Nannaria tenuis, Means & Hennen & Marek, 2021

Means, Jackson C., Hennen, Derek A. & Marek, Paul E., 2021, A revision of the minor species group in the millipede genus Nannaria Chamberlin, 1918 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Xystodesmidae), ZooKeys 1030, pp. 1-180 : 1

Nannaria tenuis sp. nov. Figs 63 , 64 Vernacular name: "The Svelte Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Virginia • ♂; Bland Co., 1.0 km southeast of Bastian ; 37.1453°N, - 81.1417°W; elev. 728 m; 2 Feb. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, T. Price leg.; VTEC MPE00990 .

Paratype: United States - Virginia • ♀; Bland County, 1.6 km southeast of Bastian ; 37.1407°N, - 81.1394°W; elev. 797 m; 15 Jan. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, V. Wong, T. Price leg.; VMNH MPE00925 .

Other material.

United States - Virginia • 1 ♂; Bland county , in gully, side of hill, by creek near power line; 37.1537°N, - 81.1450°W; elev. 712 m; 8 Feb. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, T. Price, Kyle leg.; VTEC MPE00991 • 3 ♀♀; Bland County; 37.1193°N, - 81.1357°W; elev. 874; 1 Apr. 2016; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt leg.; VTEC MPE01087 -89 • 1 ♀; Bland County; 37.1184°N, - 81.1360°W; elev. 861 m; 1 Apr. 2016; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt leg.; VTEC MPE01095 • 1 ♂; Bland County; 37.1159°N, - 81.1363°W; elev. 890 m; 1 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt leg.; VTEC MPE01086 • 1 ♂; Bland County; 37.1149°N, - 81.1347°W; elev. 864 m; 1 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt leg.; VTEC MPE01106 • 1 ♀; Bland County; 37.1134°N, - 81.1339°W; elev. 842 m; 1 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt leg.; VTEC MPE01109 • 1 ♀; Bland County; 37.1200°N, - 81.1360°W; elev. 894 m; 7 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt, Tyler, Renea leg.; VTEC MPE01115 • 1 ♀; Bland County; 37.1218°N, - 81.1356°W; elev. 889 m; 7 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt, Tyler, Renea leg.; VTEC MPE01114 • 1 ♂; Bland County; 37.1234°N, - 81.1355°W; elev. 889 m; 7 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt, Tyler, Renea leg.; VTEC MPE01111 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MPE01112 , 1113 • 1 ♂; Bland County, off AT down from the road; 37.1369°N, - 81.1372°W; elev. 939 m; 20 May 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Shorter, D. Krall leg.; VTEC MPE01319 • 1 ♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MPE01320 • 1 ♂; Bland County, small creek with forest on either side, gully; 37.1449°N, - 81.1412°W; elev. 748 m; 20 May 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Shorter, D. Krall leg.; VTEC MPE01317 • 1 ♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC, MPE01318 . For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria tenuis sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the sympatric N. aenigma , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite gently curving medially before apex, distal zone curving dorsomedially, with caudally directed tip, not medially directed as in N. ignis sp. nov. Tip rounded with small lateral flange (Fig. 63A , red arrow), not thin and serpentine, lacking flanges as in N. aenigma . Acropodite with medial swelling before apex, not simple as in N. ignis sp. nov. and N. aenigma . Telopodite basal zone thin and elongate,> 1/3 length of acropodite, not ca. 1/4 length of acropodite as in N. ignis sp. nov., or ca. 1/6 length as in N. aenigma . Prefemur with dorsomedially curving prefemoral process, not serpentine, curving ventrally and bending cephalo-laterally at tip as in N. ignis sp. nov., or straight, acicular as in N. aenigma . Prefemoral spine reduced to slight swelling at base of prefemoral process (Fig. 63C , red triangle), not large, projected as in N. ignis sp. nov. Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 64 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with caudal orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE00990): BL = 30.6, CW = 4.1, IW = 2.4, ISW = 0.9, B11W = 5.1, B11H = 3.3; ♀ paratype (VMNH, MPE00925): BL = 35.4, CW = 3.9, IW = 2.6, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 5.1, B11H = 3.6.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known only from southwestern Virginia (Virginia: Bland County; Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). The distribution of N. tenuis sp. nov. is restricted to the area just southeast of Bastian, Virginia. Distribution area: <1 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. tenuis sp. nov. were collected in winter and spring from mesic broadleaved forests, were found under hardwood leaf litter, and were occasionally beneath 1-2 cm of soil. Two individuals, including the female holotype, were found under ca. 7 cm of snow when temperatures were below freezing, suggesting that there ostensibly exists some cold tolerance in Nannaria .

Etymology.

This species is named for its strikingly thin telopodite basal zone. The specific name is an adjective derived from the Latin tenuis, meaning thin.

Type locality.

United States, Virginia, Bland Co., 1.0 km southeast of Bastian; 37.1453°N, - 81.1417°W.

Figures

Figure 63. Nannaria tenuis sp. nov. ♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE 00990) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow indicates small lateral flange B medial view C posterior view; red triangle indicates reduced prefemoral spine. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 64. Nannaria tenuis sp. nov. ♂ non-type (VTEC, MPE 00991) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

Figure 126. Distribution map of Nannaria minor species group collection localities in the central Appalachians.