and humid forests or rainforests in southeast Madagascar (Fig. 43). The records from the spiny forest are, however, restricted to the wet alluvial of rivers and small streams, and the same species also occurs in the rainforest of Ebosika. <i>A. laticlavius</i> sp. n. occurs in the semi-dry forest of Petriky. All species of <i>Alluviobolus</i> were collected on or inside the first few centimetres of leaf litter in the forests. <b>Description.</b> <i>Males</i>: length up to 47 mm, diameter up to 4.3 mm. 43–49 podous rings. Females: length up to 62 mm, diameter up to 6.0 mm. 43–49 podous rings. Apodous rings absent in all adult specimens. <i>Colour</i> species-specific. Dorsally at least on mesozonites always with a red or orange stripe. <i>Head</i>: each eye with circa 22–25 ocelli arranged in 4 or 5 vertical rows (Figs 44A, 45A, 47A). Labrum with standard three irregular teeth and one row of 10–12 stout marginal setae. Clypeus with two setiferous foveolae on each side. Antennae of medium length, reaching back to ring 5 (Fig. 44A). Relative lengths of antennomeres: 1&lt;&lt;2=3=4=5&lt;6 (Fig. 44A). Terminal antennomere with four large sensory cones located together inside a membranous area. Antennomere 5 latero-apically with four rows, antennomere 6 with two rows of sensilla basiconica. <i>Gnathochilarium</i> unusual (Fig. 44D). Lamellae linguales each with two standard setae located behind one another. Stipites each with three apical setae. Mentum basally subdivided by a well-developed suture (Figs 46D, E). Stipites each towards mentum with a wide sclerotized ledge (Fig. 46E). Palpi of gnathochilarium with numerous sensilla. Hypopharyngeal crest with a field of spine-like structures (Fig. 46F). Endochilarium apically with 4–6, towards hypopharyngeal crest with&gt;20 sensilla. <i>Mandible</i> basal joints swollen (Fig. 45A). External tooth simple, rounded; mesal tooth with three cusps (Fig. 45E). Four or five pectinate lamellae. Molar plate with few (circa 5) transverse furrows, anterior three furrows greatly enlarged, posterior furrows minute (Fig. 45E). <i>Collum:</i> smooth, inconspicuous. Ventrally not protruding as far as ring 2 (Fig. 45A). <i>Body rings:</i> dorsally and laterally leather-like, meso- and metazona ventrally with numerous transverse impressions. Ozopores starting at ring 6, touching suture between mesozona and metazona (Figs 42A, B). <i>Telson</i>: preanal process absent. Anal valves with lips and micropunctation, slightly elongated posteriorly. Subanal scale inconspicuous (Fig. 44C). <i>Legs</i>: coxae 1 and 2 elongated and fused with sternum, podomeres from prefemur to tarsus in both sexes each with 4–10 ventral/mesal setae. Length of midbody legs circa 1.1 times body diameter in males and 0.7 times body diameter in females. Each podomere with an apical, ventral seta (Figs 46G, H). Coxae 3 and beyond of cylindrical shape (Figs 46G, H). Tarsus with a stout dorso-apical seta and three pairs of ventral setae. <i>Male sexual characters</i>: coxae 3–7 in some species modified (Figs 44B, 45B). Tarsal pads absent. <i>Anterior gonopods</i>: median sternal projection triangular and elongated with a wide tip (Fig. 44E). Sternite always longer than coxite and telopodite, except for telopodite process. Coxite process absent. Coxite in anterior view well-visible, in posterior view only laterally present (Fig. 44G). Telopodite mesally always with a long slender process. Tip with a sharp-edged, retrorse process (Fig. 44G). <i>Posterior gonopods in situ</i> almost completely covered by coxite and telopodite of anterior gonopod. Coxite and telopodite of posterior gonopod clearly divided (Figs 45I, 47G). Sternite sclerotized and well-visible (Figs 44I, 45I). Coxite mesally with a single groove. Joint protruding into a short stem towards telopodite, latter as long and wide as coxite, curved posteriorly (Fig. 45I). Telopodites arranged parallel to one another. A torsion present in telopodites, sperm canal discharging apico-laterally (Fig. 44H). Tip of telopodite mesally with a sclerite of species-specific shape (<i>x</i> in Figs 44H, 45I, 47G). <i>Female sexual characters:</i> vulva simple, bivalve-like, with a small, poorly sclerotized operculum at base (Fig. 45D). Posterior valve apically overlapping part of anterior one. Basally on each valve towards opening with two or three rows of setae (Fig. 45D). <b>Etymology</b>: <i>Alluviobolus</i>, masculine, Latin, consists of Alluvium referring to the alluvial of a river where large numbers of <i>A. tsimelahy</i> sp. n. could be collected, and <i>-bolus</i>.
description: Published as part of <i>Wesener, Thomas, Enghoff, Henrik &amp; Sierwald, Petra, 2009, Review of the Spirobolida on Madagascar, with descriptions of twelve new genera, including three genera of ' fire millipedes' (Diplopoda), pp. 1-128 in ZooKeys 19 (19)</i> on pages 77-81, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.19.221, http://zenodo.org/record/576503
description: {"references": ["Attems C (1915) Myriopoden von Neu Guinea. II. Nova Guinea. Resultats de l'expedition scientifique neerlandaise a la Nouvelle Guinee en 1912 et 1913 sous les auspices de A Fransen 13: 1 - 38."]}