Nannaria mcelroyorum, 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 mcelroyorum sp. nov. Figs 26 , 27 Vernacular name: "The McElroy Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - West Virginia • ♂; Wayne County, Barboursville, Beech Fork State Park , Lost Trail near Moxley Branch Campground ; 38.3047°N, - 82.3512°W; elev. 194 m; 23 Sep. 2017; hand collected; J. Means and D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE03113 .

Paratypes: United States - West Virginia • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE03116 , 3118, 3120 • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE03135 , 3151, 3154, 3156 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE03117 , 3119, 3121 • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE03122 , 3136, 3137, 3155.

Other material.

United States - Kentucky • 1 ♂; Boyd County, Fannin Park, off Bramble Drive , hillside across road from park; 38.3475°N, - 82.6866°W; elev. 219 m; 24 Sep. 2017; J. Means, D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE03125 ; SCAU - West Virginia • 3 ♂♂; Boone County, Julian, along Big Pinnacle Road ; 38.1802°N, - 81.8384°W; elev. 223 m; 23 Sep. 2017; hand collected; J. Means, D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE03262 , 63, 3289 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MPE03290 , 91 • 7 ♂♂; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MPE02240 , 2257, 2258, 2260-62, 3727 • same collection data as preceding ; 5 ♀♀; same collection data as preceding; 18 Nov. 2016; VTEC MPE02248 - 50, 3728, 3729. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria mcelroyorum sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby N. shenandoa , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite gently curving medially throughout, not straight as in N. shenandoa . Acropodite gradually tapering towards tip, with small lobed medial flange (Fig. 26A , red triangle), lacking swollen medial area as in N. serpens sp. nov. Tip directed medially, rounded and simple, not with folds, grooves, flanges as in N. shenandoa . Distal zone greatly reduced, not enlarged and curving caudolaterally as in N. shenandoa . Prefemur with thin, sinuous, acicular prefemoral process, not curved, saber-like as in N. shenandoa . Prefemoral spine small, medially directed, with secondary hump proximal to acropodite base (Fig. 26C , red arrow), not enlarged, cephalically directed as in N. serpens sp. nov., or lacking as in N. shenandoa . Telopodite basal zone height ca. 1/2 length of acropodite, not> 1/2 length of acropodite as in N. serpens sp. nov. or ca. 1/5 length as in N. shenandoa . Color. Tergites with light orange paranotal spots and faint orange stripes (Fig. 27 ). Light brown background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ paratype (VTEC, MPE03116; holotype too damaged for measurement): BL = 33.9, CW = 4.7, IW = 2.3, ISW = 0.9, B11W = 5.4, B11H = 3.6; ♀ paratype (VTEC, MPE03117): BL = 33.2, CW = 4.4, IW = 2.5, ISW = 1.3, B11W = 5.9, B11H = 4.3.

Variation.

Individuals of N. mcelroyorum sp. nov. from the Boone County, West Virginia site have prefemoral processes ca. 2/3 the length of those of the holotype.

Distribution.

Known from a linear area in western West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky (Kentucky: Boyd County; West Virginia: Boone and Wayne counties, Suppl. material 7; Fig. 127 ). Distribution area: 105 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. mcelroyorum sp. nov. were collected from mesic deciduous forests dominated by oak, maple, laurel, and some pine, often under 1-2 cm soil.

Etymology.

This species is named for Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy from Huntington, West Virginia, who provided endless hours of emotional support to JCM and DAH during field collections through their podcasts, 'The Adventure Zone’ and 'My Brother, My Brother, and Me’. The specific name is a plural genitive derived as a patronym.

Type locality.

United States, West Virginia, Wayne County, Barboursville, Beech Fork State Park, Lost Trail near Moxley Branch Campground, 38.3047°N, - 82.3512°W.

Figures

Figure 26. Nannaria mcelroyorum sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 03113) left gonopod A anterior view; red triangle indicates medial flange B medial view C posterior view; red arrow indicates prefemoral spine secondary hump. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 27. Nannaria mcelroyorum sp. nov. non-type ♂ (VTEC, MPE 03125) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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