Scaptodesmus kala Fiemapong, Blandenier, Tamesse & Mitchell, 2025, sp. nov.

Scaptodesmus kala sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 047F0B3C-C242-4BA1-B9FD-950523127F62 Figs 3–6 & 14 Material examined. Holotype male (NHMN-62-2), Cameroon, Center Region, Kala Mountain, 3.829667N, 11.339264E, 1050 m a.s.l., secondary forest, 25.V.2024, leg. A.R. Nzoko Fiemapong. Paratypes: 1 male, 2 females (NHMN-62-3); 2 females (NHMN-62-4), same data, together with holotype; 1 male (SEM, ARNF), same locality, but 22.V.2024; 1 fragmented female (NHMN-62-5), 1 female (NHMN-62-6), 1 female (ARNF), same locality, but 21.V.2024; 2 fragmented males, 1 female (NHMN-62-7), same locality, but 24.V.2024; 1 female, (ARNF), 1 male (ARNF), same locality, but 17.V.2024, all leg. A. R. Nzoko Fiemapong. 1 male, 2 females (ARNF), 1 male (NHMN-62-8), 1 female (NHMN-62-9), secondary forest, Kala Mountain, 3.831365N, 11.342354E 1010 m a.s.l., secondary forest, 25.V.2024, leg. A.R. Nzoko Fiemapong. Etymology. To emphasize the type locality; noun in apposition. Diagnosis. This species differs from congeners by the gonopod aperture being transversely ovoid, the anterior margin forming a small, apical, conical projection (Fig. 4D). Gonopod postfemoral process (pfp) markedly enlarged, rake-shaped, tip bearing 3 or 4 minute denticles (Fig. 5). The medial branch constituting a solenophore (sph) and a lateral branch, or solenomere (slo), the latter bearing a small solenomere proper (sl) at its tip. Description. Length of holotype, 38 mm (male), width of midbody pro- and metazona, 4 and 10 mm (male), respectively. Length of paratypes, 48 mm, width of midbody pro- and metazona, 4.5–5 and 11–11.5 mm (male, female), respectively. Coloration (preserved in 70% alcohol) brown to light brown-yellowish on paratergal callus, legs yellow-brown (Fig. 3B–C). Venter and clypeolabral region brownish; antennae light brown. Head densely setose in clypeolabral region and shagreened behind antennae, interantennal isthmus almost as wide as diameter of antennal socket. Antennae long and only slightly clavate, reaching in situ the anterior margin of body ring 4 when stretched dorsally; antennomeres 5 and 6 each bearing a dorso-apical group of tiny bacilliform sensilla; in length, antennomere 2>6>3=4–5>1>7; apical segment densely pilose, with usual four sensory cones. Body with 20 segments (male, female). In width, collum <ring 2<3<4<5<6–17, body tapering towards telson thereafter. Collum transversely ellipsoid, subflabellate, covering the head from above. Dorsal surface regularly granulate (Figs 3A, 4A). Dorsum slightly convex (Fig. 3A). Prozona smooth and slightly shining; metazona dull, densely granulate.Metazona with transverse sulci dividing them dorsally into two halves.Paranota inclined somewhat downwards, lateral edges forming irregular teeth, especially so on poriferous rings. A particularly pronounced axial line dividing metaterga 2–16 into two equal parts, less pronounced on following rings. Caudal corner of paranota increasingly high and drawn behind, near tergal margin on rings 17–19. Sharp spines, tubercles or cones observed at pleurosternal margins near coxae. Dorsum slightly declined, paratergal margins increasingly well inclined caudad starting with ring 16, thereafter mostly lying at about body midheight; only paraterga 17–19 increasingly clearly drawn past rear tergal margin, 19th sharp. Sides below paraterga densely granulate, grains in caudal row being longer, spiniform and sharp. Ozopores visible, open flush on surface near midlength slightly above lateral edge of paraterga (Fig. 3C). Epiproct short, small, spade-shaped, flattened dorsoventrally, subtruncate, and dorsally granulate-tuberculate (Figs 3B, 4B). Hypoproct densely granulate-tuberculate, roundly subtrapeziform, with 1+1 caudal setae very distinctly separated and borne on minute knobs (Fig. 2B). Paraprocts likewise densely granulate (Fig. 3B). Sterna broad, about 2.5–3 times as wide as coxa length, almost flat, microgranulate and slightly setose on metazona, prozona being smooth and devoid of setae (Fig. 3B). Gonapophyses on male coxae 2 vestigial. Legs long, about 1.5 times as long as midbody height (male, female); in length, femur> tarsus> prefemur = tibia> postfemur> coxa; claw very small, slightly curved; tarsi densely setose, but forming no brushes on ventral surface (Fig. 4C). Gonopod aperture transversely ovoid in shape and fully concealing the gonocoxae and the bases of telopodites, with slightly elevated lateral and anterior edges, the latter forming a small cone at tip (Fig. 4D). Gonopod (Figs 5A–C): coxites of medium size and subcylindrical; fused at base to a small membranous sternal remnant and, distodorsally, bearing a dense field of setae, including a pair of particularly long, closely placed distalmost ones (Fig. 5B, C). Cannulae slender, without peculiarities (Fig. 5B). Telopodites in situ directed forward, held subparallel to each other and suberect. Prefemoral region densely setose, as usual, subcylindrical, taking up ca. 2/3 total length of telopodite. Femorite absent, but a large and complex postfemoral process (pfp) present, markedly enlarged, bent at a right angle, rake-shaped, bearing 3–4 minute denticles at tip (Fig. 5). Acropodite twisted and divided into two prominent lobes: a medial solenophore lobe (sph) and a lateral, small and falcate branch, or solenomere lobe (slo), this bearing a small solenomere proper (sl) at its apex. Female. Cyphopods cordiform in anterior and posterior views (Fig. 6), located directly behind second pair of legs on body ring 3; composed of two densely setose vulvae (Fig. 6). Anterior and posterior valves joined distally, with a separation line barely distinguishable. Operculum (OP) relatively large and only lightly covered with small setae (Fig. 6A–C). Distribution. Scaptodesmus kala sp. nov. is only known from its type locality (see Fig. 14). This species inhabits degraded secondary forests, where it has been found in leaf litter and decaying dead wood. It co-occurs with S. vandenspiegeli sp. nov. on Kala Mountain in the Central Region of Cameroon. Notably, it has mainly been observed during the rainy season.