Mimuloria rhysodesmoides, Hennen & Shelley, 2015

Hennen, Derek A. & Shelley, Rowland M., 2015, A contribution on the milliped tribe Nannariini (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae): Revalidation of Mimuloria Chamberlin 1928; identities of Fontaria oblonga C. L. Koch 1847, and Nannaria minor Chamberlin 1918; elucidation of the tribal range; and commentaries on Nannaria Chamberlin 1918, and Oenomaea Hoffman 1964, Insecta Mundi 2015 (418), pp. 1-21 : 15-16

Mimuloria rhysodesmoides , new species

Fig. 22–23 .

Type specimens. Male holotype and five fragmented male paratypes ( FSCA) collected by H. E. Evans, 12 April 1958, in Cookeville, Putnam Co., Tennessee. One male paratype retained at NCSM.

Diagnosis. Acropodite subupright, anterior surface with subapical and subacuminate spur; prefemoral process extending for 1/2 – 2/3 of acropodital length, narrowing strongly apically, angling inward into acropodital arc and directed toward latter’s stem.

Holotype. Length ca. 18.4 mm, maximum width ca. 4.4 mm, W/L ratio 23.9%. Somatic features agreeing closely with those of M. castanea with following exceptions. Width across genal apices 1.4 mm. Facial setae as follows: epicranial, interantennal, subantennal, frontal, and genal 0–0, clypeal about 6–6, labral about 8–8, merging with clypeal series and continuing for short distances along genal borders. Antennae reaching back to midlength of 4 th metatergite; relative lengths of antennomeres 6>2=3>4=5>1>7. Caudolateral corners of 2 nd – 4 th paranota rounded; those of 5 th paranota slightly extended and becoming more so on caudal paranota. Sternal spines present on segments 8–19. Relative lengths of postgonopodal podomeres 3>2>4>6>5>1. Coxae through tibiae only sparsely hirsute; prefemoral spines long, overhanging ½ or more of lengths of femora. Tarsal claws spatulate on legs 2–18 (anterior legs of 10 th segment).

Gonopods in situ crossing around midlengths, extending anteriad to or beyond midlength of 5 th sternum. Gonopod structure ( Fig. 22–23 ) as follows: Prefemoral process long, broad for most of length, narrowing distad, directed inward toward 2/3 length of acropodite, without trace of secondary process, spur, or lobe. Acropodite leaning mediad for most of length, bending more so distad and overhanging tip of prefemoral process; blade-like and subequal in width for most of length, narrowing at distal bend and more so apically, with subapical spur on outer margin distal to bend.

Etymology. The specific name references the apical similarity to the Mexican xystodesmid genus Rhysodesmus Cook, 1895 (Rhysodesmini) in possessing the spur on the outer acropodital surface ( Hoffman 1966, 1970). Rhysodesmus also includes two Appalachian species, R. restans Hoffman 1998 , from Washington Co., Virginia, and R. agrestis Shelley, 1999 , from Knox Co., Tennessee ( Hoffman 1998, Shelley 1999).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Remarks. Though depigmented after 56 years in preservative, the types show an unequivocal banded color pattern. Broad, light bands extend along caudal metatergal margins connecting equally light paranota; the base color appears to be dark olive.

Figures

Figures 18–23. The dilatata group. 18–19) M. d. dilatata holotype. 18) Telopodite of left gonopod, ventral view. 19) Distal extremity of acropodite, medial view. 20–21) M. d. sigmoidea holotype. 20) Telopodite of left gonopod, ventral view. 21) Basal flange/shoulder of prefemoral process, medial view. 22–23) M. rhysodesmoides holotype. 22) Telopodite of left gonopod, ventral view. 23) Distal extremity of acropodite, submedial view. a, acropodite; pfp, prefemoral process.