Psammopauropus, Bu, 2020

Bu, Yun, 2020, A remarkable new genus and species of Hansenauropodidae (Myriapoda Pauropoda) from the seashore of Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 4803 (2), pp. 373-380 : 375

Psammopauropus new genus

Type species. Psammopauropus macrospinus gen. et sp. n., here designated.

Diagnosis. Body cylindrical and slender. Tergites II–V transversally divided into a protergite and a metatergite. All legs very short. Legs 1 and 9 5-segmented, others 6-segmented. Antennal flagella relatively short; trichobothria short; sternal antennal branch with setae q only. Tergal setae very short. Pygidium short and strongly sclerotized, with one pair of dorsal spines (a 1) and globular pubescent seta st, and pygidial sternum with setae b 1 + b 2. Tarsi straight, with one globular distal seta on tarsi 1–8 only, with one large globular distal seta and one proximal striate seta on tarsus 9.

The new genus can be easily separated from other three genera of the family by the presence of dorsal spines on the pygidium and globular distal setae on the tarsi. Psammopauropus gen. n. also differs from the other three genera in the following characters—(1) the shape of the setae on the tergites: short striate setae in Psammopauropus gen. n. vs. setae with only with many small protuberances inserted irregularly in Hansenauropus ; scutiform setae in Antillauropus and hastiform setae or cup-like protuberances in Virginopauropus ; (2) the number of tergal sclerites: 10 in Psammopauropus gen. n., Antillauropus and Virginopauropus , vs. 9 in Hansenauropus ; and (3) the number of segments of legs: only leg 1 and 9 5-segmented and others 6-segmented in Psammopauropus gen. n. and Virginopauropus vs. all legs 5-segmented in Hansenauropus and Antillauropus .

Etymology. “ Psammo -” means “sand”, the genus name Psammopauropus refers to the habitat of the species in sand.

Species included. Only the type species, Psammopauropus macrospinus sp. n.

Remarks. The genus undoubtedly belongs to the family Hansenauropodidae on the following characteristics: tergites II–V transversally divided into a protergite and a metatergite, and pygidial sternum with setae b 1 + b 2.