Coloradesmus hopkinsae Shear & Steinmann

Shear, William A. & Steinmann, David B., 2019, Cave millipedes of the United States. XV. Coloradesmus gen. nov. (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae), and four new species from caves in Colorado, USA, Subterranean Biology 32, pp. 15-32 : 22-23

Coloradesmus hopkinsae Shear & Steinmann sp. nov. Figs 9-10 , 11-14 , 15

Types.

Male holotype and male paratypes from Colorado, Garfield Co.: Bair Cave, 9800' asl, 39°38'N, 107°14'W, 200 ft from entrance, collected September 1998 and 19 June 1999 by D. Steinmann.

Diagnosis.

Similar in somatic characters to both C. aquiliensis and C. manitou , but differing from both in the broader, more irregularly shaped prefemoral process of the gonopods, and in having a short endomerite tightly appressed to the prefemoral process.

Etymology.

The species is named in honor of Kay Hopkins of the United States Forest Service for her contributions to cave conservation, cave research and cave preservation.

Description.

Male holotype. Length about 7.0 mm, greatest width 0.66 mm. With the characters of the genus. Head sparsely setose. Basal joint of mandibles not greatly exceeding width of collum; front margin of collum evenly arcuate, posterior margin shallowly embayed ( Fig. 9 ). Setae of collum and metazonites acute throughout ( Figs 9 - 11 ), setal rows of metazonites sometimes interrupted, supplemental setae sometimes present ( Fig. 10 ). Setal tubercles become more prominent posteriorly (cf. Figs 10 , 11 ). Telson rounded, with two distinct rows of setae; epiproct blunt ( Fig. 11 ). Gonopod socket occupies entire width of prozonite, subcordate, indenting ninth sternite ( Fig. 12 ). Gonopods with robust acropodite (a, Fig. 13 ), ending in long, acute distal zone (dz, Figs 13 , 14 ); seminal pore long, with many tiny finger-like cuticular projections ( Fig. 15 ); endomerite (e, Fig. 13 ) short, tightly appressed to prefemoral process. Prefemoral process (pfp, Figs 13 , 14 ), large, broad, scoop-shaped, with subapical lateral tooth, tip acute, slightly lobed.

Distribution.

COLORADO: Garfield Co.: Groaning Cave, 39°42'N, 107°10'W, 9800' (2804 m) asl, 9 October 2008, D. Steinmann, male, females, juveniles.

Figures

Figures 7 - 10. Coloradesmus species males. 7 C. aquiliensis gonopods, anterior view 8 C. aquiliensis gonopods, lateral view 9 C. hopkinae collum, dorsal view 10 C. hopkinae midbody ring, dorsal view. See text for explanation of labels.

Figures 11 - 14. Coloradesmus hopkinae male. 11 Telson, dorsal view 12 gonopods, ventral view 13 right gonopod, mesal view 14 right gonopod, medioposterior view. See text for explanation of labels.

Figures 15 - 20. Coloradesmus species males. 15 C. hopkinae, gonopod seminal pore 16 - 20 C. manitou 16 collum, dorsal view 17 midbody ring, dorsal view 18 telson, dorsal view 19 gonopods, ventral view 20 Gonopods, posterior view. See text for explanation of labels.