Nannaria sheari, 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 sheari sp. nov. Figs 67 , 68 Vernacular name: "William Shear’s Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - West Virginia • ♂; Mercer County, Brush Creek Preserve, along trail to waterfall; 37.4647°N, - 81.0623°W; elev. 628 m; 14 June 2016; hand collected; J. Means, D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE01684 .

Paratypes: United States - West Virginia • 1 ♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE01685 • 1 ♂; Mercer County, Brush Creek Falls, Tullgren , sort of Rhododendron litter; 37.4671°N, - 81.0597°W; 5 Oct.1967; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0012 .

Other material.

United States - West Virginia • 1 ♀; Mercer County, Speedway Hemlock Grove , oak-pine litter; 37.4564°N, - 81.0105°W; 4 Apr. 1967; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0002 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as preceding; VMNH NAN0048 • 13 ♂ ♀; Mercer County, Speedway Roadside Park, route 20, 3 mi. north of Athens , hibernating aggregation of dead animals under log; 37.4646°N, - 81.0112°W; 9 Mar. 1968; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0020 • 3 ♂♂; Mercer County, Brush Creek Preserve, along trail to waterfall; 37.4647°N, - 81.0623°W; elev. 628 m; 14 June 2016; hand collected; J. Means, D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE01665 -7 • 1 ♂ and 1 ♀; Mercer County, Athens, Jackson's Park ; 37.4222°N, - 81.0163°W; 30 Mar. 1968; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0013 • 1 ♂; Mercer County, Athens , 218 W. Broadway ; 37.4254°N, - 81.0211°W; 29 Mar. 1973; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0046. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria sheari sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby N. aenigma , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite continually curving medially, not relatively straight before curving medially at half-way point as in N. castra sp. nov. Distal zone curving medially, not dorsally as in N. castra sp. nov. Acropodite tip directed caudally (Fig. 67B ), not medially as in N. aenigma . Acropodite tip with lateral flange (Fig. 67 , red arrow). Acropodite simple in N. sheari sp. nov., lacking slight twist and swelling at midpoint as found in N. castra sp. nov., and lateral flange as found in N. aenigma . Telopodite basal zone with slight lateral bulge and wider than space between prefemoral process and acropodite, not thinner as in N. castra sp. nov. Prefemur with dorsomedially curving prefemoral process (Fig. 67B ), not straight as in N. aenigma . Prefemoral spine fused with prefemoral process, reduced to shelf-like ridge at base of prefemoral process (Fig. 67C , red triangle). Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 68 ). Dark brown background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange and white margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE01684): BL = 30.7, CW = 3.5, IW = 1.9, ISW = 0.7, B11W = 4.1, B11H = 2.4. ♀ paratype (VMNH, MPE01685): BL = 30.2, CW = 3.2, IW = 1.9, ISW = 0.8, B11W = 4.5, B11H = 3.3.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known from a small area in and around Athens, West Virginia (West Virginia: Mercer County, Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: 12 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. sheari sp. nov. have been collected from mesic hardwood forests composed of oak, tuliptree, birch, maple, buckeye, rhododendron, and some pine and hemlock. Individuals were found under deciduous leaf litter by the side of hiking trails.

Etymology.

This species is named after its original collector, and a longtime mentor to the authors, Dr. William Shear. The specific name is a genitive noun derived as a patronym.

Type locality.

United States, West Virginia, Mercer County, Brush Creek Preserve, along trail to waterfall, 37.4647°N, - 81.0623°W.

Figures

Figure 67. Nannaria sheari sp. nov. paratype ♂ (VMNH, NAN 0012) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow indicates lateral flange B medial view C posterior view; red triangle indicates reduced, ridge-like prefemoral spine. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 68. Nannaria sheari sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 01684) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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