Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991

Golovatch, S. I., 2014, Review of the millipede genus Epanerchodus Attems, 1901 in continental China, with descriptions of new species (Diplopoda: Polydesmidae), Zootaxa 3760 (2), pp. 275-288 : 276-277

Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991

Figs 1–6

Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991: 153 .

Material examined: 1 male, 5 females, 3 subadults (19 segments) ( SMF), China, Gansu Prov., Lianhua Shan Mts, 2870 m a.s.l, cool Picea-Abies forest with Betula & Salix , 34.925°N, 103.730°E, 13.06.2013, leg. J. Martens; 1 male, 1 fragment ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., NW of Mianning, broadleaved forest, 4035 m a.s.l., 28°40’03”N, 103°00’56”E, 07.06.2012; 1 incomplete female ( ZMUM), same locality, 3675 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28°38’41”N, 102°03’59”E, 06.06.2012; 3 females ( ZMUM), same locality, 2475 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28°38’41”N, 102°03’59”E, 05.06.2012; 3 females, 1 juvenile ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., S of Muli, 3065 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27°44’34”N, 101°17’26”E, 23.05.2012, all leg. I. Belousov, I. Kabak, G. Davidian & A. Korolev; 1 subadult female ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Maoxian County, SE of Shangxinzhen, 3155 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 31°34’04”N, 103°47’41”E, 30.06.2012; 1 incomplete female ( ZMUM), Sichuan, Jiulong County, SE of Wulaxixiang, 3445 a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28°35’21”N, 101°36’14”E, 12.06.2012, both leg. I. Belousov & G. Davidian; 2 females ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Pass Pingchuan to Yanyuan, 3205 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27°31’51”N, 101°42’43”E, 20.07.2011; 1 female ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Pass Pingchuan, 3445 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27°39’55”N, 101°44’28”E, 16.07.2011, all leg. I. Belousov & I. Kabak.

Remarks. Since this species has been described both from Gansu and Sichuan provinces ( Golovatch 1991), the above samples can be regarded as near-topotypes which are also restricted to high elevations. Slight variations concern only coloration (only rarely a little lighter or darker, but usually rather dark brown, Figs 1–4 ) and the shape and length of the outgrowths on the gonopod telopodite, in particular the exomere (ex) and the processes at the base of the endomere (en) ( Fig. 6 ). Sometimes ex is slightly broadened and flattened near midway (male from NW of Mianning), normally subspiniform, but occasionally microspiculate ( Fig. 6 ). Processes p1 and p2 can also vary in length, e.g. p 2 in the male from NW of Mianning is considerably longer than p1 and nearly as long as en. What seems to be stable is the rather small mesal lobe s at the base of the en ( Fig. 6 ) while sphaerotrichomes are present in male postfemora, tibiae and tarsi ( Fig. 5 ) (see also Golovatch 1991).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991, male from Lianhua Shan Mts. 1: habitus, lateral view. 2: anterior body part, dorsal view. 3: midbody segments, dorsal view. 4: posterior body part, dorsal view. Pictures by K. Makarov, not taken to scale.

FIGURES 5 & 6. Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991, male from Lianhua Shan Mts. 5: leg 7, lateral view. 6: right gonopod, mesal view. Scale bars: 5, 1.0 mm; 6, 0.2 mm.