Desmoxytes variabilis, Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei & Tian, Mingyi, 2016

Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei & Tian, Mingyi, 2016, Six new species of dragon millipedes, genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, mostly from caves in China (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 577, pp. 1-24 : 10-14

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.577.7825

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FA39ED68-8F91-46A9-838A-C0F9803F70DE

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F5F0F547-D6D8-4B91-8DF3-7988C32E1822

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:F5F0F547-D6D8-4B91-8DF3-7988C32E1822

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Desmoxytes variabilis
status

sp. n.

Taxon classification Animalia Polydesmida Paradoxosomatidae

Desmoxytes variabilis View in CoL sp. n. Figs 1H, 12, 13, 14

Holotype

♂ (SCAU), China, Guangxi, Hechi, Fengshan Xian, Fengcheng Zhen, Cave Huoji Dong, 24°28'32"N, 107°03'28"E, ca 500 m a.s.l., 2015-VIII-3, leg. Jujian Chen, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang.

Paratypes.

2 ♂, 3 ♀ (SCAU), same locality and collecting data as the holotype. 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (SCAU), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (ZFMK), same County, Zhaiya Xiang, Laying Cun, Cave II Dong, 2015-VIII-4, leg. Jujian Chen, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang. 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (SCAU), same County, Jinya Xiang, Hangdong Cun, Cave I Dong, 2014-VI-14, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Haomin Yin & Xiaozhu Luo. 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (SCAU), Lingyun Xian, Sicheng Zhen, Wuzhishan, Cave Qianlongya, 2015-VI-10, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang. 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (SCAU), Bama Xian, Yandong Xiang, Namen Cun, Cave Baiyan Dong, 2015-VIII-3; 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (SCAU), Tian’e Xian, Bala Xiang, Gandong Cun, Cave number VIII Dong, 2015-VIII-8. leg. Jujian Chen, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang. 3 ♂, 3 ♀ (SCAU), China, Guangxi, Hechi, Huanjiang Xian, Mulun, way to Mashan Dong, 2007-V-21, leg. Louis Deharveng & Anne Bedos (CHIgx07-21-02). 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (SCAU), China, Guangxi, Hechi, Huanjiang Xian, near Midong Cun, 2007-V-23, leg. Louis Deharveng & Anne Bedos (CHIgx07-23-05).

Name.

To emphasize the metaterga showing a variable pattern of setigerous spines; adjective.

Diagnosis.

This species seems to be especially similar to Desmoxytes nodulosa Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014, from Cave II, Xiao’ao Xiang, Du’an Xian, Hechi, Guangxi, because both share very close patterns of metatergal ornamentation and particularly stout gonopods, but differs by the metaterga showing a variable pattern of setigerous spines, and the particularly complex gonopod solenophore.

Description.

All characters as in Desmoxytes laticollis sp. n., except as follows.

Length ca 17-21 (♂) or 20-24 mm (♀), width of midbody pro- and metazonae 1.0-1.2 and 2.8-3.8 (♂) or 1.5-1.8 and 3.0-4.0 mm (♀), respectively. Holotype 19 mm long, 1.0 and 2.8 mm wide on midbody pro- and metazonae, respectively. In width, head <collum <segment 2-4 <segment 5-16. Coloration (Figs 1H, 12, 14-15) varying from dark to light brownish; paraterga and posterior parts of metaterga finely yellow-brownish. Antennae long and slender, reaching back until posterior margin of segment 5 (♂) or segment 4 (♀) when stretched dorsally (Fig. 12 A–B).

Prozonae faintly microalveolate; metazonae rather microgranulate and shagreened. Collum (Figs 12B, 13B) with 4+4 (or 5+5) anterior and 2+2 (or 3+3) posterior setigerous spines. Metaterga 2-18 (Figs 12-13) each with 2+2 (or 3+3) anterior and 2+2 (or 3+3) posterior setigerous spines, lateral spine of posterior row being much larger than others; metatergum 19 with 3+3 anterior and 2+2 posterior, similar, small, setigerous tubercles. Paraterga very strongly developed, antler-shaped, usually three-branched, each tip with an evident lateral seta (Figs 12-13). Paraterga of collum stout, two-branched; paraterga 2-5 directed more dorsad than laterad; paraterga 19 directed cau dad, horizontal, lying level to dorsum; paraterga 6-18 directed obliquely upwards at ca 45°, in ♂ ending up clearly above dorsum (Figs 12-13), but paraterga slightly lower, shorter, subhorizontal and lying level to dorsum in ♀. Ozopores conspicuous, located at last incision of poriferous paraterga (Fig. 14A). Transverse sulcus obscure on collum and metaterga 2-4; more evident, but incomplete on metaterga 5-17 (Figs 12-13).

Sterna sparsely setose, cross-impressions very shallow (Figs 12-13). A paramedian pair of separated, short, rounded, poorly setose processes between ♂ coxae 4 (Fig. 14B). Legs long and slender, ca 2.5-2.8 (♂) or 2.0-2.2 (♀) times as long as body height; ♂ femora 5-7 each with a conspicuously densely pilose apophysis ventrally at about midlength (Figs 12C, 13 A–B, 14 C–E).

Gonopods (Fig. 14 F–G) very short. Coxite less than 1/3 as long as telopodite. Prefemur less than half the length of acropodite. Femorite stout, apically with a distinct sulcus. Solenophore quite complex and compact, divided into two well differentiated lobes, a higher, bipartite and apically acuminate lamina medialis, plus a lower and curved lamina lateralis; solenomere short and flagelliform.

Remark.

This obviously troglophilic species is rather eurytopic, occurring both outside and inside caves. It shows a remarkably variable pattern of spination on collum and metaterga (Figs 12-13), but the gonopod structure remains stable.