R. V. Chamberlin.
A New African Milliped Observed in Migration.
Psyche 56(4):184-186, 1949.

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A NEW AFRICAN MILLIPED OBSERVED
IN MIGRATION
BY RALPH V. CHAMBERLIN
University of Utah
The mass migration of millipeds is a phenomenon that has been observed in species of various families of Julida, Spiroholida and Polydesmida. The phenomenon has never been adequately studied or explained. To the list of those observed in such migration may now be added an African member of the Spirostreptida, herein first named and described. Dr. Neal A. Weber, who collected specimens and submitted them to me for identification, supplies the following on the occurrence and behavior of this form as he noted them in the field: "The animals were discovered Mar. 2,1948 at the junc- tion of the Vele and Bomokandi Rivers, Lat. 3'38" N. and Long. 2673'' E. There were thousands milling about at the river's edge and many had crawled into the river and drowned.
There were at least 500 millipeds in one place hanging on a nearly vertical slope of the river bank. In
an area of a hundred square meters there were at least 5,000 or that order of magnitude and they were spread over about 150 meters along the river's edge. The air
temperature was 89.5' F.
Eight kilometers away a few
of the same animals were to be found as well as smaller numbers between that point and the river. This was the time approaching the end of the dry season, and it may well be that the population had gradually built up to this peak and migration ensued. There were no animals preying on these and no obvious cause impelling their migration in this direction and into the river where they drowned. The land was not flooded back of this area." Zantekius, new genus
A genus of the Spirostreptidse related to Mardonius and Eumekius of Central Africa and Madagascar. Spira-
cles beginning on the sixth segment. Metazonites without trace of longitudinal keels, being smooth above and striate 184




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Chamberim-A f ricam Milliped
below. Anal valves not spined. In the posterior gono- pods of the male the coxa without trace of spines and set off distinctly from the telopodite ; telopodite long and slender, not at all laminate and entirely without lobes or branches. The inner lamina of the anterior gonopods much produced distad, presenting on the outside at level of the gonocoel a lobe directed proximad and on mesal side near distal end a large T-shaped lobe with one arm directed distad and the other proximad.
Generotype : Zaittelcius weberi, new species. This genus differs from Mardomius in lacking a femoral lobe or spine on the posterior gonopod and from Eume- kius in having an ectal cone or lobe on the median lamella of the anterior gonopod as well as in having the con- spicuous mesal lobe.
Zantekius weberi, new species
Metazonites black about caudal borders, anteriorly more grayish, the last segment entirely gray or grayish brown. Head with face below level of antennae reddish. Legs and antennae red, contrasting sharply with the dark body.
Labral excavation very shallow. Labral pits 2-2, the front of head elsewhere smooth, wholly without rugs. Eyes with inner angles extending mesad a little beyond base of antennae, the two separated by somewhat more than their transverse length ; individual ocelli convex and distinct. Median sulcus across vertex fine, ending in a slightly depressed pit at level of inner angles of eyes. No interocular sulcus evident except faintly for a short distance each side of end of vertigial sulcus. Antennae
reaching to third segment.
Collum moderately narrowing 011 each side from level of eye ventrad; in the male produced forward at lower anterior corner, with three deep sulci in addition to the margining sulcus as shown in the accompanying figure (Fig. 1A) ; not produced in the female.
Encircling striae of prozonites of the other segments fine, mostly about six in number. The surface of the metazonites above and laterally entirely smooth and shin-



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186 Psyche [Dec.
ing. Each somite with diameter greatest at caudal border, decreasing gradually forward excepting for the moderate depression between prozonite and metazonite. Segmental sulcus fine but sharply defined throughout. Fig. 1, A. Left side of collum of male.
B. Left gonopod of male, with
sternite, anterior view.
The usual sharply impressed longitudinal sulci across the metazonite below, the series ending considerably below level of repugnatorial pore. Each pore located well in front of middle of metazonite.
Dorsal line of anal tergite as seen in profile nearly straight. Anal valves distinctly exceeding the tergite ; mesa1 borders strongly elevated. Caudal margin of anal scale weakly obtusely angular.
Ventral pads present on penult and antepenult seg- ments of most of the legs, these pads produced into a short lappet at their distal end beneath the succeeding joint. The distinctive features of the anterior and posterior gonopods are shown in fig. 1, B.
Type locality: Africa: Belgian Congo, near Bembi, at junction of Vele and Bomokandi Rivers. Mar. 2, 1948. Many specimens collected by Dr. Neal A. Weber.



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