taxonID	type	description	language	source
E7758796FF927114FE82FDFE15E5FB9E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Moderately large callipodidans (body length 44 ­ 68 mm, diameter 2 ­ 3 mm). General body coloured from dark brown to pale brown­yellowish; metazonites with a dark brown stripe along posterior margin, stripe getting paler at midbody, lacking on anterior pleurotergites. Adult body usually composed of 53 ­ 56 pleurotergites 1. (Following the advice of Enghoff et al. (1993) we use the term " pleurotergite " instead of " segment " which has traditionally been used by millipede taxonomists. Please notice that the number of pleurotergites is one less than the traditional numbers of " segments " because the telson is not included in the pleurotergite count). Male head with deep, hairless anterior concavity; often with numerous bristles between the concavity and the labrum; females with bristles covering almost the whole surface of the head; ocellaria black, triangular; antennae usually reaching posterior margin of the eight pleurotergite when folded back. Trunk pleurotergites with well developed but not very pronounced crests, crests somewhat flattened dorsally, finger­like (= Fingerwülste, in Verhoeffís works) (exception: B. graecum), crests similar in males and females. Ozopores starting on sixth pleurotergite, placed between the crests, or at their base; third pleurotergite in females much larger than that of males. Pleurotergal chaetotaxy variable between species, a general pattern at genus level not discernible. Posterior seta b often situated exactly behind anterior seta a; all setae usually in posterior position on the 7 th pleurotergite (in a specimen of rhodopinum all setae were in posterior position on 8 th pleurotergite); collum and the first six pleurotergites often with unequal numbers of setae on each hemipleurotergite (11 + 7; 8 + 10; 9 + 8). The number of posterior setae on 7 th pleurotergite varies from 6 + 6 (rhodopinum, beskovi) over 7 + 7 (graecum, armatum, bulgaricum) to 8 + 8 (petrovi) — there are, however, exceptions from these “ normal ” numbers. 1 Prefemur of male 7 th leg­pair variable. 2 Male gonopods without a sternal process; coxae with an anterior coxal process with two tines (these sometimes so deeply separated that they appear as individual spinelike processes), sometimes with an additional subanterior process and always with a posterior process, the latter as long as a 2 / 3 of the femoroidal length, basally densely setose; coxa always covering the basal part of the femoroid (this part of the coxa is referred to as “ Lappen ”, in Verhoeff, 1926); main stem of femoroid elongated (exception: graecum); apical part curved or straight; ovoid plate of variable shape; a distal process of variable shape, but always black­coloured, emerging at the apical part of the femoroid; solenomerite bifid or trifid, seminal groove always ending at the upper (dorsalmost) branch. Habitats: All species are strict troglo­ and petrophiles, often found in the very inner passages of caves and deserted mine galleries. Sometimes they also occur superficially under stones outside caves. The only member of the genus, which might at present be considered as a true troglobite is rhodopinum. Distribution: Bulgaria: Western Stara Planina Mts., Rhodopi Mts., south Pirin Mts., Slavyanka (Orvilos) Mts. Greece: Rhodopi Mts. (Fig. 22). All species are allopatric, the smallest distance between the ranges of two species being that between graecum and petrovi (50 km).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF957116FE82FB0415E3F8AB.taxon	description	Figs 1 ­ 3. Type locality: ‘ Studenata Höhle beim Tscherepisch­Kloster’. Literature records: Studenata Peshtera Cave near Cherepish Monastery (Verhoeff, 1926: 58); Cave near Tserovo (Verhoeff, 1937: 97); Kolibata Cave near Beledie han; Mecha doupka Cave near Bov (Strasser, 1966, 1969 recorded Mechata doupka Cave as being near Ž elen. In fact the cave is situated near to Bov); Vodnata Peshtera Cave near Tserovo; Serapionovata Peshtera Cave near Cherepish Monastery (Strasser, 1966: 348 ­ 349); Paraklisa Cave near Bov (recorded as deserted mine gallery); Shishmanovets Cave near Cherepish Railway Station (Strasser, 1969: 145); Dushnika Cave near Iskrets (Beron, 1994: 38). 1. The chaetotaxy tables for individual species (tables 1 ­ 6) are based on examination of 3 ­ 4 specimens of each species, except for petrovi (9 specimens). In the tables “ posterior setae ” are those emerging from the posterior edge of the pleurotergite, “ anterior setae ” are all setae located in front of the posterior margin. Some “ anterior setae ” may be situated only slightly in front of the posterior setae and thus hardly qualify as “ anterior ”. We have, however, not attempted to subdivide the “ anterior setae ” into several subgroups. 2. unmodified (petrovi); moderately swollen (rhodopinum, beskovi, graecum) or strongly swollen (armatum, bulgaricum). Material examined (all from Bulgaria): 2 FF, 1 M (1 F, ZMUC), Sofia District, Lukovo Railway Station, deserted mine gallery, 03.05.1974, P. Beron, V. Beshkov leg.; 1 F, Sofia District, v. Lakatinik, Peshtere Cave, 15.05.1926, collector unknown; 1 subad. F, Iskrets Village, Dushnika Cave, 01.05.1974, P. Beron, V. Beshkov leg.; 2 FF, same locality, 28.08.1988, I. Pandurski leg.; 8 subad., Beledie han Village, Komina Cave, 04.03.1988, P. Beron leg.; 1 F, same locality, 02.03.1994, P. Stoev, B. Petrov leg.; 1 subad., Bov Village, Mechata doupka Cave, 30.01.1994, B. Petrov leg.; 1 F, same locality and collector, 24.03.1996. Diagnosis. The species differs from its congeners, except bulgaricum, by having a subanterior coxal process of the gonopods. This process is much stouter than in bulgaricum, mushroom­like, unevenly rounded apically. The posterior coxal process is long, curving near the base of the apical part of the femoroid; the femoroid follows the same direction as the posterior coxal process, except for its apical part where it points in a different direction; the distal femoroidal process is long, black and sigmoid; the ovoid plate is almost evenly rounded, reaching as far as the middle of the femoroid; the solenomerite is bifid (Figs 1, 2). On the male 7 th leg­pair, the coxae are mesally incised and the prefemora are mesally heavily swollen (Fig. 3). Chaetotaxy. See Table 1. Notes. This species is widespread in the West Stara Planina Mts., where is confined to caves and deserted mine galleries. It probably occurs in similar environments in the Serbian part of the mountain, too. In the caves it coexists with troglobites like Centromerus bulgarianus (Drensky, 1931) (Araneae), Lithobius lakatnicensis Verhoeff, 1926 (Chilopoda), Typhloiulus bureschi Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda), Phegomissetes globiceps Buresch, 1925 (Coleoptera) and Beskovia bulgarica Guéorguiev, 1960 (Coleoptera). Stenophora beroni, a parasitic eugregarine found in B. armatum, was described by Golemansky (1973).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF967119FE82FE89165FFE5D.taxon	description	Figs 4 ­ 6. Type locality: ‘ neue Höhle bei Pestera im Rhodope­Gebirge’. Literature records: Novata Peshtera Cave near Peshtera (Verhoeff, 1937: 97; Lang, 1958: 39; Strasser, 1966: 349); Yubileina Cave near Peshtera (Strasser, 1975: 74). The record from Garvanyovitsa Cave near Turen (Strasser, 1969: 145) was based on juveniles only and is probably erroneous, see also notes under beskovi). Material examined (all from Bulgaria): 1 M, 2 FF, Novata Peshtera Cave near Peshtera, 01.12.1991, B. Petrov leg.; 1 M, 1 F, same locality, June, 1992, D. Dimitrov leg.; 2 MM, 2 FF, 2 juv., same locality, 30.03.1996, B. Petrov leg.; 2 FF, same locality, 15.01.2000, clay, rotten log, B. Petrov leg.; 1 M, 1 F, 2 juv., Yubileina Cave near Peshtera, 09.04.1974, P. Beron leg.; 2 MM (1 M, ZMUC), same locality, clay, 28.06.2000, B. Petrov, P. Nikolov leg.; several specimens, same locality, 10.05.2002, B. Petrov leg. Diagnosis. This species is easily distinguished from its congeners by the very long (horn­like), subdistal process on the femoroid, pointing upward and parallel to the main femoroid stem. This process lacks a homologue in the other species (with the possible exception of the tiny basal tooth in beskovi). The anterior gonocoxal process is apically divided into two small tines. The posterior coxal process is curved apically. The distal femoroidal process is straight and slender, perpendicular to the main femoroidal axis and almost parallel to the posterior coxal process, both pointing towards the subdistal process. The ovoid plate is moderately long and evenly rounded. The solenomerite is bifid (Figs 4, 5). The prefemur of the male 7 th leg­pair is moderately swollen mesally (Fig. 6). These characters, together with the higher number of anterior setae on the collum (8, instead of 4), the smaller body size (length 44 ­ 48 mm, diameter 2 mm) and generally paler (pale brown­yellowish) colour well distinguish rhodopinum from its congeners. Chaetotaxy. See Table 2. Notes. B. rhodopinum has very limited distribution, so far having been found only in two karst caves in the region of Peshtera. There are several unexplored caves in same region, and a more profound study will probably result in its discovery there. A connection between the cave fauna of the Velingrad karst region and the Peshtera one seems to exist, sharing same cave inhabitants. In Yubileina cave rhodopinum coexists with the troglobites Lithobius lakatnicensis Verhoeff, 1926 and L. stygius Latzel, 1880 (Chilopoda), in Novata Peshtera Cave with L. lakatnicensis and another troglobite, Bulgaronethes haplophthalmoides Vandel, 1967 (Isopoda).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF987119FE82FDC9177DF8D2.taxon	description	Figs 7 ­ 9. Type locality: ‘ Topchika Höhle bei Dobrostan’. Literature records: Topchika Cave near Dobrostan (Strasser, 1973: 429); Yamata Cave near Dobrostan; Hralupa Cave near Dobrostan; Druzhba Pot hole near Dobrostan (Beron, 1994: 83). Strasser (1973: 429) referred his earlier (Strasser 1969: 145) record of rhodopinum juveniles from Garvanyovitsa Cave near Turen to beskovi, but the identity of these specimens remains uncertain. Material examined (all from Bulgaria): 2 MM, 3 FF, 3 juv., Asenovgrad District, Dobrostan Village, Topchika Cave, 19.02.1997, T. Ivanova leg.; 4 MM, 12 FF (2 MM, 2 FF, ZMUC), same village, Druzhba Pot hole, 26.09.1992, P. Beron leg.; 1 M, 1 F, same village, Hralupa Cave, 10.06.1961, G. Bachvarov leg.; several subad., same locality, 24.08.1970, C. Delchev leg.; 1 F, 1 subad., same village, Yamata Cave, 17.07.1961, G. Bachvarov leg.; 2 FF, same village, Pirkovskata Cave, 1,200 m alt., clay, 20.10.2001, B. Petrov, V. Beshkov leg.; 2 FF, 1 juv., Mostovo Village, Zmiin burun Pot hole, 980 m alt., 18.04.1993, P. Stoev leg. Diagnosis. This species differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: The anterior coxal process has a small tooth at its base; the posterior coxal process is straight; the femoroid has a basal tooth; the ovoid plate is thin and sharpened; the distal femoroid process is black, medially incised with two well developed lateral processes; the solenomerite is trifid (Figs 7, 8). The prefemur of male 7 th leg­pair is moderately swollen mesally (Fig. 9). Chaetotaxy, see Table 3. Notes. This species occurs in caves and pot holes in the karst massif of Dobrostan, the central part of the Rhodopi Mts. Beron (1972, 1994) referred to this species as B. beshkovi Strasser, since the name of the person, which it honors is currently transliterated as Beshkov. However, Strasser (1973) transliterated the name as Beškov and in the specific name correctly omitted the diacritical mark over the " s ". B. beskovi coexists with typical cave­dwellers like Cordioniscus schmalfussi Andreev, 2002 (Isopoda), Rhodopioniscus beroni (Vandel, 1965) (Isopoda), Trichoniscus rhodopiense Vandel, 1965 (Isopoda), Troglohyphantes bureschianus Deltshev, 1975 (Araneae), and Histopona tranteevi Deltshev, 1978 (Araneae).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF9A711DFE82FCDF1601FD3D.taxon	description	Figs 10 ­ 12. Material examined (all from Bulgaria): Holotype: adult M; 54 pleurotergites, length ca. 65 mm, width ca. 4 mm; NMNH­Sofia, Callipodida collection; Bulgaria, Eastern Rhodopi Mts., Momchilgrad District, Ribino Village, Samara Cave, 11.10.1995, B. Petrov, P. Stoev leg. — Paratypes: East Rhodopi Mts.: 3 subad., Ribino Village, Samara Cave, 20.04.1995, B. Petrov leg.; F, 2 subad., same locality, 11.10.1995, B. Petrov, P. Stoev leg.; F, same locality, 20.09.1996, T. Ivanova, A. Georgieva leg.; M, F, same locality and collectors, 03.01.1997; F, same locality, 01.05.1998, T. Ivanova leg.; 2 FF, subad., same village, Ogledalnata Peshtera (Aina­ini) Cave, guano, clay, 10.02.1998, B. Petrov leg.; 2 MM, F, 4 juv. (1 M, 1 F, 4 juv., ZMUC), Kremen (Akcha) Village, Zlatnata yama (= Kremenskata Peshtera) Cave, 27.04.1996, B. Petrov, P. Stoev leg.; M, 14 FF, same locality, 250 m alt., clay, 27.04.1996, P. Stoev, B. Petrov leg.; 3 MM, F, same locality, 20.07.1996, T. Ivanova, T. Troanski leg.; F, 2 subad., same locality, 07.11.1999, B. Petrov, S. Beshkov, D. Vasilev leg.; F, Krumovgrad Distr., Krun Village near Kukuryak, mine gallery on the road, 700 m alt., under stones, 07.11.1999, B. Petrov, S. Beshkov, D. Vasilev leg. Etymology. The species honors Boyan Petrov, a friend and colleague of P. S., who collected most of the specimens that are object of this study. Description. Length: ca. 65 mm, Width ca. 4 mm, 53 ­ 54 body pleurotergites. Head concavity in males hairless; row of several bristles between the concavity and the labrum. Ocellaria composed of ca. 36 ­ 37 black ocelli. Antennomeres 1 and 5 ­ 8 white, 2 ­ 4 brown, speckled with irregular white spots. Collum pale yellowish with much darker posterior part; with two anterior and six posterior setae. All legs whitish­yellowish. Usually sixteen (8 + 8) setae in posterior position on the seventh pleurotergite. Chaetotaxy, see Table 4. Male gonopods: coxa with a single anterior coxal process divided apically into two tines and with sparse setae. Posterior coxal process long, apically with a hook curving posteriad, i. e., in opposite direction of the femoroid. Femoroid elongate, apically curved anteriad. Distal process angular, sharp, pointed. Ovoid plate moderately long, rounded. Solenomerite trifid (Figs 10, 11). Prefemur of male 7 th leg­pair not swollen, mesally covered with sparse setae (Fig. 12). Notes. This species occurs in caves and deserted mine galleries in the regions of Ribino, Krun and Kremen, the East Rhodopi Mts. It is morphologically close to graecum, but differs in many aspects, most striking difference being the elongated stem of the femoroid (not broadened as a shield), the shape of the distal process of the femoroid and the unmodified prefemur of the male 7 th leg­pair. In the region of Ribino it coexists with Harpolithobius banaticus rhodopensis Kaczmarek, 1975 (Chilopoda) and Trichoniscus rhodopiense Vandel, 1965 (Isopoda).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF9C7100FE82FAA71064FE5D.taxon	description	Figs 13 ­ 15. Material examined (all from Bulgaria): Holotype: adult M; 54 pleurotergites, length 57 mm, width ca. 4 mm; NMNH­Sofia, Callipodida collection; southern slopes of the Pirin Mts., Gotse Delchev District, Goleshevo Village, Starshelitsa Cave, 1,000 m, 17.04.1992, B. Petrov leg. — Paratypes: 1 M, 1 F, 2 subad., 2 juveniles, Goleshevo Village, Starshelitsa Cave, 29.11.1992, B. Petrov leg.; 1 F, 3 subad (1 F, 1 subad., ZMUC), same locality, 02.05.1994, B. Petrov leg.; 1 M, Slavyanka (= Orvilos) Mts., Tsarev Peak, 08.06.1936, P. Drensky leg. Etymology. Self­evident. Description. Length ca. 57 mm. Width ca. 4 mm., 53 ­ 54 body pleurotergites. Head and anterior pleurotergites are dark brown, speckled with irregular yellow spots. Mid body pleurotergites paler brown­yellowish, posterior pleurotergites ­ whitish­grayish. Head concavity in males hairless; numerous bristles forming an irregular row between the concavity and the labrum. Collum with dark brown posterior stripe, extending anteriad in the middle. Antennomeres all dark brown. Chaetotaxy see Table 5. Male gonopods: coxa with two anterior and one subanterior coxal processes, corresponding to the two­tined anterior process seen in congeners, and the subanterior process in armatum; the subanterior process almost twice longer than the other two, apically unevenly rounded. Posterior coxal process as long as the main stem of the femoroid, apically bifurcate, distalmost branch shorter than the other. Femoroid elongate, apically curving anteriad, tip shallowly bifurcate. Distal process long, sigmoid, apically with two tines. Ovoid plate is rectangular, dark, reaching to about the middle of the femoroid. Solenomerite bifid, the middle part of its stem bearing a small distal prominence (Figs 13, 14). Coxa of male 7 th leg­pair with a mesal prominence, forming a sharp angle with main body of coxa. Prefemur of male 7 th leg­pair strongly swollen mesally (Fig. 15). Remarks. This species resembles B. armatum, having a similar gonopod structure and the 7 th male prefemur strongly swollen. In particular, it agrees with B. armatum in having a spatulate subanterior gonopodal coxal process, and in having the distal gonopodal process hook­shaped and sigmoid. The two species are also the only ones having modified 7 th male leg coxae. B. bulgaricum differs from armatum, however, by having the subanterior gonopodal process long and slender (instead of short, mushroom­like), in having the main femoral process pointing downward and divided in its apical part (instead of pointing upward and not divided). So far, B. bulgaricum has been found in a single cave, which is situated in the southern slopes of the Pirin Mts. near to the junction with the Slavyanka (Orvilos) Mts. and also superficially in Slavyanka Mts. It seems restricted to the region of Slavyanka ­ Pirin only and could be expected in yet unexplored caves in the highland zone of the Slavyanka. It has been collected near to the border with the Republic of Greece and might be found there also. In the Starshelitsa Cave it coexists with other troglomorph invertebrates like Illyrionethes sp. (Isopoda), Lithobius lakatnicensis Verhoeff, 1926 (Chilopoda) and Centromerus acutidentatus Deltshev, 2002 (Araneae).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
E7758796FF817101FE82FDC915BEF8A1.taxon	description	Figs 16 ­ 19. Material examined (all from Greece): Holotype: adult M; 54 pleurotergites, length ca. 67 mm, width ca. 4 mm; NMNH­Sofia, Callipodida collection; Northern Greece, Rhodopi Mts., Xanthi District, Pachni Village, Dupkata Cave, 680 m alt., 25.09.2000, B. Petrov, P. Stoev, S. Beshkov leg. — Paratypes: 4 FF, 1 juv. (2 FF, ZMUC), Rhodopi Mts., Xanthi District, Pachni Village, Dupkata Cave, 680 m alt., 25.09.2000, B. Petrov, P. Stoev, S. Beshkov leg.; same village, small cave near the road, below Dupkata Cave, 600 m alt., 25.09.2000, P. Stoev, B. Petrov, S. Beshkov leg.; 1 M, 1 F, juv., Rhodopi Mts., Potami Village, Valley of Despatis River, Peristerones Cave, clay, guano, 21.09.2000, B. Petrov, P. Stoev, S. Beshkov leg. Etymology. Self­evident. Description. Length: 67 mm., 53 ­ 55 pleurotergites. Width ca. 4 mm. General body colouration pale brown. Head pale brown­grayish. Prozonites beginning from midbody and backward grayish. Head concavity in males hairless; several bristles between the concavity and the labrum. Antennae long: reaching back to 9 th pleurotergite. Antennomere one pale brownish; two­five dark brown, 6 ­ 8 snow­white. Ocellaria composed of 38 black ocelli. Collum: pale yellow­brownish, speckled with irregular spots. Posterior part of it is dark brown. Chaetotaxy, see Table 6. Dorsal crests well separated from each other along their length, not finger­like as in congeners; all with prominent, sharpened ridge. Male gonopods: anterior coxal process divided into two small teeth. Posterior coxal process long, apically with a hook curving posteriad, i. e., in opposite direction of the femoroid. Main stem of the femoroid heavily enlarged forming a shield around the solenomerite. Ovoid plate short, evenly rounded, as long as a third of the femoroidal length. A well developed, black coloured and evenly rounded distal process. Back side of distal process with a sharp tooth (Fig. 18). Solenomerite trifid (Figs. 16, 17, 18). Prefemur of male 7 th leg­pair slightly swollen, bigger than that in petrovi and more elongate than in the other species (Fig. 19). Notes. So far, B. graecum has been found in two karst regions, along the Mesta (Nestos) River. The cave fauna of that region of NE Greece is very weakly explored. At present the two populations of graecum are disjunct by about 70 km in a straight airline. In Dupkata Cave, the new species coexists with Eupolybothrus transsylvanicus (Latzel, 1882) (Chilopoda).	en	Stoev, Pavel, Enghoff, Henrik (2003): Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of genus Balkanopetalum Verhoeff, 1926 (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae). Zootaxa 272 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.272.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.272.1.1
