Granitobolus 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
Granitobolus

description: <i>Granitobolus</i> Wesener, gen. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 81CDE7E7-992A-42FD-9FCB-16D88FA8E7B9 <b>Type species</b>: <i>Granitobolus endemicus</i> sp. n. <b>Other species included</b>: <i>G. andohahelensis</i> sp. n. <b>Diagnosis</b>: telopodite tip of posterior gonopods in <i>Granitobolus</i> uniquely shaped, resembling a duck’s head with an acutely projecting beak (Fig. 37M). Adults with 37 or 38 body rings, lowest number of any Malagasy genus of Spirobolida. Natural colour usually contrasting, with red appendages, dark mesozonites and greyish or light brown metazonites (Figs 37 A–D, 38A). Shares numerous characters only with species of the genus <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i>: a stout preanal process which extends beyond anal valves (Fig. 37F), well-developed lips on the anal valves, thick moniliform body rings which widely overlap each other reaching the metazonite (Fig. 37C), rectangular extensions (Fig. 37F) on the posterior margins of the rings and a greatly enlarged collum, which is ventrally longer than body ring 2. Gnathochilarium with a subdivided mentum and a single sclerotized ledge on each stipites (Fig. 37H), like in <i>Flagellobolus</i>, <i>Riotintobolus</i>, <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i>, <i>Caprobolus</i> <b>gen. n.,</b> <i>Alluviobolus</i> <b>gen. n.,</b> <i>Ostinobolus</i> <b>gen. n</b>. Both genera possess, however, completely different posterior gonopods. <b>Distribution and ecology</b> : species of <i>Granitobolus</i> have been recorded from numerous rainforest and littoral rainforest sites in Southeast Madagascar. Unfortunately, mature males could be collected only from three sites (Andohahela-Vasiha, Manantantely and the Ambatotsirongorongo Mountain, Fig. 30). At least single immature specimens found in the littoral forest of Mandena and the Sainte Luce fragments S8 and S9 might represent another undescribed species because of their uniformly dark, almost black coloration. The specimens from Isaka-Ivondro (Andohahela), Ebosika (Andohahela) and Ivorona (Anosyenne) closely resemble <i>G. andohahelensis</i> sp. n. Except for two or three isolated specimens, which were collected on trails, all other specimens of <i>Granitobolus</i> were taken from large, massive, partly overgrown granitic outcrops. Specimens were collected in large numbers from thin layers of roots covering the stones. On a single rock, specimens of all sizes and both sexes were found; however, mature males remained rare. This might be related to the beginning of the dry season (June), when the collections were conducted. Both holotypes were infested with rather long nematodes (P, Fig. 38B). The legs and body rings of <i>G. endemicus</i> sp. n. holotype are also covered with fungi. <b>Description.</b> <i>Males</i>: length up to 35 mm (broken), diameter up to 3.3 mm. 37 or 38 podous rings. Females: length up to 48 mm, diameter up to 4.85 mm. 37 or 38 podous rings. Length-width ratio in both sexes 1:10. Apodous rings absent in all adult specimens. <i>Colour</i>: mesozona dark olive green or blackish (Fig. 37A), metazona much light- er, brown to yellow (Fig. 37C). Head, antennae and legs red (faded to light brown in some specimens). <i>Head</i>: each eye large, with circa 35–40 ocelli arranged in 6 or 7 vertical rows (Figs 37D, G). Labrum with standard three irregular teeth and one row of 10–12 stout marginal setae (Fig. 37E). Clypeus with two setiferous foveolae on each side (Fig. 38B). Length of antennae sexually dimorph, protruding back to ring 2 (females) or 4 (males, Figs 37A, D, 38A). Relative lengths of antennomeres: 1&lt;2=3=4=5&lt;6 (Fig. 37G). Terminal antennomere with four large sensory cones located together inside a membranous area. Antennomere 5 latero-apically with three or four rows, antennomere 6 with two rows of sensilla basiconica. <i>Gnathochilarium</i> unusual (Fig. 37H). Lamellae linguales each with two standard setae located behind one another. Stipites each with three apical setae. Mentum basally subdivided by a well-visible suture (Fig. 37H). Stipites each towards mentum with a wide sclerotized ledge (Fig. 37H). Hypopharyngeal crest with a field of spine-like structures. Central pads of endochilarium separated by a step into two levels. Medial palps with a large group of sensilla each, located towards hypopharyngeal crest. <i>Mandible</i>: external tooth simple, rounded; mesal tooth with three cusps. Four pectinate lamellae. Molar plate with numerous (10 or 11) small and shallow transverse furrows. <i>Collum:</i> smooth, laterally longer than body ring 2. Lobe enlarged, covering antenna and part of head (Figs 37D, 38A). <i>Body rings:</i> moniliform, overlapping up to anterior half of mesozona. Metazona of swollen appearance, width larger than pro- or mesozona (Figs 37 A–C). Posterior margin of rings slightly excavated into rectangular extensions (Fig. 37F). Ozopores starting at ring 6, touching suture between mesozona and metazona (Fig. 37D). <i>Telson</i>: anal valves with well-developed lips and micropunctation, but with neither grooves, nor setae. Preanal process well-rounded or sharp, extending beyond anal valves (Figs 37F, 38C). Subanal scale inconspicuous. <i>Legs</i>: coxae 1 and 2 elongated, fused with sternum, podomeres from prefemur to tarsus in both sexes each with 4–10 ventral/mesal setae. Length of midbody legs circa 1.0 times body diameter in males (Fig. 37J), 0.6 times body diameter in females (Fig. 37K). Each podomere with an apical, ventral seta (Fig. 37K). Coxae 3 and beyond of rectangular shape (Fig. 37I). Tarsus with a stout dorso-apical seta and a pair of stout ventro-apical ones in males, three pairs of setae in females. In females apical setae pair stout, others successively much smaller. <i>Male sexual characters</i>: tarsi starting at leg 3 up to midbody legs wide and with a large tarsal pad not protruding past base of claw (Fig. 37J). Tibia shorter than in females (Figs 37J, K). Coxae 3–7 unmodified (Figs 37E, 38B). <i>Anterior gonopods</i>: median sternal projection triangular, with a wide, rectangular tip (Figs 37L, 38D). Sternite never protruding as high as coxite. Coxite wide, smoothly rounded, laterally curving around telopodite, but only extending slightly at posterior side (Figs 37N, 38F). Coxite anteriorly almost completely covering telopodite. Coxite processes absent, but mesal margin towards sternite sometimes projecting (Fig. 37L). Telopodite with a short, well-rounded, laterally curved process, which only slightly projects above telopodite margin and never protrudes above coxite margin (Figs 37N, 38F). <i>Posterior gonopods in situ</i> almost completely covered by anterior gonopods. Suture between coxite and telopodite well-visible (Fig. 37O), sternite triangular and sclerotized but often hidden by a large, finger-shaped coxite process (Fig. 37O). Finger-shaped process not curved, running parallel to basal margin (Figs 37O, 38G). Telopodites arranged face-to-face with one another (Fig. 37M). Shape of apical part resembling ‘beak’ (Figs 37M, 38E). Beak acutely projecting, partly sclerotized and carrying sperm canal (Fig. 38G). Telopodite between apex and beak with a small membranous area (Fig. 37M), in basal half mesally of sperm canal with a lower elevated area (Fig. 37M). <i>Female sexual characters:</i> vulva simple, with a small, poorly sclerotized operculum at base, bivalve-like. Posterior valve apically slightly overlapping anterior one. Both valves smooth, sensory cones absent. Each valve basally towards opening with two rows of setae. <b>Etymology</b>: <i>Granitobolus</i>, masculine, after Granit (German for granite) for the special habitat, granitic outcrops, on which species of this genus were found, 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 66-70, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.19.221, http://zenodo.org/record/576503