Chondromorpha xanthotricha Attems, 1898

Dave, Ridham & Sindhav, Gaurang, 2025, A new species of the genus Chondromorpha Silvestri, 1897 and a catalogue of Paradoxosomatidae Daday, 1889 millipedes from Gujarat, India, along with their distributions and ecological perspectives (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), Zootaxa 5604 (3), pp. 329-349 : 341

Chondromorpha xanthotricha Attems, 1898

Material Examined: Male ( SPC0010 ) from Sabarmati River in Gandhinagar, 23° 12' 53.85'' N, 72° 41' 14.60'' E, Gujarat, India, 94 m. alt., 1 August 2023, R. A. Dave ( Fig. 15 ) .

Habitat Preferences: Chondromorpha xanthotricha Attems, 1898 is a pantropical species native to South India or Sri Lanka, but also found across Southeast Asia, North America, the Caribbean islands, and South America ( Almeida et al. 2022). This species has been identified under different names, but later synonymized as C. xanthotricha . Its habitat preference mirrors that of C. kelaarti , with observations of this species also on metalled roads during the monsoon season.

Seasonal Occurrence in Gujarat: This species is solitary and fast-moving. It emerges in the pre-monsoon months, such as April to May, and persists until October. Some individuals are also found in the remaining months.

Morphology: Colouration blackish, Prozona smooth, metaterga granulated and with transverse sulci, paranota yellowish, Pleurosternal carinae dentate and present only in ring 2. Sternal tubercles are paired and conical in shape, unlike the trapezoidal observed in C. kelaarti between male coxae 4 ( Likhitrakarn et al. 2017). C. xanthotricha resembles C. kelaarti in morphology, albeit slightly smaller. Furthermore, the body's lateral portion is more strongly curved than the straight configuration observed in C. kelaarti ( Fig. 13 ).

The gonopod is relatively simple. The coxite is curved caudally and sparsely setose distoventrally. The prefemorite is densely setose as usual, about one-third the length of the femorite and postfemoral part combined. The solenophore consists primarily of a large, conspicuous, slightly trifid lamina medialis, supporting a long flagelliform solenomere ( Fig. 12 ). The gonopods of our male specimen are identical to those illustrated by Likhitrakarn et al., 2017; confirming species identification.

Chondromorpha species from Gujarat also show considerable differences in their gonopods. C. xanthotricha has a long flagelliform solenomere, vs wide and slightly curved distally in C. kelaarti . Additionally, the prefemorite of C. kelaarti has long setae, which are short in C. xanthotricha . Meanwhile, the newly identified species C. lakroda sp. nov. features a long seta with a flagelliform solenomere.

Figures

FIGURE 12 Mesal view of the right gonopod of Chondromorpha xanthotricha Attems 1898, A) SEM Image Scale bar: 300 µm; B) Line Drawing

FIGURE 13 Chondromorpha xanthotricha Attems, 1898, male A) Anterior part of body, dorsal view; B) Posterior part of body, lateral view; C) Anterior part of body, ventral view; D) Gonopods, ventral view; E) Frontal view; F) Anterior right leg I, mesal view; G) Ring 8–10, dorsal view; H) Sternal tubercle between male coxae 4, ventral view; I) Posterior part of body, dorsal view; J) Posterior part of body, ventral view; K) Rings 8–10, lateral view; L) Anterior part of body, lateral view. Scale bars: A, G = 2 mm; B, C, E, F, I, J, K, L = 1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 15 Anoplodesmus saussurii Humbert, 1865, male A) Anterior part of body, dorsal view; B) Rings 8–10, lateral view; C) Rings 8–10, dorsal view; D) Posterior part of body, dorsal view; E) Anterior right leg I, mesal view; F) Posterior part of body, ventral view; G) Gnathochilarium, ventral view; H) Anterior part of the body, lateral view; I) Posterior part of body, lateral view; J) Gonopods, ventral view; K) Opening of mouth, ventral view; L) Frontal view. Scale bars: B, C, D, H, I, = 2 mm; A, E, K, L = 1 mm; F, G, J = 0.5 mm.