Paracortina thallina (Wang & Zhang, 1993)

Figs 14, 15, 16, 26D, E, 28

Relictus thallinus Wang & Zhang, 1993: 380, figs 14-18.

Paracortina thallina: Stoev and Geoffroy 2004: 103, key; Liu and Tian 2015: 139, key.

Material examined.

1 male, China, Yunnan, Shangrila, Degen, SW of Benzibanzhen, 214 Nm Road, NE slope of SE Baima Mt. Range, 28°6'50"N, 99°12'24"E, alt. 3260, 07.06.2013, I. Belousov, I. Kabak & G. Davidian leg. (Rd 5344 ZMUM), Stoev & Akkari det. 2023.

Diagnosis.

Most similar to P. leptoclada in the expanded distal part of the telopodite bearing a large rounded lateral lamella and a hook-shaped process pointing anterodistad. Different in the shape and orientation of the distal lamella, (vs laterally expanded and folded lamella and a shorter mesal coxal process in P. leptoclada).

Descriptive notes.

Male with 55 PTs + Telson. Length ca 39.7 mm. Live colour unknown. Preserved specimen with a general dark brown to greyish colour, legs and antennae yellowish with a dark sputter (Figs 14, 15A), prozona greyish with fine brown sputter (Figs 14A, 15B); metazona dark greyish brown dorsally especially on crests, anterior part greyish with a fine pale brown sputter interrupted by larger irregular yellow alveolate spots, colour gradually fading below the ozopores and ventrally. Head with dark pigmentation on the vertex and frons, mandibular stipes and gnathochilarium yellowish (Fig. 14B, C). Fields of ommatidia subtriangular, composed of ~ 62 ommatidia in ten rows. Organ of Tömösváry very large, ~ 0.8 mm, situated close to and touching the anterior side of eye (Fig. 14B).

Male sexual characters.

Head with a triangular protruding projection on vertex (Figs 14B, C, 15A). Leg-pairs 1 and 2 reduced and setose (Fig. 14C), showing prefemoral and tarsal brushes, leg-pair 2 with a dome-shaped anterior process on coxa and posterior gonopore, leg-pair 4 with an anterior triangular process on coxa (Fig. 15A), leg-pair 6 with a small mesal tooth on coxa (Fig. 26D), leg-pair 7 with one mesal and one lateral slender hyaline pointed processes on coxa (Fig. 26E), coxal sacs (Fig. 15C) noticeable from leg-pair 3-23.

Gonopods (Figs 15D, E, 16). Diverging. Each gonopod with two large, setose, clavate prefemoroidal processes (pf1, pf2) with pf1 slightly larger than pf2 (Fig. 15D); coxa with a large lobe laterally (Cl) and a low projection (Ca) anteriorly (Figs 15D, 16), a mesal anterior triangular process (a) and a long falcate coxal processes (b) reaching the distal part of the telopodite (both broken in the studied specimen). Telopodite (T) with a long slightly curved stem, distally abruptly expanding in a sub-rectangular posterior process with rounded margins (Fig. 16C, D) connected to a transparent jagged lamella (dl) projecting anteriad (Fig. 15D), apically folded (Fig. 16C, D), and a curved hook-shaped process pointing meso-anteriad (Fig. 16), narrowing towards its apex and bifurcating into the opening of the solenomere (s) and parasolenomere (ps).

Distribution.

Batang County, Sichuan, and Shangrila County, Yunnan, China (Fig. 28).

Comments.

This is the second record of the species since its original description. Here we provide the first micrographs illustrating the habitus of the species (Figs 14, 15).