Revision of the East African millipede genus Epibolus Cook, 1897

Abstract

AbstractExamination of 55 adult specimens of Epibolus (=Metiche) including all relevant types revealed that Spirobolus proporus Attems, 1896, Trigoniulus ruspolii Silvestri, 1896, Metiche bravensis, Attems, 1909 (non Silvestri, 1897), Metiche attemsi Kraus, 1958, and Metiche tanganyicense Kraus, 1958 are synonymous with Epibolus pulchripes (Gerstäcker, 1873), a species fairly widespread in southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania. E. bravensis (Silvestri, 1897) comb. nov. (Somalia) and E. mossambicensis (Lawrence, 1967) comb. nov. (Moçambique) are provisionally regarded as distinct species. Lectotypes are designated for Trigoniulus ruspolii Silvestri, 1896 and Metiche attemsi Kraus, 1958. The vulvae of E. pulchripes are described for the first time. The postembryonic growth of E. pulchripes is probably hemianamorphotic. E. pulchripes is active during daytime and is probably aposematically coloured. The filling of the gonopods with sperm takes place during copulation by means of the protrusible penis.