Morogorius cochlear Enghoff, 2025

Enghoff, Henrik, Ngute, Alain Senghor K., Mnendendo, Hamidu R., Kivambe, Exaud E., Mhagawale, Waziri, Malanda, Robin C., Mpoto, Athuman & Marshall, Andrew R., 2025, A mountain of millipedes XII. The Chelodesmidae of the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), European Journal of Taxonomy 997, pp. 210-255 : 231-233

Morogorius cochlear Enghoff sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5E6446F3-AF09-4A1F-8716-E117ECC2D99A

Figs 1 , 12

Diagnosis

Differs from other species of Morogorius , except M. kitungulu sp. nov., by the short, compact parasolenomere. Differs from M. kitungulu by the rounded shape of the parasolenomere, which has a retrose pointed process, the broader, spoonlike prefemoral process and the smaller coxal process ( Fig. 12 , compare with Fig. 11 ).

Etymology

Named after the prefemoral process which is in the shape of a spoon (Latin ‘ cochlear ’). Noun in apposition.

Material examined (total 1 ♂)

Holotype

TANZANIA • ♂; Morogoro Region, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kidatu ; 07°41′06.2″ S, 36°54′52.4″ E; 1527 m a.s.l.; 23 Oct. 2014; J. Malumbres-Olarte leg.; Plot 9, pitfall trap; NHMD 1184574.

Description (male)

SIZE. Length ca 25 mm, max. width 5.0 mm.

COLOUR. After 10 years in alcohol head brownish; dorsal side of all rings including collum brownish with whitish paranota on all rings; antennae light brown; telson, legs and ventral side whitish.

COLLUM. With three setae close to anterior margin (a fourth setae has probably been present, too).

BODY RINGS. Ca 1.6 times as broad as prozonites, with 1+1 small, thin setae anteriorly, a prominent transverse sulcus on rings 5–18, granulated with irregular shallow, longitudinal striae behind transverse sulcus. Paranota rectangular until ring 13, thereafter posterior corners projecting increasingly backwards, triangular. Ozopores in smooth peritremata on edge of paranota, ca midway between anterior and posterior margin. Sides of rings with uniform tuberculation, no larger tubercles along posterior margin.

LEGS. Length ≈ 1.3× maximum body width.

GONOPODS ( Fig. 12 ). Coxa (cx) with a pointed, slightly curved apical process (cxp), two long setae (as) on anterior surface basal to process, and a field of ca a dozen setae (ls) on lateral surface. Prefemoral part (prf) ca 2½× as long as broad, distally delimited by distinct cingulum (ci) on ventral side. Prefemoral process (prp) with club-shaped outline, apical part almost circular, dorsal surface concave (accommodating solenomere), apically forming hood over tip of solenomere; distal margin with stout, triangular, dorsad canopy (tr). Solenomere (slm) shorter (ca 0.8×) than prp, stout and slightly tapering in basal ⅔, then abruptly narrower, forming slender hook, the solenomere s. str. (sslm). Parasolenomere (ps) originating mesal to slm, much shorter than slm, stout, subrectangular, with short, pointed retrorse process (psp) dorsally.

Remarks

Very similar to M. kitungulu sp. nov., sharing, i.a., the general shape of the solenomere and the short, stout parasolenomere. Differs from M. kitungulu in the detailed shape of all three processes.

Distribution and habitat

Known only from one site in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park ( Fig. 1 ). Collected in a pitfall trap at 1527 m a.s.l.

Figures

Fig. 1. Map of the Udzungwa Mts showing collecting areas for Chelodesmidae Cook, 1895. Yellow squares: Morogorius spp.D: M. divisus Enghoff sp. nov.,L: M. louishanseni Enghoff sp. nov., P: M. pugio Enghoff sp. nov. K: M. kitungulu Enghoff sp. nov., C: M. cochlear Enghoff sp. nov. Red squares: Tanzaniella howelli Hoffman, 1977. Blue squares Dionaeadesmus force Enghoff gen. et sp. nov. Purple squares: Callistocilla dolorotrix Hoffman, 2005. The position of the squares within the green circles/ ovoids does not indicate exact location. Based on Marshall et al. (2010: fig. 1).

Fig. 12. Morogorius cochlear Enghoff sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NHMD 1184574), left gonopod. A. Mesal view. B. Lateral view. C. Close-up of parasolenomere. D. Ventral view. E. Acropodite, mesal view. Abbreviations: as = anterior coxal setae; ca = cannula; ci = cingulum; cx = coxa; cxp = coxal process; ls = lateral coxal setae; prf = prefemoral part; prp = prefemoral process; ps = parasolenomere; psp = process of parasolenomere; slm = solenomere; sslm = solenomere s. str.; tr = triangular canopy of prefemoral process. Scale bars: A–B, D = 0.2 mm; C, E = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 11. Morogorius kitungulu Enghoff sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NHMD 1184573), left gonopod. A. Mesal view. B. (Dorso)lateral view. C. Ventrolateral view. D. Acropodite, meso-ventral view. Abbreviations: as = anterior coxal setae; ca = cannula; ci = cingulum; cx = coxa; cxp = coxal process; ls = lateral coxal setae; prf = prefemoral part; prp = prefemoral process; ps = parasolenomere; slm = solenomere; sr = serrate ridge of solenomere; sslm = solenomere s. str. Scale bars: A–B = 0.2 mm; C–D = 0.1 mm.