Scaptodesmus Cook, 1896: 16

Scaptodesmus Cook, 1896: 16 View in CoL (original description).

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Type-species: Scaptodesmus porati Cook, 1896 , Cameroons, by original designation.

Historical diagnosis. According to Cook (1896), the genus Scaptodesmus is easily recognized by the presence of ozopores located on distinct excavations at the lateral margins of the carinae, the dorsum very slightly convex, and the telson with the marginal processes very strongly developed.

Updated diagnosis. A genus of Chelodesmidae (subfamily: Prepodesminae ), distinguished by the absence of a conspicuous paramedian or dorsomedian horn on the metaterga; subrectangular, elevated, horizontal paranota with dentate lateral, anterior, and posterior margins, combined with a slightly convex dorsum ( Figs 2A View FIGURE 2 , 3 View FIGURE 3 , 7 View FIGURE 7 , 10 View FIGURE 10 ); the normal pore formula (5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15–19), with ozopores being located on distinct excavations along the lateral margins of the paranota ( Figs 2A View FIGURE 2 , 4A View FIGURE 4 , 11A–B View FIGURE 11 , 8B–D View FIGURE 8 ), gonopod telopodites suberect, in situ directed forward ( Fig. 8F View FIGURE 8 ), held parallel to each other, not crossing mesally; femoral process subcylindrical, usually densely setose, elongated, partly erect, taking up ca. 2/3 total telopodite length, without femorite, with a complex dorsal postfemoral process ( pfp) demarcated from acropodite by a distinct cingulum; acropodite twisted and divided into two lobes ( Figs 2C, D View FIGURE 2 , 5 View FIGURE 5 , 9 View FIGURE 9 , 12C–F View FIGURE 12 ). External branch forming a solenophore ( sph), larger than internal branch, or solenomere ( slo), supporting a seminal groove all along ( Fig. 2C–D View FIGURE 2 ).