Trichopeltis liangfengdong, Liu, Weixin & Wynne, J. Judson, 2019

Liu, Weixin & Wynne, J. Judson, 2019, Cave millipede diversity with the description of six new species from Guangxi, China, Subterranean Biology 30, pp. 57-94 : 73-75

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.30.35559

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:19205CA6-4680-45D4-A3A0-F1640752D41B

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7E972E70-ADDA-4CA1-924F-3016EF5E3FA7

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:7E972E70-ADDA-4CA1-924F-3016EF5E3FA7

treatment provided by

Subterranean Biology by Pensoft

scientific name

Trichopeltis liangfengdong
status

sp. nov.

Trichopeltis liangfengdong sp. nov. Figs 4A View Figure 4 , 15 View Figure 15 , 16 View Figure 16 , 17 View Figure 17

Type material.

Holotype male (SCAU), China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Lingchuan County, Liangfeng Cave [25°12'34.86"N, 110°31'56.8"E], 184 m el., deep zone, steam bank, direct intuitive search, 18 November 2016, J.J. Wynne leg. Paratypes, 4 females (SCAU), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

This species name, liangfengdong, is used as a noun in apposition and is the name of the type locality.

Diagnosis.

Adult male of T. liangfengdong sp. nov. is distinct from other Trichopeltis species based on the following combination of characters: (1) metaterga 2-15 with four transverse rows of small, setigerous tubercles ( Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ); (2) gonopod coxae without seta and acropodite with several small subapical lobules (los) ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 ). This new species is similar to T. reflexus (a troglobiont from a cave in Hunan), but is distinguished by (1) metaterga 2-15 with four transverse rows of setigerous tubercles vs. two transverse rows in T. reflexus ; (2) tip of acropodite bifid ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 ) vs. distorted in T. reflexus .

Description.

Based on type specimens. Length of both sexes ca 14.0-15.0 mm, widths of mid-body pro- and metazonae 1.5-2.0 and 4.8-5.0 mm. Coloration: generally pallid ( Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ). Body: with 20 rings ( Fig. 15 View Figure 15 ). In width, collum < ring 2 < 3 = 4 < 5 < 6 < 7-16; thereafter body gradually tapered posteriorly towards telson. Head: densely pilose and microgranulate, epicranial suture present ( Fig. 16A View Figure 16 ). Antennae long, reaching past ring 3 when extended posteriorly; in length, antennomere 6 = 5 > 4 = 3 > 2 > 7 > 1. Exoskeleton: Collum fan-shaped ( Fig. 15A View Figure 15 ), covering the head from above, dorsal surface with irregular several small, round, setigerous tubercles. Marginal lobules on collum: 13+13 small, setigerous, rounded anteriorly, 7+7 relative larger, laterally and 5+5 very small caudally. Mid-dorsal regions on rings 2-15 with four more or less regular, transverse rows of similarly small, setigerous tubercles, 4-5 + 4-5 per row ( Figs 15B View Figure 15 , 16B View Figure 16 ). Several tubercles extending onto paraterga. Following metaterga with five rows of smaller tubercles, 6-7 + 6-7 per row ( Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ). Paraterga strongly developed, clearly upturned dorsally above the dorsum only on the collum, other paraterga flat. Each with 5-6 small, dentiform, lateral and 7-8 much larger, squarish caudolateral lobules, all evident, setigerous and microvillose ( Figs 15 View Figure 15 , 16A, B View Figure 16 ). Cau dolateral lobules on paraterga mostly oblong, relatively large, and well separated from one another ( Fig. 16A View Figure 16 ). Caudolateral corner of paraterga projecting behind rear tergal margin on rings 15-19 ( Fig. 15 View Figure 15 ). Integument clearly microgranulate throughout, prozonae finely alveolated. Limbus regularly crenulated. Stricture between pro- and metazonae broad, shallow and finely microgranulated. Tergal setae simple and short ( Fig. 16A, B View Figure 16 ). Ozopores invisible, pore formula untraceable. Epiproct short, with four spinnerets apically. Hypoproct subtrapeziform, 1+1 caudal setigerous papillae clearly separated. Pleurosternal carinae present on rings 2 and 3 in both sexes. Sterna modestly setose, cross-shaped impressions moderate, broadened between ♂ coxae 9 ( Fig. 16C View Figure 16 ). Legs long and slender, unmodified, produced beyond paratergal lateral margin ( Fig. 15 View Figure 15 ), about 1.8 times as long as mid-body ring height in both sexes. Gonopods: ( Figs 16D, E View Figure 16 , 17 View Figure 17 ) Coxite short and squarish, without seta. Prefemur densely setose and a particularly long setae; nearly half the length of telopodite. Femorite strongly flatten, pie-shaped, with a small lobe (l) ventrally. Acropodite folded, with several small subapical lobules (los), tip bifid. Seminal groove terminating with a hairy pulvillus, forming no distinct solenomere.

Habitat.

Specimens were collected in the same general location as H. yuani sp. nov. specimens. Thus, refer to the H. yuani sp. nov. habitat description.

Notes.

Based on the long slender antennae and legs and a depigmented cuticle, the species is considered a troglobiont.