Benedictesmus Shear & Marek, 2021

Shear, William A. & Marek, Paul E., 2021, Three new genera and eighteen new species of miniature polydesmid millipedes from the northwestern United States (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Polydesmidae), Zootaxa 4975 (1), pp. 81-126 : 113

Benedictesmus Shear & Marek , new genus

Type Species: Benedictesmus aureus Shear & Marek , n. sp.

Species included: Bendictesmus aureus , n. sp., B. ellenae , n. sp., B. yaquina , n. sp. and B. timber , n. sp.

Diagnosis. Males of some Benedictesmus species have only 18 postcephalic rings, while females have 19. The short, simple gonopods have a bifurcate terminal zone (tz, Figs 101, 105 ); the pulvillus may be extended into a tube ( B. ellenae , n. sp., Fig. 106 ).

Etymology. The genus is named for the late Ellen M. Benedict (1931–2005), a pseudoscorpion specialist who provided much of the material for this study. Dr. Benedict taught at Portland State University, Malhuer Field Station and Pacific University.

Distribution. Coastal eastern Oregon.

Figures

FIGURES 101–106. Species of Benedictesmus, n. gen. 101, Gonopods of Benedictesmus aureus, n. sp., ventral view. SEM stub WS33-6. 102–106. Benedictesmus ellenae, n. sp. 102. Head and anterior rings, dorsal view. 103. Midbody ring, dorsal view. 104. Pygidium, lateral view. 105. Gonopods in situ, lateroventral view. 106. Pulvillus of gonopod. SEM stub WS33- 13.Abbreviations: p, pulvillus; pp, pulvillar process; ppf, prefemorite pore field; tz, terminal zone.