Bicoxidens aridis Mwabvu &amp; Hamer &amp; Slotow 2009, sp. n.
Creators: name: Mwabvu, Tarombera
name: Hamer, Michelle
name: Slotow, Robert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Spirostreptida
Spirostreptidae
Bicoxidens
Bicoxidens aridis

description: <i>Bicoxidens aridis</i> Mwabvu, sp. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 602DFBC1-2D05-4C66-8386-6CF636FA3957 <b>Type material.</b> Holotype: ZIMBABWE: 1 ♁, Mbizi Pan [1628C4], 12. XII. 1983, Putterill G. (NMZ / D156). <b>Additional material examined.</b> ZIMBABWE: 1 ♁, Nyamapanda [16 o 90' S, 32 o 80' E], XII.1998, Mwabvu T. (MRAC 20554); 2 ♁, Mushumbi Pools [1630B1], 22- 25.XI.1997, (NMZ / D819); 1 ♁, Chimutsi (NMZ / D272). <b>Etymology</b>. Specific name refers to the fact that the species occurs in a dry, low rainfall region. <b>Diagnosis.</b> Distal telocoxite folded towards apical proplica, producing a hook shape and a median cavity (Figs 1a, 1b); lateral margins of proplica and metaplica setose; postfemur of telopodite as long as proplica, with a proximal clockwise coil distal to the femoral lobes, and without looping at the extremity (Fig. 2). <b>Description</b> <b>Dimensions.</b> Body length 73-88 mm; minimum and maximum body width 3-4 mm and 3.5-6 mm, respectively; antenna length 4-5 mm, extending up to the 3 rd body ring; leg length 3-4 mm. <b>Number of body rings.</b> 54-56. <b>Colour.</b> Body light to dark brown; head light brown; antennae dark brown to black; posterior part of metazonite dark brown or black; prozonite cream; legs light brown. <b>Gnathochilarium.</b> With long setae along distal margin of the stipes and lingual lamella; one small papilla behind and between the larger two. <b>First ozopore.</b> On 6 th body ring close to or on sigilla row. <b>Collum.</b> Anterior corner rounded or square in shape, not produced into a lateral lobe, with 2-6 submarginal folds (Fig. 1c). <b>First pair of legs.</b> Tarsal claws straight, but gently curved apically; prefemoral processes proximally parallel, but not touching medially, with laterally directed nipple-shaped apical lobes that are widely separated distally (Fig. 1d). <b>Sigilla.</b> One row of large circles. <b>Midbody ring.</b> Diameter of metazonite greater than prozonite, prozonte with up to 16 striae that are further apart posteriorly; limbus with straight edge. <b>Gonopod.</b> (Figs 1a, 1b, 2) 4 mm long, with a triangular sternite; paracoxite rounded apically and basally fused to metaplica. Distally, metaplica of telocoxite hook shaped, laterally rounded and folded towards and overhanging apical region of proplica of telocoxite forming a median cavity (Figs 1a, 1b). Lateral margins of proplica and metaplica setose. Orally proplica with an apical heart-shaped lobe which conceals the telopodite at the knee (Fig. 1a). Proximal half of telopodite broader than distal (postfemoral) half. Length of postfemoral region of telopodite equal to that of proplica. Telopodite bends laterally and produces a tight clockwise coil distal to the femoral lobes, above level of the paracoxite (Figs 1a, 2b). Postfemur of telopodite extends distally towards the telocoxal apex and crosses the post knee part proximal to the coil and femoral lobes (Fig. 1a). Telopodite without apical looping, but with two unequal lobes at the extremity (Fig 2a). <b>Distribution.</b> Appears to be widespread in the Zambezi Valley and northern Zimbabwe, a dry savanna region characterised by high temperatures and low, unreliable rainfall (Nyamapfene, 1991).
description: Published as part of <i>Mwabvu, Tarombera, Hamer, Michelle &amp; Slotow, Robert, 2009, A new species of Bicoxidens Attems, 1928 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae) from northern Zimbabwe, pp. 75-81 in ZooKeys 7 (7)</i> on pages 76-79, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.7.106, http://zenodo.org/record/576438
description: {"references": ["Nyamapfene K (1991) Soils of Zimbabwe. Nehanda Publishers, Harare, Zimbabwe."]}