Nannaria hippopotamus, 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 hippopotamus sp. nov. Figs 100 , 101 Vernacular name: "The Horse Creek Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Tennessee • ♂; Greene County, Cherokee National Forest, Horse Creek Rec Area , picnic area on east side of Horse Creek ; 36.1059°N, - 82.6545°W; elev. 581 m; 16 June 2018; hand collected; D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE04150 .

Paratypes: United States - Tennessee • 3 ♀; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE04151 -53 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE04154 , 55, 4233 • 1 ♂; same collection data as holotype; 16 Oct. 1978; R. Shelley, W. Jones leg.; NCSM NAN0469 .

Other material.

United States - Tennessee • 1 ♂; Greene County, 8.5 air km south of Horse Creek, Cherokee National Forest , Old Forge Recreation Area ; 36.0878°N, - 82.6811°W; elev. 623 m; 15 June 2018; hand collected; D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE04141 • 1 ♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MPE04142 . For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7.

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria hippopotamus sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria , and the nearby N. scutellaria , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite straight, curving medially at apex. Acropodite tip with prominent lobed lateral flange (Fig. 100A , red arrow), curving dorsomedially, not simple as in N. terricola , or with tooth-like medial flange as in N. scutellaria . Acropodite swollen medially before apex (Fig. 100A , red triangle). Telopodite basal zone ca. 1/2 length of acropodite, not ca. 1/4 as in N. scutellaria . Telopodite basal zone with very slight lateral bulge, not prominent as in N. terricola . Prefemur with straight, acicular prefemoral process, not curving ventrally as in N. scutellaria . Prefemoral spine small, sharp, not fused with prefemoral process as in N. terricola . Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 101 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE04150): BL = 30.4, CW = 4.2, IW = 2.3, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 4.9, B11H = 3.3; ♀ paratype (VTEC, MPE04152): BL = 31.2, CW - 4.1, IW = 2.3, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 5.3, B11H = 4.0.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known only from two campsites in eastern Tennessee (Tennessee: Greene County; Suppl. material 5; Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: N/A; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of Nannaria hippopotamus sp. nov. have been found under moist leaf litter in mesic broadleaved forests dominated by sweetgum, hickory, hemlock, oak, rhododendron, and maple.

Etymology.

This species is named for its type locality, Horse Creek, a national forest recreation area hardwood cove. The specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek hippos -, meaning horse, and potamós, meaning river.

Type locality.

United States, Tennessee, Greene County, Cherokee National Forest, Horse Creek Rec Area, picnic area on east side, 36.1059°N, - 82.6545°W.

Figures

Figure 100. Nannaria hippopotamus sp. nov. paratype ♂ (NCSM, NAN 0469) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow indicates lateral flange; red triangle indicates acropodite medial swelling B medial view C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 101. Nannaria hippopotamus sp. nov. non-type ♂ (VTEC, MPE 04141) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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