Pseudonannolene longissima Iniesta & Ferreira 2014

Iniesta, Luiz Felipe Moretti & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2014, New species of Pseudonannolene Silvestri, 1895 from Brazilian limestone caves with comments on the potential distribution of the genus in South America (Spirostreptida: Pseudonannolenidae), Zootaxa 3846 (3), pp. 361-397 : 378-380

Pseudonannolene longissima Iniesta & Ferreira 2014 , new species

( Fig. 12 )

Material examined. Holotype: 1 male ( ISLA 4110) from Gruta Rei do Mato cave (19º29’44.15”S 44º16’51.66”W), Sete Lagoas/MG, Brasil, 18/I/2001. Collected by R. L. Ferreira.

Etimology. The epithet is derived from the Latin "longus", which means something very distant. This name refers to the elongated and thin body shape of the specimen.

Comparative diagnosis. Body and eyes pigmented. Labrum with 6 supralabral setae; 19? labral setae. Mandibles with 9 rows of pectinate lamellae (difficult to see). P. longissima has the internal branch of the gonopod like a shield of the solenomere, being similar to P. caatinga , P. ro s i n e i i, P. taboa , P. leopoldoi , P. ambuatinga ( Iniesta & Ferreira 2013b), P. s p e l a e a ( Iniesta & Ferreira 2013a), P. rolamossa , P. gogo ( Iniesta & Ferreira 2013c), P. chaimowiczi , P. imbirensis , P. tocaiensis ( Fontanetti 1996a; Fontanetti 1996b) and P. microzoporus ( Mauriès 1987) . The solenomere also shows a bifurcated squamous region, with a seminal spineon located in the internal apex of the branch, similarly to the species P. caatinga , P. ro s i ne i, P. taboa , P. leopoldoi , P. chaimowiczi , P. imbirensis , P. rolamossa , P. gogo , P. anapophysis ( Fontanetti 1996a) , P. strinatii ( Mauriès 1974) and P. tricolor ( Brölemann 1902) . The pre-femoral process is rounded and lower positioned when compared to the pre-femur, as in P. rolamossa , P. gogo , P. ambuatinga , P. tocaiensis , P. mesai , P. leucocephalus , P. ophiulus , P. halophila , P. chaimowiczi and P. strinatii ( Fontanetti 2002) .

Description of adults. Measurements: Length from 78 mm; maximum midbody diameter 2.93 mm; 65 body rings; length of antennae 3.2 mm (relation to diameter 1.09); length of legs 2.8 mm (relation to diameter 0.95); length of tarsal claw 0.12 mm (relation to diameter 0.04).

Color: Visualization after fixation in 70% alcohol. Specimen in recent post-moult. Whitish color, with some dark zone in dorsal region in each body ring.

Head ( Fig. 12 a): Head glabrous and slightly pigmented. Labrum with a row containing 19? labral setae, and above a row with 6 supralabral setae. Mandibles slightly pigmented, with 2 external teeth, 4 internal teeth and 9 rows of pectinate lamellae. Eyes with 31 ocelli arranged in 4 rows. Antennae little pigmented and densely setose. First antennomere small, second, fourth, fifth and sixth similar, being the last larger. Third largest. Presence of basiconic sensilla in latter edge of fifth and sixth antennomere. Gnatochilarium typical of the genus

Trunk: Prozone and metazone whitish, with a dorsal region darker in some portions. Lateral region of each ring with transverse striae. Telson, anal shield and anal valve pigmented.

First male pair of legs ( Fig. 12 b): Coxae (Cx) triangle-shaped, larger than remaining legs, and densely setose. Prefemur (Prf) with a elongated and rounded process (P). Bristles arranged on base of P.

Gonopod ( Fig. 12 c, d): Gonopod short, stout and little sclerified. Coxae reduced; glabrous and adhered to basal region of gonopod. Basal section (Bs) with length two times little larger than width; Basiconic bristles arranged in rows along the entire the base of gonopod. Shoulder (Sh) short and rounded. Distal section (Ds) with width little longer than half of length and of Bs. Solenomere (S) with trunk elongated; distal region rounded and squamous, slightly bifurcated; with an acute and short external tip and wide internal with an elongated seminal spine (Sp). Internal branch (Ib) wide and starting right below the Sh line on Bs; slightly like a shield of S; elongated bristles arranged in middle-distal region and exceeding the S.

Notes on the natural history and habitat. The single specimen of this species was found in the Rei do Mato cave ( Fig. 15 b) (Sete Lagoas, MG), the same cave as the type material of P. e r i k ae. It is noteworthy that several collections have been conducted in this cave, so that this single observation can show that: i) the species has low population densities, encounters being rare or alternatively ii) the main habitat of this species does not include caves and the single individual collected entered accidentally in this environment. Since no systematic collections were made in the epigean environment of the area, doubt remains about these hypotheses.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Pseudonannolene longissima sp. n. (holotype, ISLA 4110): a) Anterior region; b) Pre-femoral process; c) Caudal view of gonopod; d) Oral view of gonopod. Scale bar: a) 500 µm; b) 250 µm; c) 250 µm; d) 300 µm.

FIGURE 15. Caves where the specimens were found: a) Paranoá cave (P. rosineii sp. n.); b) Rei do Mato cave (P. erikae sp. n. and P. longisima sp. n.); c) Lapa do Zu cave (P. leopoldoi sp. n.); d) Casa da Pedra cave (P. fontanettiae sp. n.); e) Taboa cave (P. taboa sp. n.); f) Milagrosa cave P. marconii sp. n.); g) Toca dos Ossos cave (P. caatinga sp. n.); h) Lapa do Baio cave (P. xavieri sp. n.); i) Brega cave (P. robsoni sp. n.).