Caucadesmus lucreciae, Alvear & Romero-Rincon, 2024

Alvear, Santiago & Romero-Rincon, Juan, 2024, Contribution to the knowledge of the Colombian Batodesmini (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae) with the description of a new genus and species, and taxonomic insights on the genus Cormodesmus Chamberlin, 1923, Zootaxa 5523 (5), pp. 553-563 : 555-558

Caucadesmus lucreciae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9BD789A1-8613-4A6B-9AE4-DCA76CEA7F20

Figs 1–5

Diagnosis. As for the genus.

Etymology. The specific name is a matronym, honoring the late Lucrecia Gallardo Delgado, the first author's grandmother, in recognition of her love and support, as well as her life-long endeavors as an educator.

Material examined.

Holotype. COLOMBIA ● ♂; Cauca, Popayán, Hacienda Río Blanco , (02°29'19.88" N, 76°32'08.65" W), Quercus humboldtii forest, 1 October 2024. S. Alvear & D. Ríos-B. leg., ( MHNUC-MD-0397 ).

Paratypes. ● 1 ♂; same data as holotype, ( MHNUC-MD-0169 ) ; ● 1 ♂; same data as for preceding, (02°29'14.71" N, 76°32'05.54" W), 24 September 2023, ( MHNUC-MD-0167 ) ; ● 1 ♀, 1 juvenile; same data as for preceding, (02°29'10.05" N, 76°32'09.30" W), 3 September 2023, S. Alvear, D. Pancho leg., ( MHNUC-MD-0128 ) ; ● 1 ♂; same data as for preceding, (02°29'13.69" N, 76°32'05.24" W), 23 January 2024, S. Alvear, D. Dueñas, A. Martínez, L. Reyes & J. Romero-Rincon leg., ( MHNUC-MD-0331 ) ; ● 1 ♀; same data as for preceding, ( MHN-UPN-MD-248 ) ; ● 1 ♂; same data as for preceding, ( MHN-UPN-MD-249 ) . ● 1 ♂; Cauca, Popayán, Hacienda Pisojé (02°29'19.88" N, 76°32'08.65" W), Eucalyptus sp. plantation, 4 January 2024, S. Alvear & N. Alvear leg., ( MHNUC-MD-0317 ) .

Description.

Measurements. Head + 20 rings (including telson), male 24–26 mm long and 3.5–4 mm wide; female 24.5–25 mm long and 3–3.5 mm wide.

Color. In life, head, collum, prozonites, and metazonites are dark reddish brown 44 to deep brown 56. Paranota vivid yellow 79 to vivid greenish yellow 97, the coloration being more prominent on the edges of the collum and on body rings with ozopores. Sternites and legs are strong yellowish brown 74 to pale yellow 89. Antennomeres 1–2 and 8 light greenish yellow 101 to pale greenish yellow 104, antennomeres 3–7 dark olive brown 96 to dark reddish brown 44. When preserved in 75% ethanol, the coloration of the antennae and paranota fades to yellowish white 92.

Head. Head narrower than collum ( Fig. 1A ), with one macroseta positioned on each side of parietal median furrow and one adjacent to each antennal socket on epicranium. Clypeus moderately setose. Conspicuous round expansion of incisura lateralis next to each antennal socket. Antennae long, reaching back to fourth body ring when extended posteriorly ( Fig. 1A, B ). Four apical sensory cones and one cluster of sensilla on antennomere 6. Relative lengths of antennomeres: 2>6>5>4>3>1>7.

Trunk. Collum convex and extended laterally. Tergites smooth; paranota anteriorly rounded, posterior margins of paranota on body rings 2–4 rectangular, paranota of body rings 5–19 pointed posteriorly, increasing in length towards rear ( Fig. 1A, C, E, F ). Pore formula normal (5, 7, 9–10, 12–13, 15–19), ozopores opening laterally on paranotal margins. Sternite 5 of males strongly modified with a medially bifurcate process directed anteriad, surrounded by a dense tuft of setae ( Figs 1D , 2 ); sternite 6 of males with a smaller, dense tuft of setae, about half the length of the preceding segment. All postgonopodal sternites with one small, pointed projection lateral to each coxal opening. Leg pair 2 of males with large, pointed coxal process bearing gonopores ( Fig. 1B ); MP on tibia of leg pair 3 ( Fig. 3D ). Relative podomere lengths: 3>6>2>4>5>1.

Gonopods. Gonopod aperture oval ( Fig. 3A ), lateral margins of aperture extended ventrally ( Fig. 3B ). Cx about the same length as the telopodite, with two dorsal setae on distal portion ( Fig. 4 ). Ca originates at the apex of the Cx, directed posteriad before sharply bending towards the Pfe. Pfe densely setose, with two macrosetae on ventral surface midway along the length of telopodite. PfP long, subdivided into a short, broad subrectangular SPr positioned mesally and a long lateral branch that broadens into a sickle-shaped apex. Prostatic groove running marginally on telopodite in mesal view ( Fig. 4A, B ). S long, sigmoidal, slightly expanded laterally; ending in an acute, dorsally-pointing apex ( Fig. 4 ).

Female characters. Same general appearance and coloration as in males but lacking leg pair modifications, and sternite modifications on body rings 5 and 6. Vulvae rounded, ~ 0.4 mm long and ~ 0.3 mm wide ( Fig. 5 ). EV triangular, ~ 0.3 mm long and ~ 0.1 mm wide; IV triangular, ~ 0.3 mm long and ~ 0.2 mm wide. O large, ~ 0.1 mm long and ~ 0.2 mm wide

Distribution. Known from Hacienda Río Blanco and Hacienda Pisojé in Popayán, Cauca department, Colombia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Caucadesmus lucreciae gen. et sp. nov. (paratype, MHN-UPN-MD-249). A, C, E. Anterior, middle and posterior parts of body respectively, dorsal views. B, D, F. Anterior, middle and posterior parts of body respectively, ventral views. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Caucadesmus lucreciae gen. et. sp. nov. (paratype, MHN-UPN-MD-249). A, B. Body rings 5–6, ventral view. C. Body rings 5–7, ventral view. D. Lateral view. Scale bars: A, B, C = 1 mm, D = 1.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Caucadesmus lucreciae gen. et sp. nov. (A, B, D. paratype, MHN-UPN-MD-249; C. paratype, MHN-UPN-MD- 248).A.Aperture of gonopods, ventral view.B. Cross-section of body ring 7, caudal view. C. Body rings4–8, showing malformed leg on ring 6, ventral view. D. Leg 3, posterior view. Abbreviations: MP: membranous process. Scale bar: = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Caucadesmus lucreciae gen. et sp. nov. (paratype, MHN-UPN-MD-249). A, B. Left gonopod, mesal view. C, D. Lateral view. Abbreviations: ca: cannula, Cx: gonocoxae, Pfe: prefemoral region, PfP: prefemoral process, S: solenomere, SPr: secondary process of the prefemoral process. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Caucadesmus lucreciae gen. et sp. nov. (paratype, MHN-UPN-MD-248). A. right vulva, ventral view. B. Lateral view. Abbreviations: EV: external valve, IV: internal valve, O: operculum. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.