Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991

Golovatch, S. I., 2014, Review of the millipede genus Epanerchodus Attems, 1901 in continental China, with descriptions of new species (Diplopoda: Polydesmidae), Zootaxa 3760 (2), pp. 275-288 : 276-277

Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991

Figs 1–6

Epanerchodus potanini Golovatch, 1991: 153 .

Material examined: 1 male, 5 females, 3 subadults ( 19 segments) ( SMF), China, Gansu Prov., Lianhua Shan Mts, 2870 m a.s.l, cool Picea-Abies forest with Betula & Salix , 34.925 °N, 103.730 °E, 13.06. 2013, leg. J. Martens; 1 male, 1 fragment ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., NW of Mianning, broadleaved forest, 4035 m a.s.l., 28 ° 40 ’03”N, 103 °00’ 56 ”E, 07.06.2012; 1 incomplete female ( ZMUM), same locality, 3675 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28 ° 38 ’ 41 ”N, 102 °03’ 59 ”E, 06.06.2012; 3 females ( ZMUM), same locality, 2475 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28 ° 38 ’ 41 ”N, 102 °03’ 59 ”E, 05.06.2012; 3 females, 1 juvenile ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., S of Muli, 3065 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27 ° 44 ’ 34 ”N, 101 ° 17 ’ 26 ”E, 23.05. 2012, all leg. I. Belousov, I. Kabak, G. Davidian & A. Korolev; 1 subadult female ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Maoxian County, SE of Shangxinzhen, 3155 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 31 ° 34 ’04”N, 103 ° 47 ’ 41 ”E, 30.06.2012; 1 incomplete female ( ZMUM), Sichuan, Jiulong County, SE of Wulaxixiang, 3445 a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 28 ° 35 ’ 21 ”N, 101 ° 36 ’ 14 ”E, 12.06. 2012, both leg. I. Belousov & G. Davidian; 2 females ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Pass Pingchuan to Yanyuan, 3205 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27 ° 31 ’ 51 ”N, 101 ° 42 ’ 43 ”E, 20.07.2011; 1 female ( ZMUM), Sichuan Prov., Pass Pingchuan, 3445 m a.s.l., broadleaved forest, 27 ° 39 ’ 55 ”N, 101 ° 44 ’ 28 ”E, 16.07. 2011, all leg. I. Belousov & I. Kabak.

Remarks. Since this species has been described both from Gansu and Sichuan provinces ( Golovatch 1991), the above samples can be regarded as near-topotypes which are also restricted to high elevations. Slight variations concern only coloration (only rarely a little lighter or darker, but usually rather dark brown, Figs 1–4) and the shape and length of the outgrowths on the gonopod telopodite, in particular the exomere ( ex) and the processes at the base of the endomere ( en) ( Fig. 6). Sometimes ex is slightly broadened and flattened near midway (male from NW of Mianning), normally subspiniform, but occasionally microspiculate ( Fig. 6). Processes p 1 and p 2 can also vary in length, e.g. p 2 in the male from NW of Mianning is considerably longer than p 1 and nearly as long as en. What seems to be stable is the rather small mesal lobe s at the base of the en ( Fig. 6) while sphaerotrichomes are present in male postfemora, tibiae and tarsi ( Fig. 5) (see also Golovatch 1991).