Newportia (Newportia) potiguar, Ázara, Ludson Neves De & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2014

Ázara, Ludson Neves De & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2014, Two new troglobitic Newportia (Newportia) from Brazil (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha), Zootaxa 3881 (3), pp. 267-278 : 272-275

Newportia (Newportia) potiguar sp. n.

( Figures 4–5 )

Type material. Holotype: ( ISLA 4669) from Gruta do Geraldo Gusso (5°33’4.6”S, 37°39’50.4”W) Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 27/VII/2009, leg. Ferreira, R. L.; paratype: 1 ( ISLA 4670) from Gruta da Carrapateira (5°33’38.2”S, 37°39’50.4”W), Felipe Guerra, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 25/IV/2007, leg. Ferreira, R. L. WWF Ecoregion NT1304 Caatinga.

Etymology. The subspecific epithet is an adjective used in Brazil to designate the natives from the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Diagnosis. Cephalic plate not covering the anterior transverse suture of tergite 1; antenna reaching the posterior margin of tergite 6; ultimate legs with 4 ventral spinous processes on prefemur and 2 ventro-medial on the femur.

Description. (the condition of paratype is given in parentheses) body length 28 mm (22 mm), with the maximum width of tergites 1.4 mm (1 mm), legs with the maximum length 2.8 mm (2 mm) and the ultimate legs 14.4 mm (11 mm). Body, antennal articles, legs whitish yellow, head and the first two tergites slightly yellow.

Antennae with 17 elongated articles, reaching to the posterior margin of tergite 5 (tergite 6); articles 1–8 increasing in length and reducing in width with the rest of the articles the same length; articles 1–4 with a moderate density of lanceolate setae; articles 4–11 show dorsal and ventral surfaces concave; articles 3–17 densely pilose; a row of irregular long bristles surrounding the proximal part of all articles, less dense in the distal articles.

Cephalic plate: 1.3 times longer than wide, reaching a quarter of tergite 1 with rounded anterior angles, convex sides, anterior apex slightly indented; paramedian sutures occupying the posterior half of the cephalic plate; which has an irregular distribution of setae ( Figure 4 A,D).

Forcipular segment: coxosternite with short chitin-lines; anterior margin straight; chitinous lobes convex; trochanteroprefemoral process absent ( Figure 4 E).

Tergites: tergite 1 with an anterior transverse suture not hidden by cephalic plate ( Figure 4 A–B), with the cephalic plate covering only a quarter of the tergite; anterior transverse convex suture evenly curved, almost semicircular; tergites 1–22 with complete paramedian sutures; tergites 4–22 with lateral longitudinal sutures ( Figures 4 C); tergite 1 with posterior transverse suture and tergites 2–3 with anterior oblique sutures; tergite 2 with anterior transverse suture; tergites 1–22 without lateral margination with reduced and scattered seate ( Figure 4 C); tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment without sutures, posterior margin convex ( Figure 5 A).

Sternites: sternites 2–21 with a longitudinal sulcus and two incomplete lateral depressions, setae with irregular distribution; sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment trapeziform with the posterior margin straight ( Figure 5 B).

Legs: long and thin, twice as long as the corresponding tergites; ventral surface of prefemur, femur, tibia and tarsus with long setae, dorsal surface with small setae; legs 2–22 with a lateral and ventral spur in the tibia and tarsus with a ventral spur; legs 1–22 with indistinct division in tarsus 1 and 2, the pretarsus with a pair of accessory spines half the size of the claws.

Coxopleuron: covered by pores of the same size; coxopleural processes shorter than tergite of ultimate legbearing segment; posterior margin of ultimate pleuron at an obtuse angle forming a small process; coxopleural surface without setae ( Figure 5 B).

Ultimate legs: elongated, 14.4 mm (11 mm) long, width of prefemur 0.2 mm (0.3 mm) ( Figure 5 C); ultimate legs with 4 ventral spinous processes on prefemur (IIII) and 2 ventral medial on femur (II) ( Figure 5 D); tibia the same length as the prefemur and femur; tarsus not divided into tarsus 1 and 2; not divided into distinct articles; pretarsus absent.

Natural history and threats. The caves where the specimens were found are associated with limestone of the Apodi Group (from the Late Cretaceous). This area embraces hundreds of caves, mainly small macrocaverns. However, since the rocks in the area are strongly fractured ( Figure 6 B) it is plausible to assume that many macrocaverns associated with a given outcrop may represent a single cave, interconnected by mesocaverns ( Ferreira et al. 2010). The two specimens described here were found in two caves close to each other, thus, they may belong to a same population.

Both specimens were found under rocks on the cave floor, in moist conditions. The strongly troglomorphic traits observed in both specimens (especially the weakly sclerotized cuticle) certainly prevent them from living outside the caves, since the external area is extremely dry ( Figure 6A ).

This area is currently under exploration for petroleum, but it seems that such activity is not threatening the caves. However, the illegal extraction of limestone in the area is certainly a concern. Most caves of the area are small and relatively superficial, which makes them vulnerable to such activities.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Newportia (N.) potiguar sp. n. (ISLA 4669): A) cephalic plate and anterior segments; B) posterior margin of cephalic plate and tergites 1 – 2; C) tergites 11 – 12; D) cephalic plate and two first antennal articles; E) head, ventral view.

FIGURE 5. Newportia (N.) potiguar sp. n. (ISLA 4669): A) tergite 23; B) coxopleurae and sternite 23; C) ultimate legs, ventro-lateral view; D) prefemur and femur of leg 23, ventro-lateral view.

FIGURE 6. A) General view of the Caatinga formation in Rio Grande do Norte State, where specimens of N. (N.) potiguar sp. n. were found; B) fractured limestone, showing a great amount of connections to the subterranean domain in the area.