Nannaria rhysodesmoides (Hennen & Shelley, 2015)

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 rhysodesmoides (Hennen & Shelley, 2015) Fig. 108 Vernacular name: "The Rhysodesmus-Like Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Mimuloria rhysodesmoides Hennen & Shelley, 2015: 1-16.

Nannaria rhysodesmoides : Means et al. 2021: S72.

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Virginia • ♂; Putnam County, Cookeville ; [36.1628°N, - 85.5016°W]; 12 Apr. 1958; H.E. Evans leg.; FSCA.

Paratypes: United States - Virginia • 6 ♂♂; same collection data as holotype; NCSM 27913. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria rhysodesmoides are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite simple, gently curving dorsomedially, not with pronounced medial swelling as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Acropodite tip with small, triangular lateral flange (Fig. 108A , red arrow), not large, hooked lateral flange as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Apex slightly sinuate (Fig. 108B , red triangle). Acropodite tip terminating in small, sharp, dorsally directed point, not blunt, squared off as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Height of telopodite basal zone <1/2 length of prefemoral process, not ca. 1/2 length of prefemoral process as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Prefemoral process straight, wide, approaching laminate, not thin and acuminate as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Prefemoral spine completely reduced not forming small ridge as in N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. Color. The preserved holotype suggests that N. rhysodesmoides may have metatergal stripes connecting the paranotal spots, though living specimens have not be observed by the authors.

Measurements.

♂ paratype (NCSM27913; ♂ holotype too fragmented for measurement): BL = 22.3, CW = 2.9, IW = 1.8, ISW = 0.8, B11W = 4.4, B11H = 2.4.

Variation.

No known variation.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Tennessee: Putnam County, Suppl. material 7; Fig. 129 ). Distribution area: N/A; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Hennen and Shelley (2015) do not mention ecological notes in their description of the species, most likely due to a lack of ecological information from the original collector.

Etymology.

Hennen and Shelley (2015) chose the specific name based on the presence of a lateral flange on the gonopod (Fig. 108A , red arrow), a character also seen in the genus Rhysodesmus Cook, 1895.

Type locality.

United States, Virginia, Putnam County, Cookeville.

Notes.

In the original publication, Hennen and Shelley (2015: 15) designate a male holotype and five male paratypes (FSCA) collected by H. E. Evans on 12 April 1958, and note that one male paratype from this collection was retained at the NCSM.

Figures

Figure 108. Nannaria rhysodesmoides holotype ♂ (FSCA) left gonopod A anterior view, red arrow indicates small, pointed lateral flange B medial view; red triangle indicates slight sinuation of the acropodite apex C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 129. Distribution map of Nannaria minor species group collection localities west of the Appalachians.