Sphaeromimus

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Taxonavigation

Ordo: Diplopoda
Familia: Arthrosphaeridae

Name

Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902 – Wikispecies link – Pensoft Profile

• Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902: 20 (first description); Attems 1926: 119 (list); Attems 1943: 60 (list); Jeekel 1971: 28 (list); Jeekel 1974: 45 (classification); Hoffman 1980: 63 (list); Jeekel 1999: 8 (catalogue, discussion); Enghoff 2003: 618 (list); Wesener and Sierwald 2005: 557 (redescription, additional species); Wesener and Wägele 2007: 147 (ecology); Wesener 2009: 8 (key); Wesener and VandenSpiegel 2009: 548 (morphological phylogenetic analysis); Wesener et al. 2010: 1185 (molecular phylogenetic analysis); Wesener 2014b: (morphological phylogenetic analysis).

Type species

Sphaeropoeus musicus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897, by monotypy.

Other species included (9)

Sphaeromimus splendidus Wesener & Sierwald, 2005
Sphaeromimus inexpectatus Wesener & Sierwald, 2005
Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus vatovavy sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus andohahela sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus saintelucei sp. n. Wesener
Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n. Wesener

Remarks

See Wesener and Sierwald (2005) for a detailed revision of the genus. A phylogeny, highlighting the close relationship of Sphaeromimus to the Indian Arthrosphaera Pocock, 1895 is available based on morphological (Wesener and VandenSpiegel 2009; Wesener 2014b), and molecular characters (Wesener et al. 2010). A short re-diagnosis is presented so that fewer characters need to be mentioned in the species descriptions.

New diagnosis

Genus of small to medium-sized (15–45 mm length) Arthrosphaeridae. Colour variable, rarely pink or with a reddish-black pattern (Fig. 1A), but usually black to brown (Fig. 1B). Head with short antennae consisting of well-rounded antennomeres lacking cuticular scales. Antennomere 6 massive, only antennomere carrying sensilla basiconica. Apical disc with numerous apical cones (≫20), number of cones sexual dimorphic, males with twice or even three times as many cones as females. Eyes consisting of 55–95 ocelli. Mandible with six or seven pectinate lamellae and a 3-combed internal tooth. Gnathochilarium typical of the order, rudimentary lateral palpi carrying three or four sensory cones. Tergites with a smooth surface, in some species polished. Legs short and broad, tarsus usually 2.5–4 times longer than wide. Leg pair 1 and 2 lacking an apical spine. Femur often with a well-developed toothed ridge. Coxae with a more or less well-developed sharp process carrying small triangular spines. Anal shield usually well-rounded, underside carrying a single, short, black locking carina located closely to the margin. Male gonopore typical of Arthrosphaeridae, covered by a simple sclerotized plate.
Anterior telopod consisting of syncoxite plus four telopoditomeres. First telopoditomere enlarged, carrying the male stridulation organ (harp) consisting of 3–6 stridulation ribs, number of ribs independent of the size of the male, species specific. Second telopoditomere posteriorly with a process protruding up to the start of telopoditomere 4. Third telopoditomere short, sometimes with a spine juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2. Telopoditomere 4 larger than 3 and 4 combined, conical, basally with a field of sclerotized spots juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2, apically with a large, triangular lobe-like spine, usually three smaller spines distributed across the joint.
Posterior telopods always consisting of syncoxite with inner horns and inner lobes and pair of telopodites each consisting of three telopoditomeres forming chelae. First telopoditomere unremarkable, second telopoditomere forming the immovable finger of the chela. Immovable finger basally wide, apically tapering, always curved toward telopoditomere 3 (movable finger). Immovable finger as long as, or in some species overlapping movable finger. Membrane of telopoditomere 2 often extended into lobe, an anterior side juxtaposed to telopoditomere 3 with a dense field of sclerotized spots. Telopoditomere 3 curved or straight, relatively slender, margin juxtaposed to immovable finger with 20–40 small black crenulated teeth, three or four spines, and one, rarely two (Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n.) large membranous lobes.
Female vulva atypical for Arthrosphaeridae, with external and inner plate standing below operculum, not extending mesally. Operculum large and well-rounded, protruding at least up to basal half of prefemur. Female subanal plate greatly enlarged, in some species almost divided into two plates. Subanal plate carrying a washboard with 3–8 stridulation ribs on each side, number of ribs depending on female body size.

Key to species of Sphaeromimus

Key to species of Sphaeromimus — T. Wesener, D. Le , S. Loria

1		Male harp on the anterior telopod with 3 stridulation ribs (Fig. 2E)    2
–		Male harp on the anterior telopod with 4–6 stridulation ribs (Fig. 9A)    7
2		Body length <20 mm. Midbody legs without a coxal lobe (Fig. 17A). Endotergum with single row of marginal bristles (Fig. 16B). Immovable finger of posterior telopod slender, apically strongly curved like a hook (Fig. 17F). Colour pink or brown    3
–		Body length >20 mm. Midbody legs at least with weak coxal lobe (Fig. 2C). Endotergum usually with at least two (Fig. 12A), rarely only one (Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n.) row of marginal bristles. Immovable finger of posterior telopod at least basally wide (Fig. 3B). Colour black or brown    4
3		Colour pink, surface shiny. Process of telopoditomere 2 of anterior telopods in anterior view visible laterally. Littoral forest of Mandena and rainforest of Enato    Sphaeromimus inexpectatus
–		Colour light brown, surface dull. Process of telopoditomere 2 of anterior telopods in anterior view not visible (Fig. 17B). Littoral forest of Sainte Luce, fragment S8    Sphaeromimus saintelucei sp. n.
4		Body length >30 mm, light brown. Endotergum with single row of marginal bristles (Fig. 5A). Movable finger of posterior telopod straight (Fig. 3B). Lowland forest of Manombo    Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n.
–		Body length 21–28 mm, black or dark brown. Endotergum with two rows of marginal bristles (Fig. 12A). Movable finger of posterior telopod curved (Fig. 11D)    5
5		Midbody legs with strongly developed coxal process. Tergite surface shiny. Littoral forest of Sainte Luce, fragment S9    Sphaeromimus splendidus
–		Midbody legs with barely developed coxal process (Fig. 11A). Tergite surface dull    6
6		Endotergum with strongly developed cuticular patterns (Fig. 12A). Movable finger of posterior telopod without small pits, carrying 20–22 crenulated teeth (Fig. 14D). Andohahela mountain chain, Manantantely, Malio and Isaka-Ivondro    Sphaeromimus andohahela sp. n.
–		Endotergum with weakly developed cuticular patterns (Fig. 16C). Movable finger of posterior telopod covered with small pits, carrying 23 or 24 crenulated teeth (Fig. 18F). Inside Grotte d’Andrahomana and in deep ravines N of Ankapaky    Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n.
7		Unique black pattern on orange-reddish basic colour (Fig. 1A). Harp with 5 ribs. Endotergum with three rows of marginal bristles. Widespread in the SW spiny forest    Sphaeromimus musicus
–		Colour different, either uniformly black or brown (Fig. 1B). Rainforest species    8
8		Harp with 4 stridulation ribs (Fig. 11B). Endotergum with two rows of marginal bristles, not reaching tergite margin (Fig. 12A). Operculum well-rounded (Fig. 11F). Lavasoa Mountain    Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n.
–		Harp with 5 or 6 stridulation ribs (Fig. 9A). Endotergum with single row of marginal bristles (Fig. 5B)    9
9		Harp with 5 stridulation ribs (Fig. 9A). Marginal bristles of endotergum protruding beyond tergite margin (Fig. 5B). Operculum apically recessed (Fig. 9F). Movable finger of posterior telopod with single membranous lobe (Fig. 9E). Vevembe-Vatovavy area    Sphaeromimus vatovavy sp. n.
–		Harp with 6 stridulation ribs (Fig. 15D). Marginal bristles sparse and very short (Fig. 16A). Movable finger of posterior telopod with two membranous lobes (Fig. 15H). Small, black species, red legs. Ivohibe mountain    Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n.

Taxon Treatment

• Wesener, T; Le, D; Loria, S; 2014: Integrative revision of the giant pill-millipede genus Sphaeromimus from Madagascar, with the description of seven new species (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae) ZooKeys, 414: 67-107. doi

Images

Figure 1. Photographs of living Sphaeromimus. A Sphaeromimus musicus (de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) from Tsimelahy, upper left to lower left: red colour morph, black colour morph, normal colour morph, the similar looking sympatric Zoosphaerium blandum (de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) B Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n. C Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n. cave specimen. Not to scale.  Figure 2. Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n., A, I female paratype B–H holotype A habitus B first right stigmatic plate and coxa 1 C: left leg 9 D left coxa 2 with gonopore and stigmatic plate 2 E left anterior telopod, anterior view ♀ left anterior telopod, mesal view G left anterior telopod, posterior view H left anterior telopod, lateral view I coxae and prefemora 2 with vulvae. Abbreviations: Cx = coxa; O = operculum; Pre = prefemur; St = stigmatic plate. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 3. Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n., C female paratype, A, B holotype A left posterior telopod, anterior view B left posterior telopod, posterior view C female subanal plate with washboard. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 5. SEM, Endoterga of mid-body tergite. A Sphaeromimus titanus sp. n., holotype B Sphaeromimus vatovavy sp. n., holotype. Abbreviations: (1) = inner area with large spines and long setae; (2) = area with cuticular patterns; (3) = outer area with row(s) of marginal bristles and tergite margin.  Figure 9. Sphaeromimus vatovavy sp. n., A–E male holotype, ♀ female paratype, multi-layer photographs. A anterior telopods, anterior view B left anterior telopod, posterior view C left anterior telopod, lateral view D posterior telopods, anterior view E chela of right posterior telopod, posterior view ♀ coxa and prefemur 2 with vulvae. Abbreviations: Cx = coxa; Cx-P = coxal process; EP = external, lateral plate of vulva; IH = inner horns; IL = inner lobes; IP = inner, mesal plate of vulva; O = operculum; Pre = prefemur; syn = syncoxite.  Figure 11. Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n., A–E male holotype ♀, G female paratype. A left leg 9 B anterior telopod, anterior view C left anterior telopod, posterior view D left posterior telopod, anterior view E chela of left posterior telopod, posterior view ♀ coxa and prefemur 2 with vulvae G female subanal plate with washboard. Abbreviations: Cx = coxa; EP = external, lateral plate of vulva; IP = inner, mesal plate of vulva; O = operculum; Pre = prefemur; St = stigmatic plate. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 12. SEM, Endoterga of mid-body tergite. A Sphaeromimus lavasoa sp. n., paratype B Sphaeromimus andohahela sp. n., holotype from Isaka-Ivondro C specimen from Malio D specimen from Manantantely. Abbreviations: (1) = inner area with large spines and long setae; (2) = area with cuticular patterns; (3) = outer area with row(s) of marginal bristles and tergite margin.  Figure 14. Sphaeromimus andohahela sp. n., A–D male holotype E female paratype. A left leg 9 B anterior telopod, anterior view C right anterior telopod, posterior view D left posterior telopod, posterior view E coxa and prefemur 2 with vulvae. Abbreviations: Cx = coxa; Cx-pr = coxal process; EP = external, lateral plate of vulva; IP = inner, mesal plate of vulva; O = operculum; Pre = prefemur; syn = syncoxite. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 15. Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n., holotype. A coxae and prefemora 1 with stigmatic plates B left leg 9 C coxae and prefemora 2 with gonopore and stigmatic plate D right anterior telopod, anterior view E right anterior telopod, posterior view ♀ right anterior telopod, lateral view G left posterior telopod, anterior view H left posterior telopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: Cx = coxa; Pre = prefemur; St = stigmatic plate. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 16. SEM, Endoterga of mid-body tergite. A Sphaeromimus ivohibe sp. n., paratype B Sphaeromimus saintelucei sp. n., holotype from Isaka-Ivondro C Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n., holotype D Sphaeromimus andrahomana cave specimen. Abbreviations: (1) = inner area with large spines and long setae; (2) = area with cuticular patterns; (3) = outer area with row(s) of marginal bristles and tergite margin.  Figure 17. Sphaeromimus saintelucei sp. n., holotype. A left leg 9 B right anterior telopod, anterior view C left anterior telopod, posterior view D right anterior telopod, lateral view E left posterior telopod, anterior view ♀ left posterior telopod, posterior view. Abbreviations: syn = syncoxite. Scale bars = 1 mm.  Figure 18. Sphaeromimus andrahomana sp. n.. A left leg 9, holotype B left leg 9, cave specimen C anterior telopod, anterior view D right anterior telopod, posterior view E left posterior telopod, anterior view ♀ left posterior telopod, posterior view. Scale bars = 1 mm.