Scolopocryptops longipes Xiao, Chen & Di, 2021

Xiao, Shuqing, Chen, Huiming & Di, Zhiyong, 2021, Scolopocryptops longipes sp. nov., a troglobitic scolopocryptopine centipede (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopocryptopidae) from China, Zootaxa 5082 (1), pp. 87-94 : 88-91

Scolopocryptops longipes Xiao, Chen & Di , sp. nov.

Figures 1–21 , Table 1

Type material examined. Holotype ( MHBU) unsexed collected by Huiming Chen on 03.Feb. 2011 in Shuiba Cave (its entrance: 25°30’31.9” N, 107°55’34.9” E), Libo County, Guizhou Province, China.

Etymology. The name longipes refers to the obviously long legs of this troglobitic species.

Diagnosis. Cephalic plate slightly wider than long and with complete margination along the lateral margin of cephalic plate, posterior border covering tergite 1; antenna extending to the posterior margin of tergite 8; TT6–19 with complete paramedian sutures, TT5–23 with complete margination; posterior margin of tergite of ultimate legbearing segment with a trapezoid protrusion; LL1–22 almost glabrous, only with very scattered and fine hairs; tibia, tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 of leg 22 each with one spur; prefemur and femur of ultimate legs glabrous, tibia and tarsi with densely bristles, ventral spinous process of the prefemur long and the dorsomedial spinous process short.

Description of holotype. Body length (anterior margin of cephalic plate to posterior margin of tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment) about 53.8 mm.

Pigmentation in alcohol: cephalic plate, coxosternite, tergite 1 and ultimate leg-bearing segment daffodil yellow or yellow orange; antennae, legs and sternites yellow; TT2–22 yellowish brown (posterior part of each tergite dark brown) ( Figs 1–7 ).

Cephalic plate: slightly wider than long (length: 3.95 mm; width: 4.15 mm), and with complete margination along the lateral margin of cephalic plate, its surface with scattered punctuation and minute setae, posterior margin slightly concave in the middle, overlapping the anterior margin of tergite 1 ( Fig. 12 ).

Antennae: 17 articles on each side, extending to the posterior margin of tergite 8 when reflexed (length of right antenna: 24.10 mm); article 1 with scattered setae, AA2–17 with dense short bristles ( Figs 5 , 12, 13 ); article 1 slightly wider than long (article 1 of right antenna: length: 1.03 mm; width: 1.11 mm); AA2–17 longer than wide (article 2 of right antenna: length: 1.24 mm; width: 0.99 mm); distal articles ca. four times longer than wider (article 17 of right antenna: length: 0.98 mm; width: 0.22 mm) ( Figs 3–5 ).

Forcipular coxosternite: anterior margin straight, tooth-plates formed by two long thickened and sclerotized chitinous layers; anterior of coxosternite with a longitudinal keel ending in the middle of the intricate suture; process of forcipular trochanteroprefemur short and stout, apex truncated ( Figs 13, 18 ).

Tergites: smooth, with scattered setae and punctuation. Tergite 1 with an anterior transverse suture ( Fig. 12 ). Tergite 2 with intricate transverse suture ( Fig. 19 ); TT3–5 and TT20–22 with incomplete paramedian sutures, TT6– 19 with complete paramedian sutures ( Figs 6 , 14 ); TT5–23 with complete margination. Posterior part of the tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment with a low median longitudinal depression and posterior margin with trapezoid protrusion ( Figs 14, 15 ).

Spiracles: leg-bearing segment 7 without spiracles.

Sternites: smooth, with a few minute setae and scattered punctuation, without suture ( Figs 7 , 13 ). Sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment with sides converging posteriorly and longer than wide (length: 2.15 mm), basal part broad (width: 1.80 mm), distal part narrow (width: 0.55 mm), posterior margin slightly concave in the middle ( Fig. 17 ).

Coxopleuron: Coxopleural process long, with spinous process on distal part. Pore field reaching almost the whole area of the coxopleuron, except for the dorsal and posterior areas ( Figs 15–16 ).

Legs: LL1–22 almost glabrous, only with very scattered fine hairs, and accessory spines unequal, about 21% and 26% the length of the pretarsus ( Figs 7 , 20 ). LL1–21 with undivided tarsus, legs 22 and 23 with distinct tarsus 1 and tarsus 2. LL1–20 with two tibial spurs, legs 21 and 22 with one tibial spur, ultimate legs without tibial spurs. LL1–21 with one tarsal spur, tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 of leg 22 each with one tarsal spur, ultimate legs without tarsal spurs.

Ultimate legs straight and relatively slender, the left leg is longer than the right (to be interpreted as a developmental defect or regeneration) ( Table 1 ); prefemur and femur glabrous, tibia and tarsi with dense bristles ( Figs 8–11 , 14–15 ); ventral spinous process of the prefemur long, dorsomedial spinous process short ( Fig. 17 ).

Distribution. Shuiba Cave, Libo County, Guizhou Province, China.

Figures

FIGURES 1–11. Scolopocryptops longipes Xiao, Chen & Di, sp. nov. Holotype (MHBU): 1: Habitus, dorsolateral view; 2: Habitus, ventrolateral view; 3: Cephalic plate and first five tergites; 4: Right antennae; 5: AA13–17 of right antenna; 6: TT7–13; 7: First eight sternites; 8: Leg 22 and ultimate legs; 9: Detail of leg 22 and ultimate legs, ventral view; 10: Detail of ultimate legs, dorsal view; 11: Tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 of ultimate legs. Scale bars for Figs 1 & 2 = 5 mm. Scale bars for Figs 3–11 = 2 mm.

FIGURES 12–20. Scolopocryptops longipes Xiao, Chen & Di, sp. nov. Holotype (MHBU): 12: Cephalic plate and tergite 1; 13: Forcipular coxosternite and first two sternites; 14: Tergite 22 and tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment; 15: Ultimate legbearing segment; 16: Coxopleural pore field; 17: Ultimate leg-bearing segment, ventral view; 18: Tooth-plates; 19: Posterior of tergite 1, detail of tergite 2 and anterior of tergite 3; 20: Accessory spines of right leg 21. Scale bars for Figs 12–17 = 2 mm. Scale bars for Figs 18 & 19 = 1 mm. Scale bars for Fig. 20 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 21. Map of the Guizhou Province, showing the approximate distance between Shuiba Cave and Zhijin Cave.