Sphaeromimus andrahomana

Measurements (holotype): 21.1 mm long, 9.8 mm (2nd), 10.7 mm (8th - widest) wide, 5.5 (2nd), 7.0 mm (10th, highest) height. Colouration of tergites black, collum and head brown. Paratergite impressions light brown to olive-greenish, legs and antennae olive green (faded to white in ethanol), pleurites light brown, eyes green. Head: Eyes with >55 ocelli. Antennae short, posteriorly protruding to coxa 5. Antennomeres 1–5 with few longer setae, 6 densely pubescent. Antennomere 6 towards disc with single row of sensilla basiconica. Male with 58/61 apical cones. Mouthparts not dissected. Collum glabrous except few setae at margins. Thoracic shield smooth and glabrous, few setae in grooves. Grooves deep. Tergites 3–12 smooth, except for paratergite depressions. Paratergite tips of midbody tergites weakly projecting posteriorly. Anal shield well-rounded, lacking pubescent area. Endotergum inner section with few short triangular spines and long setae (Fig. 16C). Between ridge and inner area two rows of weakly impressed, circular cuticular impressions. Externally two dense rows of marginal bristles (Fig. 16C). Bristles long, protruding above tergite margin. First stigma-carrying plate with a well-rounded not-projecting apex. Leg 1 with 2 or 3, 2 with 5 or 6, 3 with 10 or 11 ventral spines. Leg pairs 4–21 with 12–14 ventral spines. Coxa process well developed (Fig. 18A), only weakly developed at anterior legs. Femur 1.6, tarsus 3.0 times longer than wide (Fig. 18A). Male gonopore typical for the genus. Anterior telopod (Fig. 18C, D): Harp carrying three stridulation ribs (Fig. 18C). Shape usual for the genus, telopoditomere 4 as long as 2 and 3 combined, with one large triangular spine and 2 or 3 smaller ones (Fig. 18C, D). Podomere 3 with three small spines juxtaposed to process of telopoditomere 2 (Fig. 18D). Posterior telopod (Fig. 18E, F): Podomere 3 weakly curved, 3 times longer than wide, longer than immovable finger (Fig. 18E). Both sides with conspicuous pits (Fig. 18E, F). Hollowed-out inner margin with single lobe and five sclerotized spines, posterior aspect with ca. 24 small crenulated teeth (Fig. 18F). Immovable finger apically strongly tapering, its apex strongly curved and overlapping podomere 3. Podomere 1 and 3 glabrous except for a few marginal hair with few setae, podomere 2 on posterior side glabrous (Fig. 18F), on anterior side with several hair (Fig. 18E). Female unknown. Etymology: ‘andrahomana’, noun in apposition, after the famous cave close to the type locality, the Grotte d’Andrahomana.

Relic occurrence in the Grotte D’Andrahomana. The single individual found close to the village Ankapaky might be an indication of a more widespread occurrence in the little explored Vohisandria and Amboalaingo hills N. of Ankapaky and S. of Ranopiso.