Acanthophorella Antic & Makarov 2016
Creators: name: Antić, Dragan
name: Šević, Mirko
name: Barjadze, Shalva
name: Makarov, Slobodan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Chordeumatida
Anthroleucosomatidae
Acanthophorella

description: Genus Acanthophorella Antić & Makarov, 2016
Acanthophorella Antić & Makarov, 2016: 142.
Type species
Acanthophorella barjadzei Antić & Makarov, 2016, by original designation.
Diagnosis
The genus Acanthophorella belongs to the Flagellophorella complex which differs from other Caucasian Anthroleucosomatidae by the presence of a pair of anterior flagella, pseudoflagella or processes that can be partially covered by or almost completely hidden inside the angiocoxites of the anterior gonopods. This genus differs from the other three genera of the complex by the presence of a pair of mainly spinelike acuminate or tapering processes arising from the synangiocoxal base on the anterior side of the angiocoxites of the anterior gonopods [vs presence of a pair of flagella in Flagellophorella, a pair of pseudoflagella (very long, equally thick over the entire height) in Pseudoflagellophorella (Fig. 21G–I) or a pair of hidden processes with only their distal parts visible in Cryptacanthophorella].
In comparison with the most similar genus, Pseudoflagellophorella, it seems that the main and apparently only difference lies in the structure of the processes of the angiocoxites of the anterior gonopods. In the genus Acanthophorella, these processes are mostly stubby (except perhaps in A. barjadzei with somewhat more slender ones) arising directly distad from the lateral parts of the synangiocoxal base and tapering in all species, mostly acuminate. In the genus Pseudoflagelophorella, these processes are very slender, without synangiocoxal base, not tapering but of equal thickness over the entire height and starting a little closer to the medial part of the angiocoxites, where they first form a semicircular curvature and then rise distad.
Remarks
With the three additional species described below, it would seem that the differences between the genera Acanthophorella and Pseudoflagellophorella are becaming minor if any. For the time being, however, we shall keep both genera as valid, although it is possible that they will be synonymised in the future when more material becomes available. This also applies to the genus Cryptacanthophorella. With this in mind, when diagnosing new species here, we shall compare them with species of both Acanthophorella and Pseudoflagellophorella, although the new species are quite remarkable.
Other species included
Acanthophorella aurita Antić sp. nov.
Acanthophorella devi Antić sp. nov.
Acanthophorella valerii Antić sp. nov.
Acanthophorella chegemi Antić & Makarov, 2016
Acanthophorella irystoni Antić & Makarov, 2016
description: Published as part of Antić, Dragan, Šević, Mirko, Barjadze, Shalva & Makarov, Slobodan, 2023, Review of the genus Acanthophorella Antić & Makarov, 2016 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Anthroleucosomatidae), with descriptions of three new species from the Caucasus, pp. 39-76 in European Journal of Taxonomy 908 on pages 42-43, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.908.2337, http://zenodo.org/record/10149298