A new genus of Pseudospirobolellidae (Diplopoda, Spirobolida) from limestone karst areas in Thailand, with descriptions of three new species

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A new genus of the millipede family Pseudospirobolellidae, Siliquobolellus gen. nov., is described from limestone mountains in
Thailand, based on three new species, viz. Siliquobolellus amicusdraconis gen. et sp. nov. from Uthaithani Province, Siliquobolellus
constrictus gen. et sp. nov. from Prachuap Khiri Khan Province and Siliquobolellus prasankokae gen. et sp. nov. (type species)
from Lampang Province. The descriptions are based on gonopod morphology and mitochondrial DNA data (COI barcodes). The COI
barcodes grouped the three new species in a well-supported Siliquobolellus gen. nov. clade. The mean interspecific COI sequence
divergence among the three new species was 12% (range: 8–15%). The mean intergeneric COI sequence divergence between Siliquobolellus gen. nov., Coxobolellus Pimvichai, Enghoff, Panha & Backeljau, 2020, and Pseudospirobolellus Carl, 1912 was 19%
(range: 14–23%). Three conspicuous gonopodal synapomorphies differentiate Siliquobolellus gen. nov. from other pseudospirobollellid genera: (1) the telopodital part of the posterior gonopod forms a deep concavity, (2) the telopodite of the anterior gonopod is
directed distad and does not reach the tip of the coxal part of the anterior gonopod, and (3) the tip of the anterior gonopod coxa is
narrowed, curving mesad. As such, the monophyly of the new genus is well supported by both morphological and mitochondrial
DNA data. A distribution map and an identification key to the species are provided.
Original languageEnglish
JournalZoosystematics and Evolution
Volume98
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)313-326
ISSN0373-8493
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

ID: 317804932