Pseudotremia pomarium, Shear, William A., 2011

Shear, William A., 2011, Cave millipeds of the United States. X. New species and records of the genus Pseudotremia Cope. 2. Species from Virginia, USA (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Cleidogonidae), Zootaxa 3109, pp. 1-38 : 13

Pseudotremia pomarium , n. sp.

Figs. 19–25

Type: Male holotype from the west side of Apple Orchard Mountain, 3200’ asl, Botetourt Co., VIRGINIA, collected 22 April 1974 by R. Hoffman and L. Knight. Parts of the holotype, including the head, gonopods and some segments are on SEM stub WS22–7.

Diagnosis: The appearance of the gonopods, especially in anterior view (fig. 22) is unique, showing the narrow, reduced MAPs and the very broad LAPs.

Etymology: The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition, “orchard,” in reference to the type locality. Suggested vernacular name: Apple Orchard Mountain Rough-backed Milliped.

Description: Male holotype about 32 mm long, 3.2 mm wide, third antennal segment 1.7 mm long. Ocelli 22 on each side (fig. 19), well-formed, contiguous, probably pigmented in life. Segmental shoulders marked by strong rim (fig. 20); midbody metazonites convex, nearly smooth; about nine lateral striae, some incomplete (fig. 21). Color in life unknown.

Gonopods (figs. 22, 23, 25) robust, angiocoxites nearly contiguous, not widely separated but clearly demarked from body of coxa (fig. 22); MAPs relatively small, narrow, with very long, curved, anteriorly directed subapical spines, apical spines absent. LAPs basally very broad, much larger, wider than MAPs, curved strongly inward; in lateral view (fig. 25) twisted at division point so that dorsal branch points ventrally and ventral branch points dorsally. Colpocoxites much reduced; VCP large, acute, slightly twisted apically, DCP nearly as long, but quite narrow, evenly curved (figs. 23, 25). Ninth legs typical of epigean species, femur as long or longer than coxoprefemur, with three distal small articles (fig. 24).

Notes: This large epigean species is known only from the male holotype. Long preservation has bleached the specimen but in life the ocelli were likely black and the body typically dark purplish brown.

Figures

FIGURES 19 – 24. Pseudotremia pomarium, n. sp. Fig. 19, ocelli. Fig. 20, diplosegment, dorsal view. Fig. 21, diplosegment, lateral view. Fig. 22, gonopods, anterior view. Fig. 23, gonopods, ventral view; dcp, dorsal colpocoxite process; vcp, ventral colpocoxite process. Fig. 24, right ninth leg, anterior view.

FIGURES 25 – 31. New species of Pseudotremia. Fig. 25, gonopods of Pseudotremia pomarium, n. sp., lateral view; dcp, dorsal colpocoxite process; vcp, ventral colpocoxite process. Figs. 26 – 31, P. o rn d or ffi, n. sp. Fig. 26, lateral view of anterior end of female. Fig. 27, ocelli. Fig. 28, metazonite, dorsal view. Fig. 29, metazonite, lateral view. Fig. 30, gonopods, ventral view. Fig. 31, right leg 9, anterior view.