Coloradesmus beckleyi 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 : 24-25

Coloradesmus beckleyi Shear & Steinmann sp. nov. Figs 22-25 , 26, 27 , 28

Types.

Male holotype and male and female paratypes from La Sunder Cave, Garfield Co.: Colorado, 7500' (2287 m) asl, 39°42'N, 107°10'W, in organic matter and under cardboard along the first 1000' of passage, collected 31 July 1999 by D. Steinmann.

Diagnosis.

A small species of Coloradesmus , as is the following species, but differing from C. warneri in details of the gonopods, as shown in Figs 28-29 .

Etymology.

The species epithet honors Steve Beckley, for his dedication to cave conservation and education as the owner of Glenwood Caverns in nearby Glenwood Springs.

Description.

Male holotype. Length, about 4 mm, greatest width 0.4 mm. Head with short, sparse setae; basal joint of mandible exceeding width of collum ( Fig. 22 ). Collum relatively short, posterior margin evenly, concavely curved ( Fig. 23 ); collum setae short, clavate. Metazonites with somewhat suppressed but distinct paranota bearing obsolete teeth ( Figs 22-25 ); setae distinctly clavate, short, set on prominent tubercles, rows even, uninterrupted. Telson ( Fig. 25 ) with few setae, epiproct indistinct. Gonopods ( Figs 26 - 28 ) with coxae rather oval, immovable; acropodite (a, Figs 26 - 28 ) robust, blocky, pore without cuticular fimbriae, endomerite evidently absent. Prefemoral process (pfp, Figs 26 - 28 ) exceeding acropodite, narrow, with distinct acute hook at tip.

Female paratype. Similar in all nonsexual characters to male.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figures 21 - 25. Coloradesmus species males. 21 C. manitou gonopods, posterior view 22 - 24 C. lasunda male 22 head, collum and anterior four rings, dorsal view 23 collum, dorsal view 24 midbody ring, dorsal view 25 telson, dorsal view. See text for explanation of labels.

Figures 26, 27. Coloradesmus lasunda male. 26 Right gonopod, mesal view 27 right gonopod, lateral view. See text for explanation of labels.

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