Tropostreptus droides Enghoff, 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Enghoff, Henrik
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Spirostreptida
Spirostreptidae
Tropostreptus
Tropostreptus droides

description: Tropostreptus droides sp. nov.
Figs 2, 4 A, 7E, 8E
Diagnosis. A small species of Tropostreptus (Fig. 2). Differs from other species, except T. kipunji, by the combination of size and the latero-basad direction of the metaplical process corresponding to the birdhead-shaped process of most other species. Differs from T. kipunji by larger size, a blunter tip to the latero-basad metaplical process and a longer, more curved antetorsal process (atp) of the telopodite.
Etymology. The name is an adjective and refers to the (rather remote) resemblance between the gonopod coxae of the new species and a pair of Star Wars battle droids.
Material studied (total: 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 3 juv.)
Holotype: ♂ TANZANIA, Udzungwa Mts., Iringa Region, Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, above Chita village, 1600–1650 m asl, montane rain forest, 8–12.xi.1984, N. Scharff leg. (ZMUC).
Paratypes: 1 ♂ same data as holotype, but 1500–1550 m asl, 2–13.xi.1984 (ZMUC).— 2 ♀♀, 2 juv. same data, but 1600–1650 m asl, pitfall traps in montane rainforest, 8–13.xi.1984 (ZMUC).— 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 juv. same data, but 1300–1400 m asl, montane rain forest, 26.x.–14.xi.1984. — 1 ♂, 1♀ TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Mufindi District, Kigige [probably wrong for Kigogo] Forest Reserve, 8.35°S, 35.20°E, ca. 6000 ft asl, K.M. Howell & B. Zuidberg leg., C. Congdon ded. (VMNH).— 1 ♂ TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Mufindi District, Kigogo Forest Reserve, near Mufindi Brook Bond Tanzania tea est., in forest, under log, 1830 m asl, 19.v.1984, K.M. Howell & E. Boswell leg. (VMNH).
Type locality: TANZANIA, Udzungwa Mts., Iringa Region, Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, above Chita village, 1600–1650 m asl, montane rain forest
Description. SIZE (Fig. 2). Length 6½ – 7 cm; vertical body diameter 5.4–6.3 mm (males), up to 6.8 mm (females); 44–49 podous rings.
COLOUR. After 32 years in alcohol head, antennae, collum and telson yellow; legs light brown; body rings yellow, posterior ca. 1/8 amber.
GONOPODS (Figs 7 E, 8E). Sternum triangular, not reaching as far as paracoxites, bell-shaped. Proplica ending in triangular to semicircular lobe (mpl) separated by sinus from large apico-lateral, sub-semicircular lobe (lpl). Apical lobe (mpl) reaching further distad than apico-lateral one (lpl). Metaplica apically rounded, with a blunt latero-basad process (corresponding to the birdhead-shaped process of most other congeners). Telopodite shortly after emergence from coxa with very long, slender, pointed, antetorsal process (atp); initial overall direction of process basad, then laterad, then apicad. Telopodite distal to antetorsal process without outgrowths.
Distribution. Known from two forest reserves in the SW part of the Udzungwa Mts: Udzungwa Scarp and Kigogo, altitude 1300–1830 m asl.
Coexisting congeners. None.
Infection with Rickia gigas. A male from Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve was infected with long-celled Rickia gigas on the inside of leg-pairs 3–7.
description: Published as part of Enghoff, Henrik, 2017, A new East African genus of spirostreptid millipedes (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), with notes on their fungal ectoparasite Rickia gigas, pp. 501-530 in Zootaxa 4273 (4) on pages 520-521, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4273.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/803704