Desmoxytes getuhensis, Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Tian, Mingyi, 2014

Liu, Weixin, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Tian, Mingyi, 2014, A review of the dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923 in China, with descriptions of four new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), ZooKeys 448, pp. 9-26 : 13-16

Taxon classification Animalia Polydesmida Paradoxosomatidae

Desmoxytes getuhensis sp. n. Figs 10, 11, 12

Holotype.

♂ (SCAU), China, Guizhou Prov., Anshun City, Ziyun County, Getuhe National Geopark, cave Suidao Dong, 25°41.32'N, 106°18.26'E, 950 m, 28.XII.2012, leg. Tian Mingyi, Liu Weixin, Sun Feifei & Yin Haomin.

Paratypes.

2 ♂, 5 ♀, 1 ♂ juv., 1 ♀ juv. (SCAU), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (IZAS), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (ZMUM), same locality and collectiong data as of the holotype. 1 ♂, 6 ♀ (SCAU), same locality, cave Taiyang Dong, 25°41.55'N, 106°14.27'E, 1056 m, 28.XII.2012, leg. Tian Mingyi, Liu Weixin, Sun Feifei & Yin haomin.

Name.

To emphasize the location of the new species within the Getuhe National Geopark.

Diagnosis.

Differs from congeners in the paraterga being long and spiniform throughout, and the antennae and legs very long, combined with setose tubercles between ♂ coxae 4, the humped ♂ femur 6, and the gonopods strongly condensed.

Description.

Length ca 23-27 (♂) or 25-28 mm (♀); width of pro- and metaterga together with paraterga 1.2-1.4 and 2.5-3.0 (♂) or 1.5-2.0 and 2.8-3.0 mm (♀), respectively. Holotype 26.0 mm long, 1.2 and 2.5 mm wide on midbody pro- and metaterga, respectively. Coloration of material rather uniformly light brownish to nearly pallid, anterior body part a little darker, some specimens pinkish (Fig. 10 A–F). Antennomere 7 dark brown. Head broadest, densely setose, but more sparsely so on vertex, epicranial suture distinct (Fig. 10D). Antennae extremely long and slender, reaching back until segment 7 (♂) or 6 (♀) when stretched dorsally, antennomeres 5 and 6 each with a compact apicodorsal group of bacilliform sensilla.

Tegument rather shining and smooth, prozonae delicately microalveolate, metaterga and surface below paraterga finely shagreened to microgranulate (Fig. 10 A–F). Collum with 5+5 evident spines arranged in a row at front margin, behind it with about 3(2)+3(2) and 2(3)+2(3) smaller spinules in an irregular transverse row; para terga stout and spiniform, directed dorsolaterad, with a small denticle frontally (Figs 10A, D, 11A). Metaterga 2-4 each with 3+3 and 3+3, similar, but smaller spinules arranged in two transverse rows; sculpture on following metaterga gradually disappearing. Metatergum 19 with 3+3 and 3+3 setae in two rows. Paraterga (Fig. 10 A–F) extremely long, straight, spiniform, about as high as body height in ♂, a little shorter in ♀; mainly directed more dorsad than laterad and ending up clearly above dorsum on collum and in segments 2-18; only paraterga 19 subhorizontal, about level to dorsum, directed clearly caudad and reaching behind until about midlength along telson (Fig. 10F). Paraterga 2-4 each with two evident indentations frontally (Fig. 10A, D). Pore formula normal; ozopores inconspicuous, located just at base on lateral side of poriferous paraterga. Transverse sulcus usually very vague, but traceable in segments 5-18 (Fig. 10 E–F). Pleurosternal carinae evident only on segments 2 and 3 in both sexes (Fig. 10A), absent on the rest. Epiproct (Fig. 10F) rather simple, lateral pre-apical papillae very distinct, finger-shaped. Hypoproct subtrapeziform, caudal margin emarginate, setigerous cones at caudal edge very large, widely separated. Axial line present.

Sterna quite spasely setose, cross-impressions weak (Fig. 10 G–H). A paramedian pair of short, rounded, setose tubercles between ♂ coxae 4 (Figs 10G, 11B). Legs (Fig. 10C) extremely long and slender, ca 3.0-4.0 times longer than midbody height. ♂ femur 6 strongly inflated ventrally in distal 1/5 (Figs 10I, 11C).

Gonopods (Figs 10H, 12 A–C) simple. Coxite rather short, subcylindrical, poorly setose distodorsally, about 1/3 as long as telopodite. Prefemoral portion about half as long as acropodite, densely setose. Femorite rather slender, elongate, slightly curved, with seminal groove running entirely on the mesal side. Postfemoral part strongly condensed; solenomere short, flagelliform, evidently separated at base from solenophore.

Remarks.

Based on several troglomorphic traits such as some individuals being nearly unpigmented, and the antennae and legs very strongly enlongated, this species seems to be a troglobite.