Pseudotremia handi, Shear, William A., 2008

Shear, William A., 2008, Cave millipeds of the United States. VII. New species and records of the genus Pseudotremia Cope. I. Species from West Virginia, USA (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Cleidogonidae), Zootaxa 1764, pp. 53-65 : 59-60

Pseudotremia handi , n. sp.

Figs. 1–4

Type: male holotype ( VMNH) from Bowden Cave, 7 miles west of Elkins, Randolph Co., WEST VIRGINIA, collected 7 June 2002 by Richard Hand.

Diagnosis: Pseudotremia handi is the only species known from West Virginia in which the mesal angiocoxite is drawn out into a long, apical spine; the ventral colpocoxite process recalls that of tsuga , but unlike that species’, is laterally compressed.

Etymology: The specific epithet honors the collector, Richard Hand, recalling memories of “spider camp” at the Highlands Biological Station, North Carolina.

Description: Male holotype 35 mm long, 3.0 mm wide, antennal segment three 1.5 mm long. Ocelli 22 on each side, well-formed, contiguous and darkly pigmented. Segmental shoulders large but not strongly protruding, persisting posteriorly to segment 17. Metazonites notably rougher than related species, with 10–12 rugae beginning on segment six, strongest along posterior margin of each segment, anteriorly on the posterior segments breaking up into low, oblong tubercles; 10–12 obvious, ridge-like lateral striations. Color dark purplish gray-brown, mottled lighter.

Anterior gonopods (figs. 1, 2) small for size of animal, median angiocoxites with long subapical spine directed toward midline, apically with long, spine-like extension, lateral angiocoxites divided, ventral branch longer, both branches evenly curved, narrow, acute. Colpocoxites fused for most of their length, moderately lobed, ventral colpocoxite process (fig. 4) large, laterally compressed, in lateral view with irregular knobs and teeth, dorsal colpocoxite process long, narrow, curved, apically with two small divisions. Ninth legs (fig. 3) typical.

Notes: With its well-developed ocelli, robust size, and dark pigment, this species is probably primarily epigean.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Pseudotremia handi, n. sp. 1. Gonopods, anterior view. 2. Gonopods, lateral view. 3. Right leg 9 of male, anterior view. 4. Ventral median colopocoxite process of gonopods, lateral view.