Benedictesmus timber Shear & Marek, 2021

Shear, William A. & Marek, Paul E., 2021, Three new genera and eighteen new species of miniature polydesmid millipedes from the northwestern United States (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Polydesmidae), Zootaxa 4975 (1), pp. 81-126 : 118-120

Benedictesmus timber Shear & Marek , n. sp.

Figs 118–120 , 136, 137

Type. Male holotype from 0.3 mi west of SPRR overpass on SR26, 3 mi west of Timber , 45.5251°, -123.2390°, Washington Co., Oregon, collected 27 November 1971 by E. M. Benedict. The holotype is mounted on SEM stub WS33-12, deposited in CAS .

Diagnosis. The terminal zone of the gonopods is unique among Benedictesmus species in that both terminal processes are bent or curled into hooks ( Figs 136, 137 ).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition referring to the type locality near Timber, Oregon.

Description. Male holotype. Nineteen rings. Length about 5.0 mm, greatest width 0.52 mm. Head densely setose, cuticle alveolate ( Fig. 118 ). Collum ( Fig. 118 ) with anterior marginal row of 18 setae. Anterior metazonites with three rows of setae, transitioning to four rows ( Fig. 119 ) about ring 7, setal tubercles becoming almost obsolete on midbody to posterior rings. Alveolate cuticle absent from metazonite posterior to collum. Epiproct ( Fig. 120 ) greatly swollen, short, strongly decurved at nearly right angle, without alveolate cuticle. Anterior legs crassate, tarsi with sphaerotrichomes. Gonopod with flattened prefemorite. Acropodite short, robust. Pulvillus (p, Fig. 136 ) distal just below terminal zone, pulvillar process absent. Terminal zone bifurcate, both processes strongly curved, hooklike ( Figs 136, 137 ). Females unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 117–120. Species of Benedictesmus, n. gen. 117. Gonopod tips of Benedictesmus yaquina, n. sp., posterior view. SEM stub WS33-14. Figs 118–120. Benedictesmus timber, n. sp. 118. Head and anterior rings, dorsal view. 119. Midbody ring, dorsal view. 120. Pygidium, lateral view. SEM stub WS33-12/ Abbreviations: p, pulvillus; pp, pulvillar process; tz, terminal zone.

FIGURES 133–137. Drawings of gonopods of polydesmid species. 133. Right gonopod of Benedictesmus aureus, n. sp., mesal view. 134. Right gonopod of Benedictesmus ellenae,n. sp., lateral view. 135, Right gonopod of Benedictesmus yaquina, n. sp., lateral view. Fig. 136, 137, Benedictesmus timber.n. sp. 136, Right gonopod, lateral view. 137, Tip of right gonopod, mesal view. Abbreviation: p, pulvillus.