Desmoxytes nodulosa, Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Tian, Mingyi, 2014

Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Tian, Mingyi, 2014, A review of the dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923 in China, with descriptions of four new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 448, pp. 9-26 : 12-13

Taxon classification Animalia Polydesmida Paradoxosomatidae

Desmoxytes nodulosa sp. n. Figs 7, 8, 9

Holotype.

♂ (SCAU), China, Guangxi, Hechi City, Du’an County, Xia’ao Town, near Xia’ao Middle School, cave II, 24°17.987'N, 107°57.146'E, 317 m, 3.V.2013, leg. Tian Mingyi, Liu Weixin, Sun Feifei & Yin Haomin.

Paratypes.

3 ♂, 4 ♀ (SCAU), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (IZAS), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (ZMUM), same locality, and collecting data as of the holotype. 1 ♀ (SCAU), same county, Yong’an Town, Yong’an Village, cave I, 24°14.659'N, 108°03.032'E, 287 m; 1 ♀ (SCAU), same town, Anju Village, cave Suidao Dong, 24°13.340'N, 108°05.694'E, 311 m, 3.V.2013, leg. Tian Mingyi, Liu Weixin, Sun Feifei & Yin Haomin; 1 ♂, 2 ♀ (SCAU), same county, Longwan Town, Qunle Village, cave I, 23°56.021'N, 108°10.962'E, 459 m, 27.VI.2013, leg. Tian Mingyi, Lin Wei, Liu Weixin, Yin Haomin & Huang Sunbin.

Name.

To emphasize the humped ♂ femora 5-7.

Diagnosis.

Differs from congeners in most of the paraterga being wing-shaped, combined with the humped ♂ femora 5-7, the sternal process present between ♂ coxae 4, occasionally also between ♂ coxae 3, as well as a short gonopod femorite and a strongly condensed solenophore.

Description.

Length ca 19-22 (♂) or 20-23 mm (♀), width of midbody pro- and metaterga together with paraterga 1.0-1.5 and 2.2-2.8 (♂), or 1.8-2.0 and 2.8-3.0 mm (♀), respectively. Holotype 21.0 mm long, 1.5 and 2.5 mm wide on midbody pro- and metaterga, respectively. Coloration of material varying from pallid to rather uniformly dark brownish (Fig. 7A). Head yellowish to dark brownish; antennae and anterior body part often a little darker brownish; paraterga, posterior parts of metaterga, sterna and a few basal podomeres pallid to yellowish (Fig. 7A, D). In width, head> collum> segment 2-4 <5-18, thereafter body gradually tapering towards telson. Head rather densely setose, epicranial suture distinct (Fig. 7A). Antennae rather long and slender, reaching back until segment 6 (♂) or 5 (♀) when stretched dorsally, antennomeres 5 and 6 each with a compact apicodorsal group of bacilliform sensilla.

Prozonae very delicately microalveolate, but shining; collum, metaterga, paraterga and surface below paraterga finely shagreened and microgranulate, moderately setose in posterior parts of metaterga (Fig. 7 B–E). Collum with two transverse rows of coniform spines: 4+4 anterior, 2+2 posterior; paraterga stout and spiniform, directed dorsolaterad, with a spine anteriorly at base (Figs 7A, 8A). Metaterga 2-19 each with 2+2 and 2+2 (or 2+3) coniform spines arranged in two transverse rows, lateral spines of posterior rows much larger than the others in metaterga 2-18 (Figs 7 A–C, G, 8B), but of same size on metatergum 19 (Fig. 7C). Paraterga very strongly developed, wing-shaped, usually 3-lobate laterally, occasionally with a setigerous denticle near ozopore, slightly thicker in pore-bearing segments; tip of each paratergal incision with an evident lateral seta (Figs 7B, G, 8B). Paraterga 2-8 directed obliquely upwards at ca 45°, following pareterga growing increasingly horizontal and ending up clearly above dorsum in ♂ (Fig. 7 B–C), but slightly lower, shorter, subhorizontal and level to dorsum in ♀. Pore formula normal; ozopores conspicuous, located inside an ovoid groove about 1/3 in front of caudal corner (Figs 7 B–C, 8B). Transverse sulcus obscure on collum and metaterga 2-4; more evident, but incomplete on metaterga 5-18 (Figs 7D, 8B). Pleurosternal carinae visible on segments 2 and 3 in both sexes, absent on the rest. Epiproct with 1+1 setigerous knobs on lateral sides, and 2+2 paramedian ones dorsally near midway, tip truncate, lateral pre-apical papillae very distinct, tuberculiform (Fig. 7C). Hypoproct subtrapeziform, caudal margin very slightly concave, setigerous cones at caudal edge very small, widely separated. Axial line missing.

Sterna sparsely setose, cross-impressions visible (Fig. 7E). A rounded subcylindrical sternal process with two small pores between ♂ coxae 4 (Figs 7H, 8G); occasionally a paramedian pair of small, short, rounded tubercles between ♂ coxae 3 as well (Figs 7H, 8F). Legs 1 short, following ones growing increasingly longer and slenderer towards telson, ca 2.2-2.8 (♂) or 2.0-2.2 (♀) times longer than midbody height. ♂ femora 5-7 each with a very strong, rounded, mesal, densely pilose apophysis in distal 1/2 (Figs 7I, 8 C–E).

Gonopods (Figs 7F, 9A, B) short. Coxite short, subcylindrical, poorly setose distodorsally, about 1/3 as long as telopodite. Prefemoral portion less than half as long as acropodite, densely setose. Femorite quite stout, slightly enlarged distad, with seminal groove running entirely on the mesal side, apically with a distinct sulcus demarcating a short, strongly condensed solenophore. Solenomere long, flagelliform, well separated at base from solenophore.

Remarks.

Although the coloration of this species is quite variable, based on several troglomorphic traits such as some individuals being completely unpigmented, and the antennae and legs clearly elongated, this species may well be a troglobite.