Nannaria botrydium, 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 botrydium sp. nov. Figs 92 , 93 Vernacular name: "The Grapefield Road Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Virginia • ♂; Bland County, 2.6 km west of Hicksville ; 37.1892°N, - 81.1633°W; elev. 738 m; 12 Feb. 2016; hand collected; D. Hennen, P. Marek leg.; VTEC MPE00993 .

Paratypes: United States - Virginia • 1 ♂; Bland County, 2.7 km west of Hicksville ; 37.1913°N, - 81.165°W; elev. 754 m; 12 Feb. 2016; hand collected; D. Hennen, P. Marek leg.; VMNH MPE00992 • 1 ♀; Bland County, 4.2 km northwest of Hicksville ; 37.19314°N, - 81.18221°W; elev. 900 m; 2 Mar. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek leg.; VTEC MPE01014 .

Other material.

United States - Virginia • 1 ♂; Bland County; 37.1940°N, - 81.1733°W, elev. 823 m; 2 Mar. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, Tyler leg.; VTEC MPE01012 • 1 ♂; Bland County; 37.1937°N, - 81.1739°W; elev. 815 m; 2 Mar. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, Tyler leg.; VTEC MPE01013 • 2 ♂♂; Bland County ; 37.1930°N, - 81.1827°W; elev. 905 m; 2 Mar. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, Tyler leg.; VTEC MPE01009 , 1011 • 1 ♂; Bland County ; 37.1830°N, - 81.1607°W; elev. 675 m; 7 Mar. 2016; hand collected; P. Marek, V. Wong, Tyler leg.; VTEC MPE01016 • 1 ♂ and 1 ♀; Bland County ; 37.1234°N, - 81.1355°W; elev. 889 m; 7 Apr. 2016; hand collected; J. Means, P. Marek, A. Prewitt, Tyler, Renea leg.; VTEC MPE03721 , 3722 • 4 ♂; Tazewell County , Summit of East River Mtn. , above Bluefield, West Virginia; 37.2112°N, - 81.3164°W; elev. 914-1067 m; 9 Sep.1972; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0015 • 2 ♂♂; Tazewell County , SE slope of East River Mountain near Cove Creek ; 37.2067°N, - 81.3072°W; 29 Mar. 1973; C. Chapman leg.; VMNH NAN0043; SCAU - West Virginia • 1 ♂; Mercer County , just over the West Virginia state line on 460, ca. 2 mi. SW of Glen Lyn on 219/8; 37.3452°N, - 80.9105°W; elev. 570 m; 12 Nov. 2017; hand collected; J. Means; VTEC MPE03925 • 1 ♂; Randolph County , Cheat Bridge, TNC Preserve, Showers Fk at US 250; 38.6166°N, - 79.8707°W; elev. 1174 m; 8 Oct. 2000; W. Arnold leg.; VMNH NAN0081. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria botrydium sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the sympatric N. aenigma , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite gently curving medially before apex, with lateral flange on tip, not thin and undulating as in N. aenigma . Acropodite tip directed caudally. Acropodite without medial swelling as in N. tenuis sp. nov. Telopodite basal zone> 1/3 length of acropodite, not ca. 1/6 as in N. aenigma . Prefemur with long, thin prefemoral process, bent 90° and directed medially at half-way point (Fig. 92A , red arrow)-not nearly linear as in N. tenuis sp. nov., or straight as in N. aenigma . Prefemoral spine reduced and fused for entire length with prefemoral process (Fig. 92C , red triangle), not lacking as in N. aenigma and N. tenuis sp. nov. Color. Tergites with bright red paranotal spots (Fig. 93 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with red margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE00993): BL = 27.0, CW = 3.8, IW = 1.9, ISW = 0.8, B11W = 4.7, B11H = 3.0; ♀ paratype (VTEC, MPE01014): BL = 26.7, CW = 3.2, IW = 1.9, ISW = 0.9, B11W = 3.9, B11H = 2.8.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known only from a small area (<10 km2) west of Hicksville, Virginia (Virginia: Bland and Tazewell counties; Suppl. material 5; Fig. 126 . A single male is recorded from Randolph County, West Virginia (ca. 200 km away from type locality), but as this is such a disjunct record, the authors are treating this specimen as an N. botrydium sp. nov. with an incorrect locality label (marked with an asterisk in Fig. 127 ). Distribution area: 10 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. botrydium sp. nov. were collected from mesic hardwood forests composed of oak, maple, and rhododendron, found under leaf litter and occasionally 1-2 cm in dark soil.

Etymology.

This species is named after Grapefield Road, which runs near the type locality. The specific name is a Latinized diminutive of the Greek botrys, meaning a cluster of grapes.

Type locality.

United States, Virginia, Bland County, 2.6 km west of Hicksville, 37.1892°N, - 81.1633°W.

Figures

Figure 92. Nannaria botrydium sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 00993) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow indicates 90 ° bend in prefemoral process B medial view C posterior view; red triangle indicates reduced, prefemoral spine fused with prefemoral process. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 93. Nannaria botrydium sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 00993) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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

Figure 127. Distribution map of Nannaria minor species group collection localities in the northern Appalachians.