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Issue: Vol. 5796 No. 3: 22 Apr. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-04-22
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5796.3.1
Page range: 401-436
Abstract views: 56
PDF downloaded: 5

Synopsis of the Indian and Sri Lankan Trichopolydesmidae Verhoeff, 1910 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Trichopolydesmoidea), with the description of two new epigean species from India

Division of Arachnology; Department of Zoology; Sacred Heart College; Thevara; Cochin; Kerala 682 013; India
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution; Russian Academy of Sciences; Leninsky pr. 33; Moscow 119071 Russia
Muséum d’histoire naturelle; C.P. 6434; CH-1211 Genève 6; Switzerland
Myriapoda description diagnosis taxonomy type material Western Ghats

Abstract

The currently known Indian and Sri Lankan Trichopolydesmidae are reviewed, based both on literature sources and type material. All of the species are diagnosed and illustrated. The Sri Lankan genus Lankadesmus Carl, 1932 is resurrected from its synonymy with Nasodesmus Cook, 1896, with Lankadesmus carli sp. nov. renamed and designated as its type species, formerly misidentified as Polydesmus cognatus Humbert, 1865. The subspecies Pseudosphaeroparia palnensis spp. soror Carl, 1932 is elevated to full species, P. soror stat. nov., whereas the species P. cavernicola Turk, 1945 is considered as a species inquirendum because its male features remain unknown. The collecting localities of Assamodesmus lindbergi Manfredi, 1954 and P. cavernicola are corrected. Two new epigean species are diagnosed and described from India: Pseudosphaeroparia plana sp. nov. and Sholaphilus spinus sp. nov.. All genera of Trichopolydesmidae presently known from India and Sri Lanka, as well as all species of Pseudosphaeroparia Carl, 1932 are keyed, and their current distribution is mapped.

 

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How to Cite

Sankaran, P.M., Golovatch, S.I. & Hollier, J. (2026) Synopsis of the Indian and Sri Lankan Trichopolydesmidae Verhoeff, 1910 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Trichopolydesmoidea), with the description of two new epigean species from India. Zootaxa, 5796 (3), 401–436. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5796.3.1