The South Asian millipede genus Chondromorpha Silvestri, 1897 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae, Sulciferini): redescriptions and synonymies 

Abstract

The South Asian millipede genus Chondromorpha Silvestri, 1897 is diagnosed and its relationship with Parchondromorpha Jeekel, 1980 is established. The species C. atopus (Chamberlin, 1920) and C. indus (Chamberlin, 1920), as well as the subspecies C. kelaarti kelaarti (Humbert, 1865), C. kelaarti longipes (Verhoeff, 1936) and C. kelaarti valparaiensis (Carl, 1932) are recognised as junior synonyms of C. kelaarti (Humbert, 1865), thereby reducing the total number of Chondromorpha spp. in India to four: C. kaimura Turk, 1947, C. kelaarti, C. mammifera Attems, 1936 and C. severini Silvestri, 1897 (the type-species). Two species, C. kelaarti and C. mammifera, are redescribed and illustrated in detail. All four Indian Chondromorpha spp. are keyed, and the known distribution records of C. kelaarti and C. mammifera are mapped.

A new paradoxosomatid millipede,Manikidesmus suriensis(Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) from West Bengal, India

“…The new genus is distinguished from other important millipede genera of Indian origin of the family Paradoxosomatidae by several characters. Both Oxidus and Chondromorpha lack tarsal brush in the leg (Sankaran and Sebastian, 2017;Nguyen et al, 2017) while distinct setal brush is present on tibia and tarsus of the present genus. Moreover, in Oxidus, 5 th sternum without sternal lamella, while it is well developed in Manikidesmus (Nguyen et al, 2017).…”

“…Moreover, in Oxidus, 5 th sternum without sternal lamella, while it is well developed in Manikidesmus (Nguyen et al, 2017). Chondromorpha differs from the present genus by a number of characters like paranota well developed (vs. ill developed), collum with three transverse rows of setae (vs. without setae), pleural keel indistinct (vs. distinct pleural keel), sterna lamella in coxae 4 (vs. in coxae 5) (Sankaran and Sebastian, 2017). In Chondromorpha, distal branch of postfemur of gonopod is curved and sickle like while it is straight in Manikidesmus.…”

“…This structure varies at species and even at genus level and may provide a clue for phylogenetic analysis. Sankaran and Sebastian (2017) provided a key for four Indian species of Chondromorpha on the basis of structural variation of sterna lamella in male. Though present observation of this structure is restricted to a single species within a single genus, may be useful for phylogenetic comparison in future.…”

On several new or poorly-known Oriental Paradoxosomatidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida), XXXI

“…Coloration in alcohol mainly brown, pattern indistinctly cingulate due to darker, brown anterior halves of metaterga and protergal regions adjacent to strictures, vaguely contrasting to lighter greyish or yellowish paraterga, posterior (transparent) halves of metaterga, most parts of proterga, legs, venter and tip of epiproct; tergal setae pallid, while antennae mostly contrasting dark brown (Figs 1-9). much of India), C. severini Silvestri, 1897 (the type species, also occurring across much of India), and C. xanthotricha (Attems, 1898) (pantropical) [Silvestri, 1897;Attems, 1936Attems, , 1937Turk, 1947;Sankaran, Sebastian, 2017;Likhitrakarn et al, 2017;Almeida et al, 2022]. The new species differs from congeners by the following combination of characters, these being arranged below in a tabular form (Table ).…”

So far from home: first record of Chondromorpha xanthotricha (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) in the Brazilian Amazon

“…Several paradoxosomatid species are reported in regions where the taxon does not occur natively (Nguyen and Sierwald 2013), mainly as a result of introductions associated with seedling trade, gardening, cultivation of ornamental plants, and soil transport (Stoev et al 2010;Iniesta et al 2021). Among these anthropically dispersed species, Chondromorpha xantrotricha (Attems, 1898), supposedly native to Sri Lanka and southern India (Nguyen and Sierwald 2013;Sankaran and Sebastian 2017), has been considered an alien species occurring in Southeast Asia, North and Central America (United States, Costa Rica, Panama, and Antilles), Mesoamerica (Mexico), the Caribbean and northern South America (Ecuador, Suriname, and Venezuela) (Jeekel 1963;Shelley and Lehtinen 1998;Hoffman 1999;Jeekel 2002;Shelley and Cupul-Magaña 2007;Decker and Tertilt 2012;Nguyen and Sierwald 2013;Golovatch and Wesener 2016;Likhitrakarn et al 2017).…”