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Issue: Vol. 2304 No. 1: 4 Dec. 2009
Type: Articles
Published: 2009-12-04
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2304.1.4
Page range: 51–60
Abstract views: 30
PDF downloaded: 2

A review of the taxonomy and distribution of Plagiotaphrus Attems 1914 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae)

School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, PBX54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, PBX54001, Durban 4000, South Africa South African National Biodiversity Institute, PBX 101, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, PBX54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, PBX54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
Myriapoda savanna millipedes gonopod conservation southern Africa central Africa

Abstract

Plagiotaphrus is a monophyletic genus which formerly included three species, P. sulcifer Attems 1914 (the type species), P. improvisus (Attems 1934) and P. longius Attems 1928. Plagiotaphrus longius is a nomen dubium and is here excluded from the genus. A key to the species based on gonopod morphology is also presented. The distribution of Plagiotaphrus is disjunct. Given that several localities in Africa have not been surveyed it is likely that Plagiotaphrus species occur in more localities.

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