Nannaria kassoni, 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 kassoni sp. nov. Figs 104 , 105 Vernacular name: “Kasson’s Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Tennessee • ♂; Campbell County, Caryville, along Cove Creek Trail off Bruce Gap Rd. , near Route I-75 and the peak of Log Mountain ; 36.3072°N, - 84.2260°W; elev. 320 m; 3 June 2015; hand collected; M. Kasson leg.; VTEC MPE00544 .

Other material.

United States - Tennessee • 1 ♂; Campbell County, 10 miles NE of LaFollette; 36.4716°N, - 83.9848°W; 11 May 1951; L. Hubricht leg.; VMNH NAN0192. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria kassoni sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby Nannaria sp. nov. ‘Cratagae’ ( Nannaria wilsoni species group) based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite curving medially before apex, not straight as in Nannaria sp. nov. ‘Cratagae.’ Apex with distinct constriction (Fig. 104A , red arrow), tip sharp, with acuminate, triangular lateral flange, not blunt with small lobed lateral and medial flanges as in N. cryomaia sp. nov. Acropodite with expanded, laminate, medial flange (Fig. 104A , red triangle). Prefemur with medially curving prefemoral process, paralleling curve of acropodite, not straight, acicular as in Nannaria sp. nov. ‘Cratagae.’ Prefemoral process arising dorsolaterally from pronounced curving prefemoral spine, not arising from prefemur with short, triangular prefemoral spine as in N. cryomaia sp. nov. Telopodite basal zone height ca. 1/3 length of acropodite, not> 1/3 as in N. cryomaia sp. nov., and not ca. 1/4 length as in Nannaria sp. nov. ‘Cratagae.’ Color. Tergites with orange stripes (Fig. 105 ). Dark brown background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE00544): BL = 27.0, CW = 3.8, IW = 2.2, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 4.7, B11H = 2.6.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known from two locations near La Follette, Tennessee (Tennessee: Campbell County; Suppl. material 7, Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: N/A; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. kassoni sp. nov. were collected from mesic broadleaved forests, ranging from ca. 300 m elevation adjacent to a floodplain to ca. 750 m elevation near the peak of Log Mountain.

Etymology.

This species is named after its collector, Dr. Matt Kasson. The specific name is a genitive noun derived as a patronym.

Type locality.

United States, Tennessee, Campbell County, Caryville, along Cove Creek Trail off Bruce Gap Rd., near Route I-75 and the peak of Log Mountain, 36.3072°N, - 84.2260°W.

Figures

Figure 104. Nannaria kassoni sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 00544) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow indicates apical constriction; red triangle indicates medial flange B medial view C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 105. Nannaria kassoni sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 00544) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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