Coloradesmus warneri Shear & Steinmann, 2019

Shear, William A. & Steinmann, David B., 2019, Cave millipedes of the United States. XV. Coloradesmus gen. nov. (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae), and four new species from caves in Colorado, USA, Subterranean Biology 32, pp. 15-32 : 25-26

Coloradesmus warneri Shear & Steinmann sp. nov. Fig. 29

Types.

Male holotype and female paratype from White Water Cave, 6100' (1860 m) asl, 40°54'N, 105°09'W, Larimer Co.: Colorado, collected 1 June 2007 by D. Steinmann.

Diagnosis.

Very similar in nonsexual characters to the foregoing species, but differing in details of the gonopods. Compare Figs 28 , 29 .

Etymology.

The species epithet honors Ed Warner, an active conservationist and donor to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, for his dedication to nature and the environment.

Description.

In size and in nonsexual characters, this species is nearly identical to Coloradesmus beckleyi . Gonopods ( Fig. 29 ) with large subhemispherical coxae immovable in gonopod socket. Acropodite (a, Fig. 29 ) long, relatively slender, not blocky, slightly curved. Pore lacking cuticular filaments. Distal zone (dz, Fig. 29 ) curved laterad, tapering, not bent at an angle; prefemora process (pfp, Fig. 29 ) slender, tapering, gradually curved.

Female paratype: Similar in all nonsexual characters to male.

Distribution.

COLORADO: Larimer Co.: White Water Cave, 3 November 2006, D. Steinmann, juveniles; Kremer’s Cave, 40°45'N, 105°10'W, 5600' (1707 m) asl, dark zone, 12 August 2006, D. Steinmann, male; 29 March 2008, D. Steinmann, juveniles; Signature Cave, 40°75'N, 105°11'W, 6100'(1860 m) asl, 22 February 2011, D. Steinmann, male, juveniles; 22 October 2011, D. Steinmann, male, female, juveniles.

Notes.

Females of a species of the European genus Polydesmus were collected along with the types in Whitewater Cave. All species of Polydesmus recorded from North America are anthropochoric.

Figures

Figures 28, 29. Coloradesmus species gonopods, posterior views. 28 C. lasunda 29 C. warneri. See text for explanation of labels.