Hyleoglomeris xuxiakei, Liu, Weixin & Wynne, J. Judson, 2019

Liu, Weixin & Wynne, J. Judson, 2019, Cave millipede diversity with the description of six new species from Guangxi, China, Subterranean Biology 30, pp. 57-94 : 65-68

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.30.35559

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:19205CA6-4680-45D4-A3A0-F1640752D41B

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D3CA0855-76FD-4683-8A7C-3F0505DC3D8E

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:D3CA0855-76FD-4683-8A7C-3F0505DC3D8E

treatment provided by

Subterranean Biology by Pensoft

scientific name

Hyleoglomeris xuxiakei
status

sp. nov.

Hyleoglomeris xuxiakei sp. nov. Figs 3B View Figure 3 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8

Type material.

Holotype male (SCAU), China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Yangshuo County, Guanshan No. 4 Cave [24°56'58.34"N, 110°20'53.52"E], 186 m el., deep zone, direct intuitive search, 16 November 2016, J.J. Wynne leg. Paratype, 1 male (SCAU), same data as holotype. 3 females (SCAU), same data as holotype, but deep zone, slightly muddy flat area.

Etymology.

The species name, xuxiakei, was Latinized using a combination of the surname and forename of Xu Xiake (徐霞客). Xu was a traveler, explorer, and the first speleologist of China, who studied caves and karst geology during the decline of the Ming Dynasty. He conducted a four-year expedition (1636-1640) across southern China where he examined over 300 caves (including more than 100 from the Guilin area; Sweeting 1995, Ravbar 2016). In his book, Xu Xiake’s Travels (first published in 1642), he described underground streams and ponds, provided sketch maps of caves, as well as proposed terminology for karst features; many of his speleological terms are still used today ( Ravbar 2016).

Diagnosis.

Adult male of H. xuxiakei sp. nov. is distinct from other Hyleoglomeris species based on the following combination of characters: (1) nearly pallid color ( Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ); (2) ♂ leg 17 with 3-segmented telopodite ( Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ); (3) telopods with a low, oval-shaped, central syncoxital lobe; (4) horns of syncoxital lobe without any structure on top ( Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ). This new species is clearly distinguished by the depigmented body ( Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ) vs. vivid color pattern in H. rukouqu sp. nov. ( Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ).

Description.

Based on type specimens. Lengths of body ca 3.8-4.5 mm, width 2.5 -3.0 mm in both sexes. Coloration: entirely pallid ( Figs 3B View Figure 3 , 7 View Figure 7 ). Head: Ommatidium at least 5(6) + 1, translucent, barely visible ( Fig. 7C View Figure 7 ). Tömösváry’s organ transverse-oval, parallel to the body, only slightly wider than long. Antennae with four apical cones, antennomere 6 ca 2.0 (♂) or 1.8 (♀) times as long as wide. Exoskeleton: Collum with two transverse striae ( Fig. 7C View Figure 7 ). Thoracic shield with a narrow hyposchism, the latter reaching behind caudal tergal margin; 8-9 transverse striae: 4(5) starting below, one level to, 3(4) above schism; 5 striae (never the first and last from below) crossing the dorsum. Following terga 3-11 with two striae above lateral edge. Pygidium of both sexes regularly rounded at caudal margin. ♂ leg 17 with a low, subrounded, outer coxal lobe; telopodite 3-segmented ( Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ). ♂ leg 18 with an arch-shaped syncoxital notch; telopodite 4-segmented ( Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ). Telopods: ( Fig. 8 C–D View Figure 8 ) with a rather low, oval-shaped, transverse, central syncoxital lobe flanked by high setose horns, each of the latter without any structure on top. Prefemur micropapillate laterally, with a well-developed frontomesal trichostele. Femur with a smaller frontomesal trichostele. Caudomesal femoral process prominent, apically with an evident lobe strongly curved to frontad. Tibia with a frontomesal seta. Caudomesal tibial process evident, recurved; a distinct, papillate tubercle at base on caudal face. Tarsus strongly sigmoid, narrowly rounded apically.

Habitat.

This species was collected from a chamber within the estimated cave deep zone, approximately 50 m from the cave entrance. Cave sediment was compact mud with a small amount of rock breakdown from the ceiling.

Notes.

Based on a depigmented habitus and translucent ommatidia, we consider this species is a troglobiont.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Diplopoda

Order

Glomerida

Family

Glomeridae

Genus

Hyleoglomeris