urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 03954FC9-26CC-451A-AAE5-B92A131DD425
Figs 47–49
Redundant, genus monotypic.
After the spiny eel genus Mastacembelus Scopoli, 1777, to which the microserrate solenomere of the new species bears some resemblance, see https://www.britannica.com/animal/spiny-eel. Noun in apposition.
Material examined (total 1 ♂)
Holotype TANZANIA • ♂; Dodoma Region, Mpwapwa District, Wota FR, Rubeho Mts; Apr. 1984; J. Kielland leg.; VMNH110632.
Description (male)
SIZE. Length 23+ mm, diameter 2.2 mm, 50+ podous rings, no apodous rings in front of telson. Ring 7 is missing from the specimen, and it cannot be excluded that more rings are missing, too.
COLOUR. Faded, with traces of a longitudinal light dorsal stripe.
SUPRALABRAL SETAE. Indistinct.
MANDIBULAR STIPES. Produced ventrad in triangular process, distal margin very shallowly concave.
ANAL VALVES. With a very small dorsal spine, no ventral spine; margins barely raised, each with three sessile setae.
LIMBUS (Fig. 48E). With rounded-triangular, well separated lobes.
LEGS. Postfemoral and tibial pads from leg-pair 4 backward, diminishing in size and eventually disappearing near hind end.
FIRST PAIR OF LEGS (Fig. 47A–C). Prefemoral lobes rounded-triangular in ventral view, their mesal margin forming a blunt angle with main part of prefemur (in other odontopygids this angle is less distinct). One to two short coxosternal setae (CXS) close to lateral margin of coxosternum, well separated from prefemoral lobes. Prefemora with two short mesapical setae (APS) and a scattering of inconspicuous peglike sensilla more basally/laterally.
STERNUM 9 (Fig. 47D). About twice as broad as long, swollen in middle.
GONOPOD COXA (Fig. 48A–D, F). Proplica (PP) simple, basally narrow, with proplical lobe (PPL) hidden behind large subspherical lobe (msl) originating from mesal margin of metaplica (MP). Metaplica/ cucullus with low, regularly curved ridge (mr) Cucullus (CU) subrhomboidal, with a blunt mesal triangular process (trp) and a short irregular lateral process (ilp).
GONOPOD TELOPODITE (Figs 48G–H, 49). Arculus 90°; torsotope (TT) compact, post-torsal narrowing (PN) pronounced; no post-torsal spine. Solenomere (SLM) very long, ca same length as telomere, whiplike, with a row of tiny, sharp denticles (ssd) with their tips pointing distad, along one side of part of the distal section of the solenomere which therefore resembles a saw (or a spiny eel, cf. remarks to genus). Telomere (TM) very long, from a relatively broad basis extending into very slender distal part formed by a transversely rolled-up sheet. At the place where the solenomere leaves the telomere, the margin of the latter forms a ‘skirt’ (Fig. 49E).