Eutrichodesmus aster Golovatch, Geoffroy, Mauriès & VandenSpiegel, 2009

Golovatch, Sergei, Geoffroy, Jean-Jacques, Mauriès, Jean-Paul & VandenSpiegel, Didier, 2009, Review of the millipede genus Eutrichodesmus Silvestri, 1910 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Haplodesmidae), with descriptions of new species, ZooKeys 12 (12), pp. 1-46 : 12-16

Eutrichodesmus aster Golovatch, Geoffroy, Mauriès & VandenSpiegel , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B107B0B1-7423-466C-8E47-BE50F0EA0D5D

Figs 8-11

Type material: Vietnam, Yen Bai Prov., Nghia Lo: Xa Som a, Tham Han Cave , hand collected, 20.XII.2003, leg. L. Deharveng, A. Bedos and Phuong (Vn0312-46), holo-

type # (MNHN JC 319), paratypes: 1 ♁, 1 ♀, 2 subad., 1 juv. (MNHN JC 319), 1 ♁, 1 subad. (ZMUM), 1 subad. (SEM). Vietnam, Yen Bai Prov., Nghia Lo: Tham Lê Cave , hand collected, 19.XII.2003, leg. L. Deharveng, A. Bedos and Phuong (Vn0312- 38), paratypes: 2 ♁ (MNHN JC 319) . Vietnam, Yen Bai Prov., Nghia Lo: Hang Dan Khao Cave , hand collected, 20.XII.2003, leg. L. Deharveng, A. Bedos and Phuong (Vn0312-48), 1 ♁ (fragm.), 1 ♀ (MNHN JC 319), 1 ♀, 1 juv. (ZMUM) .

Name: To refl ect the star-shaped and discoid body of the volvated animal.

Diagnosis: Differs from all congeners, except E. macclurei and E. reclinatus , by the extremely high mid-dorsal crests on metaterga 5-19. In addition, it can be distinguished from E. macclurei and E. reclinatus in the presence of a mid-dorsal projection on metatergum 4, the slightly more strongly declivous and quadrilobate paraterga. The new species differs from all other species of the genus in minor details of gonopod structure (in particular, the shape of the telopodite and distofemoral process).

Description: Length of adults of both sexes ca 12-14 mm, width 2.1-2.3 mm, body broadest at segment 3 or 4. Holotype ca 12 mm long and 2.2 mm wide. Coloration uniformly pallid, shown pinkish because of a photographic artifact ( Fig. 8 ).

Adults with 20 segments ( Figs 8 , 9A ); body discoid, strongly flattened laterally; pattern of conglobation typical of “doratodesmids”. Head, antennae (Fig. 10D), tegument (Fig. 10G), sterna (Fig. 10E), gonopod aperture and many other characters much as in E. distinctus sp. n.; collum rather irregularly tuberculate and only very slightly flattened medially at anterior edge ( Fig. 9F ). Metaterga behind collum with three transverse, rather irregular and mixostictic rows of rounded, flat, only slightly differentiated tubercles ( Figs 9 A-D), each crowned with a short, 2-segment- ed, flattened seta ( Fig. 9E ). Metaterga 4-19 each with a very high, slightly bifid, mid-dorsal process ( Figs 8 , 9 A-D, 10A-C). Paraterga directed ventrolaterad up to subvertical, rather broad, surpassing level of venter (Fig. 10F); paraterga 2 strongly enlarged, very indistinctly lobulate anterolaterally ( Fig. 9B ). Following paraterga broadly rounded, evidently 4-lobate laterally and bilobate caudolaterally ( Figs 9 A- D, 10E). Limbus strongly denticulate, almost hidden by nearby abundant microvilli (Fig. 10G). Pore formula normal, ozopores poorly visible, located dorsally near base of ventrocaudal lobulation (Figs 10A, B). Epiproct short, with differentiated tubercles (Fig. 10C).

Legs relatively long, slightly surpassing edge of paraterga (Figs 10E, F).

Gonopods ( Fig. 11 ) relatively simple. Coxae abundantly micropapillate and setose, with one normal, apicolateral lobe. Telopodite elongate, slender, slightly arcuate, with a short, bare, distofemoral process (dp) at about proximal one-third; seminal groove and acropodite (= solenomere) long, hairpad subapical.

Remarks: This pallid species shows peculiarly high mid-dorsal projections, coupled with short, distally flattened tergal setae. It is also a typical “doratodesmid”, possibly another troglobite.

Figures

Figure 8. Eutrichodesmus aster sp. n., ♁ paratype from Tham Han Cave; habitus, lateral view. (Photographed not to scale by L. Deharveng).

Figure 9. Eutrichodesmus aster sp. n., subadult paratype from Tham Han Cave; A, habitus, lateral view; B, anterior part of body, lateral view; C, midbody segments, lateral view; D, posterior part of body, lateral view; E, metatergal seta, sublateral view; F, anterior part of body, frontodorsal view. – Scale bars: A-D, F, 0.5 mm; E, 0.001 mm.

Figure 11. Eutrichodesmus aster sp. n., ♁ paratype from Tham Han Cave; A, B, left gonopod, mesal and lateral views, respectively. – Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 12. Eutrichodesmus filisetiger sp. n., ♁ paratype from Hang Doi Cave; habitus, lateral view. (Photographed not to scale by L. Deharveng).