Theratta eravikulam n. sp. Anilkumar, Wesener & Moritz

Figs 7–9

Diagnosis. Dark purple in color (Figs 7A, B), while T. mannavan n. sp. (Fig. 2A) and T. shola n. sp. are light purple. More than 50 segments (Fig. 7A). T. eravikulam n. sp. differs from T. mannavan n. sp. by a stouter head (Fig. 8A). Ozopore on 5th body-ring with posterior spine-like projection and not elevated (Fig. 8F), while the spine-like projection is absent, elevated and thicker around in the other two species of Theratta (Figs 3G, 10F). Wave-like curve in the center of the posterior margin of the prozonites is absent in T. eravikulam n. sp. (Fig. 8E), while it is present in the other two species of Theratta (Figs 4A, 10E). Tergites are fully covered with deeper striae in T. eravikulam n. sp. (Fig. 8E), while the striae are less pronounced in T. mannavan n. sp. (Fig. 4A) and T. shola n. sp. (Fig. 10E), a unique character for the genus. Differs from T. mannavan n. sp. (Fig. 3B) and T. shola n. sp. (Fig. 10B) by the absence of striae at the anterior margin of antennomeres (Fig. 8A). Distal part of mesal process and lamellar process of podomere II of anterior gonopod rather roundish and broader than in T. mannavan n. sp. . Distal process of mesal process smaller and less lobular than in T. mannavan n. sp. . Podomere II of anterior gonopod with a remnant of a division posteriolaterally (Figs 9D–F). Posterior gonopod with six podomeres (Fig. 9C). T. eravikulam n. sp. shows a genetic p-distance in the COI gene of 25.3% to T. shola n. sp. .

Note. The anterior body-rings, including the head and posterior gonopod of the holotype were damaged. Therefore, some features are described using an immature male paratype. It is a common phenomenon that the number of antennomeres increase in Colobognathan and other millipedes (see David & Couret 1983; Wong et al. 2020).

Etymology. Species epithet, eravikulam, noun in apposition, after the name of the type locality, the Eravikulam National Park.

Materials examined. 1 M holotype (ZFMK-MYR 9752 A), 1 F paratype (ZFMK-MYR 9752 C), 1 immature M paratype (ZFMK-MYR 9752 B), 1 immature F paratype (ZFMK-MYR 9752), India, Province Kerala, Idukki District, Munnar, Eravikulam National Park, Kadalar Shola, 10º08’24.3”N, 77º02’39.3”E, 1703 m, high altitude montane forest, Winkler extraction, leg. A. A. Pooja, J. Jithin, 12 Dec 2019 .