Nannaria asta, Means & Hennen & Marek, 2021

Means, Jackson C., Hennen, Derek A. & Marek, Paul E., 2021, A revision of the minor species group in the millipede genus Nannaria Chamberlin, 1918 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Xystodesmidae), ZooKeys 1030, pp. 1-180 : 1

Nannaria asta sp. nov. Figs 90 , 91 Vernacular name: "The Crawfish Valley Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Virginia • ♂; Wythe County, Crawfish Valley, Channel Rock , ca. 1.5 mi down trail from Strawberry Rd. end; 36.9585°N, - 81.3189°W; elev. 770 m; 24 Mar. 2017; hand collected; C. Harden leg.; VTEC MPE02419 .

Paratypes: United States - Virginia • 3 ♂♂; Wythe Co. Crawfish Valley ; 36.9811°N, - 81.2934°W; elev. 715 m; 24 Mar. 2017; C. Harden leg.; VTEC MPE02421 , VMNH, MPE02429 , 2430. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria asta sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the sympatric N. solenas sp. nov. and N. aenigma based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite gently curving medially, not straight as in N. solenas sp. nov. Distal zone curving dorsomedially, tip rounded, directed caudally with small lateral flange (Fig. 90A ), not rectangular, directed medially at 90° angle with acropodite and slight cephalically-directed upturn at terminal edge as in N. solenas sp. nov., and not sinuous, without flange as in N. aenigma . Acropodite with slight swelling on inner margin (Fig. 90B , red triangle) and dimple on outer margin (Fig. 90A , red arrow). Prefemur with stout, acicular prefemoral process, arising dorsomedially from projected, cephalically-curving prefemoral spine, not arising from prefemur as in N. solenas sp. nov. Telopodite basal zone with small lateral bulge, lacking in N. solenas sp. nov. Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 91 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE02419): BL = 26.2, CW = 4.1, IW = 2.1, ISW = 0.9, B11W = 4.9, B11H = 3.1.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known only from southwestern Virginia (Wythe and Bland counties; Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). The distribution of N. asta sp. nov. is restricted to the Crawfish Valley area and south of Wytheville, Virginia. Distribution area: 171 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

The majority of Nannaria asta sp. nov. individuals were found at night, walking along the side of a path on top of predominantly pine litter, a notably odd behavior for Nannaria , which typically remain beneath the leaf litter and are more cryptic in their behavior.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an arbitrary combination of letters derived from the Infraorder Astacidea (which includes crayfish). It is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Type locality.

United States, Virginia, Wythe County, Crawfish Valley, Channel Rock, ca. 1.5 mi down trail from Strawberry Rd. end, 36.9585°N, - 81.3189°W.

Figures

Figure 90. Nannaria asta sp. nov. holotype ♂ left gonopod (VTEC, MPE 02419) A anterior view; red arrow indicates outer margin dimple B medial view; red triangle indicates slightly swollen inner margin C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 91. Nannaria asta sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 02419) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

Figure 126. Distribution map of Nannaria minor species group collection localities in the central Appalachians.