Hyleoglomeris hongkhraiensis, Likhitrakarn, Natdanai, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Panha, Somsak, 2015

Likhitrakarn, Natdanai, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Panha, Somsak, 2015, Three new species of the pill millipede genus Hyleoglomeris Verhoeff, 1910, from northern Thailand (Diplopoda, Glomerida, Glomeridae), Zootaxa 4044 (1), pp. 130-140 : 131-134

Hyleoglomeris hongkhraiensis sp. n.

Figs 1 & 2 .

Holotype male ( CUMZ), Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Doi Saket District, Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre, 445 m a.s.l., 18°52'47"N 99°13'22"E, 02/07/2014, leg. N. Likhitrakarn.

Paratypes. 8 males, 9 females ( CUMZ), 1 male, 1 female ( ZMUC), 1 male, 1 female ( ZMUM ƿ2712), 1 male, 1 female ( NHMW), same locality, together with holotype; 1 female ( CUMZ), same locality, 12/11/2015, leg. N. Likhitrakarn.

Name. An adjective to emphasize the type locality.

Diagnosis. Differs by the thoracic shield being contrasting yellowish against a dark background, the presence of modest granulations laterally on the telopod prefemur and femur, coupled with a subtrapeziform, large, slightly concave, central lobe of the telopod syncoxite.

Description. Length of non-stretched, but unrolled specimens ca 6.0– 7.4 mm (males), 6.3–9.3 mm (females), width 2.4–3.4 (males), 2.8–4.5 mm (females).

Body mostly dark ( Fig. 1 A–F). Head and collum blackish to dark brownish. Legs and venter dark brownish to light yellowish. Thoracic shield contrasting yellowish, usually with a narrow dark band caudally and a pair of dark paramedian spots flanking the midline. Mid-dorsal spots on each of terga 3 to 11 usually rather parallel-sided, but quite often V-shaped, subtriangular, often with a distinct, more or less wide and complete, yellow to greyish, axial stripe ( Fig. 1 A, D & E), this latter usually growing broader and clearer on pygidium. Lateral sides of each of terga 3 to 11 also with a pair of large, sublateral, yellow to marbled yellow-brownish spots normally not reaching translucent caudal and lateral edges ( Fig. 1 A, C–E). Pygidium with a pair of yellow to greyish parallel stripes always reaching a translucent caudal margin.

Labrum sparsely setose ( Fig. 2 A). Gnathochilarium with 2+2 palps of subequal length. Ocellaria blackish, ocelli 6(7)+1, cornea very convex, translucent. Antennae with four evident apical cones, segment 6 ca 1.4–1.5 times as long as high. Organ of Tömösváry oblong-oval, elongate, ca 1.2–1.4 times as long as broad ( Fig. 2 A).

Collum as usual, with two transverse striae ( Fig. 2 A). Thoracic shield with a small hyposchism field not projecting caudad behind tergal margin. Striae 7–8, mostly superficial, only lower 3–4 lying above schism, one level to schism, remaining 4 below schism, with 4–5 complete, crossing the dorsum ( Fig. 2 B). Terga 3 and 4 rather broadly rounded laterally. Following terga in front of pygidium faintly concave medially at caudal edge and with 3 striae starting above lateral edge, sometimes middle stria fading away towards midway. Male pygidium very faintly concave medially at caudal edge.

Male legs 17 ( Fig. 2 C–E) particularly strongly reduced, with a rather low to medium-sized, often irregularly rounded coxal lobe and a 4-segmented telopodite. Male legs 18 ( Fig. 2 F) less strongly reduced, with a more or less narrowly ogival syncoxital notch and a 4-segmented telopodite; femur with a small, setose, caudomedial tubercle (k) near apex.

Telopods (= male legs 19) ( Fig. 2 G–J) as usual, strongly enlarged and stout, with a subtrapeziform, large, roundly emarginated syncoxital lobe flanked by two setose horns, each of the latter being crowned by a subapical setoid filament ( Fig. 2 G–I). Prefemur and femur modestly granulate laterally ( Fig. 2 G & J). Caudomedial femoral process prominent, subapically with a rounded subtriangular lobe on caudal face and modest granulations at base ( Fig. 2 G & J). Caudomedial process of tibia evident, directed mesad. Tarsus rather moderately sigmoid, narrowly rounded apically, with a strong terminal seta.

Remarks. The Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre where this new species was found was established under the royal initiative in 1982 in the area of Khun Mae Kuang National Forest Reserve, Chiang Mai Province. It covers approximately 8,500 rai (1,360 hectares). H.M. King Bhumibol realized that the area which used to be abundantly forested and rich in natural resources was deteriorating. His Majesty thus ordered the study centre set up with an objective to conduct research and experimentation using appropriate progressive methods which suited the development needs of the Northern Region, especially the conservation of watersheds, reforestation and agricultural development. Nearly 30 years ago, the mobile plantation area was rehabilitated to Dry Dipterocarp Forest as before.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hyleoglomeris hongkhraiensis sp. n., (A – C) male holotype, (D – F) male paratype. Habitus in dorsal, ventral, lateral, dorsal, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Hyleoglomeris hongkhraiensis sp. n., (A – C & F – H) male holotype, (D, E & I) male paratype. A head B thoracic shield, lateral view C – E leg 17 F leg 18 G telopod, front view H & I tip of syncoxital horns J telopod, caudal view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Scale bar: A & B drawn not to scale; C – J 0.2 mm.