Morogorius louishanseni 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 : 223-226

Morogorius louishanseni Enghoff sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4F551606-55DA-40F7-818B-C21F9BA84545

Figs 1 , 2B , 7–8

Diagnosis

Differs from other species of Morogorius by the shape of the parasolenomere: broad base, lateral shoulder and tapering apical part ( Fig. 8C–D ).

Etymology

Named after Louis Hansen, collector of many new millipede species in the Udzungwa Mts. Noun in genitive.

Material examined (total 31 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀)

Holotype

TANZANIA • ♂; Iringa Region, Mahenge Distr., West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve, Nyumbanitu Mts , S Udekwa Village ; 07°48′ S, 36°21′ E; 1500 m a.s.l.; Dec. 1993; J.O. Svendsen leg.; NHMD 1184745.

Paratypes

TANZANIA • 9 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; NHMD 1184713 • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; 1700 m a.s.l.; NHMD 1184577 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Iringa Region, Udzungwa Mts, Ndundulu Forest , Waller’s camp; 07°46′ S, 36°29′ E; 1550 m a.s.l.; Dec. 2006; L.A. Hansen and local assistants leg.; tropical semi-evergreen forest; NHMD 1184700 • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1–12 Jan. 2007; NHMD 1184712 • 14 ♂♂; Udzungwa Mts, Kitungulu Forest Reserve ; 08°09′ S, 36°05′ E; 1500 m a.s.l.; Jan. 1996; M. Andersen, P. Gravlund and A. Jakobsen leg.; NHMD 1184563.

Description (males)

SIZE. Length 29–30 mm, max. width 3.6–3.8 mm.

COLOUR ( Fig. 2B ). After 17–28 years in alcohol head light brown, collum light brown with broad whitish margin. Dorsal side of rings with posterior half of each ring whitish to very light brown, anterior half of each ring brownish; paranota whitish, no difference between poriferous and non-poriferous rings. Antennae, legs, venter and telson very light brown to whitish.

COLLUM. With a row of 4 setae close to anterior margin.

BODY RINGS ( Fig. 7 ). Metazonites 1.4–1.6 × as broad as prozonites, with 1+1 small, thin setae anteriorly and a prominent transverse sulcus on rings 5–17, granulation irregular, with a tendency to longitudinal striolation behind sulcus. Paranota already from ring 5 with posterior corners projecting increasingly backwards, first as rounded lobes, further back as pointed triangles, those of ring 16 with a few denticles at base of mesal margin. Ozopores in smooth peritremata on edge of paranota, ca midway between anterior and posterior margin. Sides of rings with a row of slightly larger tubercles along posterior margin.

LEGS. Length 1.5–1.6 × maximum body width.

GONOPODS ( Fig. 8 ). Coxa (cx) with a stout cone-shaped apical process (cxp), two long setae (as) at base of process, no setae on lateral surface. Prefemoral part (prf) ca 2× as long as broad. Prefemoral process (prp) closely appressed to and distally curving over solenomere, prp at base with triangular expansion, distally expanding, its tip curved back on itself. Solenomere (slm) long, slender, regularly tapering. Parasolenomere (ps) slightly shorter than solenomere, lamellate, basal part broad, lateral margin with marked ‘shoulder’, ps thereafter more or less regularly tapering.

Distribution and habitat

Known from three sites in the Udzungwa Mountains : Nyumbanitu Mountains, Ndundulu Forest and Kitungulu Forest Reserve ( Fig. 1 ). Collected in tropical semi-evergreen forest at 1500–1550 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. 2. Chelodesmids from the Udzungwa Mts. A. Morogorius divisus Enghoff sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHMD 1184699). B. Morogorius louishanseni Enghoff sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (NHMD 1184563). C–D. Tanzaniella howelli Hoffman, 1977. C. Freshly preserved specimen (uncatalogued). D. Female from Mwanihana (NHMD 1184730). E. Dionaeadesmus force Enghoff gen. et sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHMD 1184572), rings 11–13 missing. F. Callistocilla dolorotrix Hoffman, 2005, male from Udzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve (NHMD 1184742). Scale bars: A–B, D–F = 2 mm; C not to scale. Photos: S.G. Selvantharan (A–B, D–F), A.R. Marshall (C).

Fig. 7. Morogorius louishanseni Enghoff sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (NHMD 1184713). A. Ring 12, dorsal view. B. Rings 11–12, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.4 mm.

Fig. 8. Morogorius louishanseni Enghoff sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (NHMD 1184653), left gonopod. A. Lateral view. B. Submesal view. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E. Anterior view. Abbreviations: as = anterior coxal setae; ca = cannula; ci = cingulum; cx = coxa; cxp = coxal process; mvs = mesoventral setae; prf = prefemoral part; prp = prefemoral process; ps =parasolenomere; slm = solenomere. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.