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

description: Tropostreptus microcephalus sp. nov.
Figs 2, 7 D, 8D, 10B
Diagnosis. A small species of Tropostreptus (Fig. 2). Differs from other species by the combination of size, the presence of two (not three) apical processes (map and bh) on the gonopodal metaplica, and the laterad direction and small size of the birdhead-shaped process bh.
Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition and refers to the small size of the metaplical birdhead-shaped process of this species.
Material studied (total: 7 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀, 71 juv.)
Holotype: ♂ TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Mahenge District, Udzungwa Mts, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, Ndundulu forest, 07°46’S, 36°29’E, Waller’s camp, tropical semi-evergreen forest, 1550 m asl, 1– 12.i.2007, L. A. Hansen & local assistants leg. (ZMUC).
Paratypes: All from TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Mahenge District, Udzungwa Mts, West Kilombero Scarp Forest reserve, Ndundulu forest, all in ZMUC. —2 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ 45 juv., data as holotype.— 1 ♂ 5 ♀♀ 26 juv. same data but xii.2006. - 1 ♂ same data but Luwala camp, semi-evergreen tropical, montane virgin forest, 1880 m asl, 1– 22.ii.2007, J. Madanga & L. A. Hansen leg. — 1 ♂ ESE Udekwa Village, 07°47’S, 36°29’E, 1750 m asl, in rotten wood, viii.1993, L. L. Sørensen leg. - 1 ♂ same data but viii.1993, L. L. Sørensen leg. — 2 ♀♀ same data but 1700 m asl, in rotten wood, viii.1993, L. L. Sørensen leg. (in same sample as T. hamatus).
Type locality. TANZANIA, Iringa Region, Mahenge District, Udzungwa Mts, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, Ndundulu forest, 07°46’S, 36°29’E, Waller’s camp, tropical semi-evergreen forest, 1550 m asl.
Description. SIZE (Fig. 2). Length ca. 8 cm; vertical body diameter 6.0– 6.6 mm (males), up to 8.0 mm (females); 47–55 podous rings.
COLOUR. After 9 years in alcohol: Head yellowish brown, collum yellowish brown with darker margins. Body rings yellowish from front back to ozopore, behind ozopore first blackish, then amber back to hind margin. Telson yellow. Antennae and legs yellowish brown.
SIGILLA. Arranged in one or two rows, not in a broader band as in congeners.
GONOPODS (Figs 7 D, 8 D, 10 B). Sternum slender tounge-shaped, reaching level of tip of paracoxites. Proplica ending in blunt-triangular process (mpl) separated by very shallow sinus from subapico-lateral, sub-semicircular lobe (lpl). Metaplica in anterior view basally with gently curved ridge flanking sternum; apically with slender, straight, mesal process (map) separated by broad sinus from small birdhead-shaped process (bh); lateral “beak” of the latter short, pointed, directed laterad. Mesal process reaching further apicad than birdhead-shaped process. Telopodite shortly after emergence from coxa with long, stout, pointed, slightly sigmoid antetorsal process (atp); direction of process basad and slightly laterad. Telopodite distal to antetorsal process slender, simple, without outgrowths.
Distribution. Known only from the Udzungwa Mts, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, altitudes 1550– 1750 m asl.
Coexisting congener. Coexisting with T. hamatus in the Udzungwa Mts, West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve.
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 519-520, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4273.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/803704