Polyzonium malagassum de Saussure & Zehntner 1902
Creators: name: Wesener, Thomas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Polyzoniida
Polyzoniidae
Polyzonium
Polyzonium malagassum

description: Polyzonium malagassum de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902
Polyzonium malagassum de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902: 285 (first description)
' Polyzonium ' malagassum.— Enghoff 2003: (list).
Material examined. Type material: 1 M lectotype (designated herewith), 5 F paratypes (two missing the head), MNHN B019. Label data: Madagascar, Grandidier. No precise locality given. Label data fits the data mentioned in the first description 100%.
Additional material: 3 F, MHNG, ' Madagascar', Polyzonium malagassum, H. de Saussure det. 1903, newer label inside stating "after Hoffman Rhinotus? africanus (Cook)" [another synonym of R. purpureus].
Redescription. The specimens are in very good condition, ca. 7 mm long with the male lectotype slightly smaller. The width is 0.78 mm in the largest female. The specimens have 38 (lectotype, 2 F paratypes) body rings plus telson.
The colour is a faded dark brown with lighter antennae (Fig. 1 A).
On each side of head with single, large black ocellus (Fig. 1 B). Collum overlapping head up to lower half of ocellus.
Gonopods: Anterior gonopod sternite with two rounded lobes, each carrying a long seta (Fig. 2 A). Coxae fused and massive, with sutures still visible. Each coxa with a long trichostele, carrying a long seta. First podomere small but wide, second podomere massive, third podomere carrying mesally a protruding channel for the tarsus of the posterior gonopod (Fig. 2 A), as well as a partly covered process further laterally. Podomere 3 laterally with ca. 4 short setae.
Posterior gonopod sternite elongated into two widely separated, rectangular lobes, each carrying 4 or 5 strong setae (Fig. 2 B). Above the syncoxite with three basal, partly fused and difficult to distinguish podomeres, apically with a very long, slender tarsus. Tarsus apically with a short claw (Fig. 2 B).
P. malagassum, a new synonym of R. purpureus. As noted by Shelley (1998), R. purpureus is a widespread tramp species introduced to various pacific islands, West Africa, SE Asia, Middle America, the southern USA, several Seychelles islands as well as Madagascar. Individuals of R. purpureus were often described as new species, leading to more than a dozen species synonyms (Hoffman 1980), and generic synonyms such as Boninozonium Takakuwa, 1942; Orsilochus Attems, 1900; Paraburenia Verhoeff, 1939; and Paraconus Chamberlin, 1945. In fact, the Malagasy R. purpureus was already described as Orsilochus acuticonus more than a century ago (Attems 1910), and recently synonymized (Golovatch & Korsos 1992). Our illustrations of the gonopods of the lectotype of Polyzonium malagassum are virtually identical with those illustrated by previous authors (Mauriès 1980, Golovatch & Korsos 1992) and clearly show that P. malagassum represents another synonym of R. purpureus.
Other localities of R. purpureus on Madagascar. FMNH-INS 3990, 1 M, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 8.0 km NE Ivohibe, camp IV, 22.4217 S, 46.8983 E, 1200 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 03.–09.xi.1997, pitfall traps; FMNH-INS 3991, 1 M, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Toamasina, Station Forestiere Tampolo, 10 km NNE Fenoarivo Atn., 17.2833 S, 49.4167 E, 10 m, littoral rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 10.iv.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4002, 1 specimen, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, R. S. Ivohibe, 8 km East of Ivohibe, camp II, 22.4833 S, 46.9683 E, 1200 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 15.–21.x.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4006, 1 M, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, R. S. Ivohibe, 8 km East of Ivohibe, camp II, 22.4833 S, 46.9683 E, 1200 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 15.–21.x.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4016, ~ 100 specimens, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, R. S. Ivohibe, 6.5 km ESE Ivohibe, camp III, 22.4967 S, 46.9550 E, 1575 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 24.–30.x.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4023, 127 specimens, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, R. S. Ivohibe, 8.0 km NE Ivohibe, camp IV, 22.4217 S, 46.8983 E, 1200 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 03.–09.xi.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4034, 1 M, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, Rés. Andringitra, 8.5 km SE Antanitotsy, 22.1667 S, 46.9667 E, 1990 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, Sylvain, 06.iii.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4038, 137 specimens, Madagascar, Province Toamasina, Station Forestiere Tampolo, 10 km NNE Fenoarivo Atn., 17.2833 S, 49.4333 E, 10 m, littoral rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 04.iv.1997, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4049, 1 specimen, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 29 km SSW Ambositra, Ankazomivady, 20.7767 S, 47.1650 E, 1700 m, disturbed montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 07.i.1998, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4050, numerous specimens, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 29 km SSW Ambositra, Ankazomivady, 20.7767 S 47.1650 E, 1700 m, disturbed montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 07.i.1998, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4060, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 29 km SSW Ambositra, Ankazomivady, 20.7767 S, 47.1650 E, 1700 m, disturbed montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 07.i.1998, pitfall traps; FMNH-INS 4085, 2 specimens, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Enakara (13 km NW), Rés. Andohahela, 24.5500S, 46.8000 E, 1250 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 30.xi.1992, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4099, 20 specimens, Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Befingotra (11.0 km WSW), Rés. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 14.7500 S, 49.4500 E, 1565 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 16.xi.1994, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 4108, 1 M, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Sakaraha (59 km NE), Vohibasia Forest, 22.4667 S, 44.8500 E, 780 m, tropical semi-dry forest, coll. B. L. Fisher, Sylvain, 13.i.1996, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 7987, 3 M, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Réserve Naturalle Intégrale d'Andohahela, parcel 1, 15.0 km NW Eminiminy, 24.5700 S, 46.7317 E, 1500 m, montane rainforest, coll. S. M. Goodman, 17.–27.xi.1995; FMNH-INS 8078, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Réserve Naturalle Intégrale d'Andohahela, parcel 1, 13.5 km NW Eminiminy, 24.5833 S, 46.7350 E, 1200 m, montane rainforest, coll. S. M. Goodman, 17.–27.xi.1995; FMNH-INS 8088, 1 M, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Réserve Naturalle Intégrale d'Andohahela, parcel 1, 15.0 km NW Eminiminy, 24.5700 S, 46.7317 E. 1500 m, montane rainforest, coll. S. M. Goodman, 17.–27.xi.1995; FMNH-INS 8090, 1 M, 1 F, Madagascar, Province Toliara, Réserve Naturalle Intégrale d'Andohahela, parcel 1, 20.0 km SE Andranondambo, 24.5617 S, 46.7217 E, 1875 m, montane rainforest, coll. S. M. Goodman, 27.xi–05.xii.1995; FMNH-INS 8116, 26 specimens, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 43 km S Ambalavao, Rés. Andringitra, 22.2333 S, 47.0000 E, 825 m, rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 05.x.1993, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 8121,> 60 specimens, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 40 km S Ambalavao, Rés. Andringitra, 22.2167 S, 46.9667 E, 1275 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 15.x.1993, Winkler extraction; FMNH-INS 8130, 1 M, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 40 km S Ambalavao, Rés. Andringitra, 22.2167 S, 46.9667 E, 1275 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 14.x.1993, pitfall traps; FMNH-INS 8139, 2 M, Madagascar, Province Fianarantsoa, 36 km S Ambalavao, Rés. Andringitra, 22.2000 S, 46.9667 E, 1850 m, montane rainforest, coll. B. L. Fisher, 29.x.1993, Winkler extraction; CAS VCR 002 (06210), 4 specimens; CAS BLF 10502, 4 specimens, Madagascar, Province Toamasina, Analamy, 18°48'22" S, 048°20'13" E, 1068 m, montane rainforest, colls. Malagasy ant team, 21.iii.2004, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood); CAS 10627 MW, 4 specimens, Madagascar, Toamasina, Torotorofotsy, 18°52'15" S, 048°20'51" E, 1070 m, montane rainforest, marsh edge, coll. Malagasy ant team 24.iii.2004, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood).
description: Published as part of Wesener, Thomas, 2014, Redescription of ' Polyzonium ' malagassum, a new synonym of Rhinotus purpureus (Pocock, 1894), with notes about the occurrence of the order Polyzoniida on Madagascar (Diplopoda), pp. 587-594 in Zootaxa 3790 (4) on pages 588-590, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3790.4.7, http://zenodo.org/record/225599