title: Integrative revision of the giant pill-millipede genus Sphaeromimus from Madagascar, with the description of seven new species (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae).
abstract: The Malagasy giant pill-millipede genus Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902 is revised. Seven new species, S. titanus sp. n., S. vatovavy sp. n., S. lavasoa sp. n., S. andohahela sp. n., S. ivohibe sp. n., S. saintelucei sp. n., and S. andrahomana sp. n. were discovered, in one case with the help of sequence data, in the rainforests of southeastern Madagascar. The species are described using light- and scanning electron microscopy. A key to all 10 species of the genus is presented. All but one (S. andohahela) of the newly discovered species are microendemics each occurring in isolated forest fragments. The mitochondrial COI barcoding gene was amplified and sequenced for 18 Sphaeromimus specimens, and a dataset containing COI sequences of 28 specimens representing all Sphaeromimus species (except S. vatovavy) was analyzed. All species are genetically monophyletic. Interspecific uncorrected genetic distances were moderate (4-10%) to high (18-25%), whereas intraspecific variation is low (0-3.5%). Sequence data allowed the correct identification of three colour morphs of S. musicus, as well as the identity of a cave specimen, which although aberrant in its morphology and colouration, was genetically identical to the holotype of S. andrahoma.
authors.affiliation: Field Museum of Natural History, Zoology - Insects, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, 60605 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. ; Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity, Center for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research (Section Myriapoda), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wesener
authors.affiliation: Field Museum of Natural History, Zoology - Insects, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, 60605 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. ; School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 36 S. Wabash Avenue, 60603 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Daniel Minh-Tu
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Field Museum of Natural History, Zoology - Insects, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, 60605 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. ; American Museum of Natural History, Richard Glider Graduate School, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Stephanie F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Loria
keywords: Andrahomana; Barcoding; COI; Lavasoa; Manombo; Sainte Luce; microendemism; soil arthropods