Desmoxytes spiniterga, 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

Taxon classification Animalia Polydesmida Paradoxosomatidae

Desmoxytes spiniterga sp. n. Figs 10, 11

Holotype

♂ (SCAU), China, Guangxi, Hechi, Huanjiang Xian, near Cave Gui Dong II, Secondary forest, litter, Berlese extraction after sifting, 2007-V-18, leg. Louis Deharveng & Anne Bedos (CHIgx07-18-17).

Paratype.

1 ♂ (SCAU), same locality and collecting data as the holotype.

Name.

To emphasize the metaterga showing very evident, spiniform, setigerous paraterga; adjective.

Diagnosis.

Keys out to the superficially most similar Desmoxytes draco Cook & Loomis, 1924 ( Liu et al. 2014), judging from the ornamentation of metaterga, but differs by legs showing no modifications, in the metaterga supplied with more numerous setigerous spines, as well as the rather short femorite of the gonopod and the clearly coiled solenophore (cf. Kraus 2012).

Description.

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

Length ca 11 mm (holotype) or 12 mm (paratype), width of midbody pro- and metazonae 0.5 and 1.8 mm, respectively. In width, head <collum <segment 2-4 <5-16. Coloration brownish to yellowish (Fig. 10). Antennae very long and slender, reaching back until posterior margin of segment 6.

Prozonae faintly microalveolate; metazonae rather microgranulate and shagreened. Collum (Fig. 10A) with 4+4(5) anterior, 2+2 intermediate and 2+2 posterior setigerous spines; following metaterga 2-8 with 3+3 anterior and 3(4)+3(4) posterior setigerous spines; in metaterga 9-18 increasingly more numerous, with a pattern of 3(4)+3(4) anterior, 2 –4+2– 4 middle (behind transverse sulcus) and 5(4)+5 posterior setigerous spines, in posterior row lateral one or two spines being much larger than others; metatergum 19 with the same spination pattern, but setigerous tubercles smaller and similar in size. Paraterga (Figs 10A, 11A) very strongly developed, antler-shaped, usually three-branched, paraterga on collum with two branches; paraterga 2-8 directed more dorsad than laterad; paraterga 9-18 directed laterad, but clearly ending up above dorsum, each with an additional small denticle at last incision; paraterga 19 directed caudad. Ozopores normal, lying at base of last incision of paraterga (Fig. 11A). Transverse sulcus present on segments 3-18, incomplete (Figs 10A, 11A).

Sterna moderately setose, cross-impressions shallow (Fig. 10B). A pair of paramedian processes between ♂ coxae 4 (Figs 10B, 11B). Legs without modifications, midbody legs ca 2.8 times (♂) as long as body height.

Gonopods (Figs 10B, 11 C–D) with coxite about 1/3 as long as telopodite. Prefemur almost half as long as acropodite. Femorite short and slender, slightly enlarged distad. Solenophore clearly coiled and divided into a large spiniform lamella lateralis and a very distinct and coiled lamella medialis. Solenomere relatively long.

Remark.

Compared to cave-dwelling congeners, this species is much smaller and darker.