Nepalella jinfoshan Liu

Liu, Weixin, Wesener, Thomas, Golovatch, Sergei & Tian, Mingyi, 2017, Contributions to the millipede genus Nepalella Shear, 1979 from China, with four new species and first results on phylogeny based on DNA-barcoding (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Megalotylidae), Zootaxa 4243 (3), pp. 455-482 : 465-467

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4243.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7402431A-806C-43A7-8CC6-66BF4404C671
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5628634
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E9771C-FFF8-2A75-A7D3-FBC691ACDD75
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Nepalella jinfoshan Liu
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Nepalella jinfoshan Liu , sp. nov.

Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 C & 14–17

Material examined. Holotype male ( SCAU n8), China, Chongqin, Jinfoshan , Cave Houshan Dong, 28°58’44’’N, 107°11’20’’E, 1500 m a.s.l., 2015-VI-26, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: 2 males, 1 female ( SCAU n9), same locality and collecting data as in the holotype . 2 males, 4 females ( SCAU n10), same locality, Cave Lingguan Dong, 29°01’10’’N, 107°10’28’’E, 2100 m a.s.l., 2015-VI-27, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang. GoogleMaps

Etymology. To emphasize the localities of the new species lying within the Jinfoshan National Geopark. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners by the very large body, distinctly incrassate male legs 3–7 and prefemur 10 with a strong basal process; the anterior gonopod sternum with a large median lobe, and short, spine-like coxites; as well as special structure of the posterior gonopods.

Description. Length of both sexes ca 36.5–38 mm, midbody width 2.6–2.8 mm. Color in life ( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 C, 14) rather pale, some samples with light yellow metaterga, eye patches brownish.

Body with 30 segments. In width, collum = segment 2–3 <4 <5 = head <8–20 <6 <7; posterior to segment 21, body very gradually tapering towards telson ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A).

Head: vertex sparsely setose; eye patches triangular, each composed of 8–11 convex ocelli.

Antennae ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 ) very long and slender, reaching posterior to body segment 6 (♂) or 5 (♀) when stretched posteriorly; antennomere 7 with four apical cones on stalks.

Mandible with an external tooth, and an internal tooth with nine cusps.

Collum with rudimentary paraterga ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A). Integument smooth and shining ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A). Metatergal setation 3 + 3, typical, macrochaetae rather short, reduced on midbody segments, placed on minute knobs ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A); stricture between pro- and metazona shallow, inconspicuous. Paraterga with very small dorsolateral bulges, poorly developed in anterior part of body ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A).

CIX (15) = 1.10; MIX (15) = 0.70; MA (15) = 130°; PIX (15) = 0.17 ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 A). Axial suture distinct, pallid, usual ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 A).

Legs long and slender ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 ), about 2.5 (♂) or 2.1 (♀) times as long as midbody height. Legs 1 and 2 slightly reduced, tarsi with usual ventral brushes, but without papillae. Other male tarsi conspicuously papillate (p) ventrally ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 ). Male legs 3–7 distinctly incrassate ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 A–B). Male prefemur 7 with a small parabasal process (n) ventrally ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 B). Male legs 10 and 11 with coxal glands (cg); conspicuously enlarged on leg 10 ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 C). Male prefemur 10 with a strong basal process (t) ventrally; prefemur 11 with a large, basal, digitiform outgrowth (d) ventrally ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 D). Claws simple, long.

Male segment 7 slightly broader than adjacent ones, pleural arches ridge-like.

Anterior gonopods ( Figs 16 View FIGURE 16 A–B, 17C) reduced, sternum with a large median lobe (ml) distally in caudal view, ml hinging into posterior gonopods; coxites (cxi) short, spine-like. Posterior gonopods ( Figs 16 View FIGURE 16 C–D, 17D–E) hypertophied, with a large rounded bulge (r) at base on frontal face of colpocoxite (c) and an ear-shaped structure (e) at base on caudal face; colpocoxite prominent, about as high as telopodite, with a large, irregularly shaped structure (i) at midway on caudal face. Telopoditomere 1 (t1) rather large, particularly strongly setose; with a vestigial segment apically.

Vulva ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 B) as usual, with a relatively large process on operculum (op).

Remark. Because of the pallid body and reduced ocelli, as well as the very long appendages, N. jinfoshan sp. nov. may be a troglobite.