Pseudocentrobolus 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
Pseudocentrobolus

description: <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i> Wesener, gen. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4DFE0C0E-5992-4BCC-A6B4-557EC7B6FF65 <b>Type species</b>: <i>Pseudocentrobolus aureus</i> sp. n. <b>Other species included</b>: <i>P. vohibasiensis</i> sp. n. <b>Diagnosis</b>: posterior gonopods are unique, distinct (Figs 35 C–F): telopodite basally with a membranous process carrying sperm canal; telopodite apically with a distinct, unique rounded disc, which is covered with numerous spine-like structures (Figs 35B, E); coxite basally at sperm canal with an obligate finger-shaped process, which is not curved but straight like in <i>Granitobolus</i> gen. n. Natural coloration conspicuously contrasting, with golden, black or red pattern (Figs 31A, C, D, 36B). Gnathochilarium with a subdivided mentum and a single sclerotized ledge on each stipites (Figs 32 D–F), like in <i>Flagellobolus</i>, <i>Riotintobolus</i>, <i>Granitobolus</i> gen. n., <i>Caprobolus</i> gen. n., <i>Alluviobolus</i> gen. n., <i>Ostinobolus</i> <b>gen. n</b>. Shares numerous characters only with species of the genus <i>Granitobolus</i> gen. n.: a stout preanal process, which prominently extends beyond anal valves (Figs 31C, 36B), well-developed lips on the anal valves, thick moniliform body rings which overlap each widely to the metazonite (Fig. 31C), rectangular extensions (Figs 33B, C) on the posterior margins of the rings and a greatly enlarged collum, which is ventrally longer than the body ring 2. The habitus and shape of the anterior gonopod (Figs 34A, B) are also very similar to species of <i>Granitobolus</i> gen. n. <b>Distribution and ecology</b> : two species of <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i> are recorded from the dry spiny and subhumid forests in Southwestern Madagascar (Fig. 30). A third species, whose external characters fit very well into <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i> but where no mature male could be collected, was discovered in the spiny forest of Andohahela in Southeastern Madagascar (Fig. 30). <b>Description.</b> <i>Males</i>: length up to 48 mm, diameter up to 4.5 mm. 38–40 podous rings. Females: length up to 48 mm, diameter up to 5.1 mm. 39 or 40 podous rings. Apodous rings absent in all adult specimens. <i>Colour</i> (after short time in alcohol): mesozona golden (Fig. 31A) or greenish (fad- ed to grey in some specimens), metazona blackish (Fig. 31A) or golden (Fig. 36B). Head, antennae, gonopods, legs and at least posterior part of telson golden (Fig. 31C) or reddish (Fig. 36B). <i>Head</i>: each eye with circa 38–42 ocelli arranged in 7 or 8 vertical rows (Figs 31D, 36A). Labrum with standard three irregular teeth and one row of 10–12 stout marginal setae (Fig. 36A). Clypeus with two setiferous foveolae on each side. Antennae short or very short, reaching back to ring 2 or 4 (Figs 31D, 36A). Relative lengths of antennomeres: 1&lt;2=3=4=5=6 (Fig. 32B). Terminal antennomere with four large sensory cones located together inside a membranous area (Fig. 32A). Antennomere 5 latero-apically with four rows, antennomere 6 with two rows (Figs 32A, C) of sensilla basiconica. <i>Gnathochilarium</i> unusual (Fig. 32D). Lamellae linguales each with two standard setae located behind one another. Stipites each with three apical setae (Fig. 32D). Mentum basally subdivided by a well-developed suture (Figs 32D, F). Stipites each towards mentum with a wide sclerotized ledge (Fig. 32D). Palpi of gnathochilarium with numerous sensilla. Hypopharyngeal crest with a field of spine-like structures (Fig. 32E). Central pads of endochilarium separated into two areas: a group of 8–10 sensilla located apically, and medial palps with numerous sensilla each, located closely towards hypopharyngeal crest (Fig. 32G). <i>Mandible</i>: external tooth simple, rounded; mesal tooth with three cusps (Fig. 33A). Six pectinate lamellae. Mesal margin of pectinate area (intermediate area) with circa four rows of small, slender spines. Molar plate with numerous (10 or 11) transverse furrows (Fig. 33A). <i>Collum:</i> smooth, laterally longer than body ring 2 (Figs 31D, 36A). Lobe enlarged, laterally covering antenna and part of head (Fig. 31D). <i>Body rings:</i> moniliform, overlapping one another up to anterior half of mesozona. Metazona of swollen appearance, width greater than those of pro- or mesozona. Transverse impressions covering mesozona (Fig. 33B), metazona with irregular punctations (Fig. 33C). Posterior margin of rings slightly excavated into rectangular extensions (Fig. 33C). Ozopores starting at ring 6, touching suture between mesozona and metazona (Fig. 31C). <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 (Fig. 31C). Subanal scale inconspicuous. <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 (Fig. 31E). Length of midbody legs circa 0.6 times body diameter in both sexes (Fig. 31F). Each podomere with an apical, ventral seta. Coxae 3 and beyond of rectangular shape (Fig. 31F). Tarsus with a stout dorso-apical setae and a pair of stout ventro-apical ones in males, in females with three pair of setae, apical pair stout, others successively much smaller. <i>Male sexual characters</i>: tarsi 3 and beyond with a tarsal pad not protruding past base of claw. Coxae 3–7 with species-specific modifications. <i>Anterior gonopods</i>: median sternal projection triangular, with a wide rectangular tip (Figs 35A, 49C). Sternite protruding almost as high as coxite and telopodite (Fig. 35A). Coxite wide, smoothly rounded, laterally curving around telopodite, on posterior side visible laterally as a small, triangular sclerite (Fig. 35B). Coxite anteriorly almost entirely covering telopodite (Fig. 35A). Telopodite with a short, well-rounded process. Process curved laterally, not or only slightly projecting above telopodite margin (Fig. 35B). Mesal margin elevated, laterally with a sharp ridge (Fig. 35B). <i>Posterior gonopods in situ</i> almost completely covered by anterior gonopod. Suture separating coxite and telopodite well-visible. Sternite sclerotized and well-visible (Figs 31H, 34D). Finger-shaped process of coxite (Fig. 34D) not curved apically, but coaxial to coxite. Coxite mesally with a single groove, basally wide, protruding into a short stem towards telopodite. Telopodite as long and as wide as coxite (Fig. 31G). Telopodites arranged face-to-face with one another (Figs 31G, H). A rounded disc present on apical part of telopodite (Figs 31G, H), disc covered with numerous tiny sclerotized teeth (Figs 34B, E), basally with a membranous process, into which sperm canal is discharging (Figs 34A, D, E). <i>Female sexual characters:</i> vulva simple, bivalve-like, with a small, poorly sclerotized operculum at base (Fig. 33D). Anterior valve apically overlapping posterior one, both valves smooth, lacking sensory cones. Towards opening on each valve basally with two or three rows of setae (Fig. 33D). <b>Etymology</b>: <i>Pseudocentrobolus</i>, masculine, refers to the superficial resemblance of species of this genus to some species of the South African genus <i>Centrobolus</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 56-62, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.19.221, http://zenodo.org/record/576503