Speorthus tuganbius Chamberlin, 1952

Shear, William A. & Reddell, James M., 2017, Cave millipedes of the United States. XIV. Revalidation of the genus Speorthus Chamberlin, 1952 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae), with a description of a new species from Texas and remarks on the families Polydesmidae and Macrosternodesmidae in North America, Insecta Mundi 2017 (529), pp. 1-13 : 2-3

Speorthus tuganbius Chamberlin, 1952

Fig. 1–6 , 15, 16 , 19, 20 , 21

S. tuganbius Chamberlin 1952, p. 12 .

Speodesmus tuganbius, Shear 1974, p. 6 .

The redescription by Shear (1974) is accurate with respect to the nonsexual and gonopodal characters of the species, but to supplement the 1974 redescription, we provide additional illustrations here ( Fig. 1–6 , 15, 16 , 19, 20 ) from topotypical specimens collected in Carlsbad Caverns, Eddy Co., New Mexico. The species has been collected many times at the type locality since its description in 1952. Shear (1974) gives a number of locality records from Socorro, Lincoln and De Baca Counties, New Mexico, and additional records from Eddy and Chaves Counties are presented here ( Fig. 21 ). The records from Chaves, Eddy, Socorro, Lincoln, and De Baca Counties suggest that the surface-dwelling ancestor of this species had a wide distribution in central and southeastern New Mexico and far western Texas. The lack of significant variation over the range indicates that the apparent extinction of surface-dwelling populations was relatively recent. But at least in some regions, such as the gypsum plains of southeastern New Mexico and far western Texas, genetic exchange could be taking place via movement through loosely consolidated alluvium overlying the gypsum in which the caves are found and which, via arroyos, even provides a potential conduit between the Guadalupe Mountains and the gypsum plains.

All specimens are in the Biodiversity Collections, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas. Exact coordinates of cave locations are not given due to conservation concerns, but were used to produce our map.

NEW MEXICO: Chaves Co.: Gypsum Cave, near Roswell , 1 July 1967, T. Rossen. Eddy Co. : Adobe Cave , 30 November 1991, D. Pate ; Barbed Wire Cave, Sinkhole Flat , 23 mi. SW of Artesia, 6 June 1992, J. Cokendolpher et. al ; Batman Cave, Sinkhole Flat , 22 June 1993, J. Cokendopher et al .; Crumble Cave, Sinkhole Flat , 23 January 1993, J. Cokendolpher et al .; Oasis Cave, Sinkhole Flat , 6 June 1992, J. Cokendolpher et al .; Beetle Cave , 30 December 1964, J. Redell et al .; Cave Tree Cave , 19 October 1974, W. C. Wellbourn ; Cottonwood Cave , 27 mi SW of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 18 April 1963, J. Russell ; Dry Cave , 24 May 1971, W. R. Smartt ; Hell Below Cave , 19 October 1974, W. C. Wellbourn ; Hermit Cave (also called Gunsight Cave ), 2 September 1973 ; Hidden Cave , numerous collections from 1963-1992 ; Isinglass Cave, near Carlsbad , June 1961, R. Ballinger ; Millipede Cave , 31 December 1964, J. Reddell ; New Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park , 26 May 1973, W. C. Wellbourn ; Ogle Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park , 27 May 1973, W. C. Wellbourn ; Pink Dragon Cave , 17 January 1967, D. McKenzie ; Rainbow Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park , 27 May 1973, W. C. Wellbourn ; Run Away Cave , 16 Febuary 1972, D. Pate ; Russell’s Slush Pit , 30 December 1964, J. Reddell et al .; Sentinal Cave , 1 September 1973, W. C. Wellbourn ; unnamed pit on Lonesome Ridge , 6 mi S of Cottonwood Cave, 14 April 1963, J. Reddell ; Wind Cave, 30 August 1973, W. C. Wellbourn. Lincoln Co.: Serpentine Root Cave , April 1973, W. C. Wellbourn. TEXAS: Culberson Co. : Bee Line Cave , 1 September 2008, C. Savvas ; Cataract Cave , 10 July 1970, J. Reddell ; Popcorn Cave , 25 mi. NW of Orla, 28 March 1969, J. Reddell, A. Smith ; Hill Sink Cave , 10 May 1986, J. Reddell, M. Reyes ; Decent Cave , 10 May 1986, J. Reddell, M. Reyes ; Border Cave , 10 October 1962, 30 November 1962, K. Baker, 23 May 2002, J. Krejca, C. Lee ; cave 100 m WNW of Border Cave , 23 May 2002, J. Krejca, C. Lee ; Den Cave , 32 mi. WNW of Orla, 16 July 1968, no collector named ; Dead Bunny Hole , 3 September 2006, V. Siegel, B. Shade ; Crystal Cave , 11 May 1988. J. Reddell, M. Reyes ; Hully Gully Cave , 18 July 1970, J. Reddell ; Cataract Cave , 10 July 1970, J. Reddell ; Porcupine Fissure , 8 July 1970, J. Reddell, A. R. Smith ; Cutoff Cave , 29 June 1967, J. Reddell ; New Cave , 28 June 1967, J. Reddell ; Olive’s Cave , 25 June 1967, J. Reddell et al .

Figures

Figure 21. Southeastern New Mexico and western Texas, showing distribution of Speorthus tuganbius (dots; includes localities reported by Shear [1974]), and the type locality of S. reyesi, new species (square).

Figures 1–6. Speorthus tuganbius topotype male. 1) Collum, dorsal view. 2) Ninth ring, dorsal view. 3) Epiproct, dorsal view. 4) Gonopods, posterioventral view. 5) Right gonopod, posterior view. 6) Tips of gonopod telopodites, ventral view.

Figures 15–18. Speorthus gonopods. 15) Right gonopod of S. tuganbius, mesal view. 16) Same, lateral view. 17) Right gonopod of S. reyesi, mesal view. 18) Same, lateral view. Abbreviations as in Fig. 12.

Figures 19–20. Speorthus tuganbius, photographed in habitat at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. 19) Male. 20) Mating pair. Photographs courtesy of Jean Krejca.