Miniaria Shear & Marek, 2023

Shear, William A. & Marek, Paul E., 2023, The millipede family Striariidae Bollman, 1893. VIII. Three new genera and four new species of minute millipedes from Oregon and Washington, USA (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Striarioidea), Zootaxa 5264 (3), pp. 323-340 : 325

Miniaria Shear & Marek , new genus

Type species: Miniaria ramifera Shear & Marek , new species

Diagnosis. A genus of Striariinae consisting of two species, distinct from other small striariids in the form of the male labrum, which is convex distally and with sharp lateral corners, but lacking curved processes (lab, Figs 1 , 12 ). Additional distinguishing characters of the males: first legpair ( Fig. 2 ) lacks needle setae; flasks of coxae 3 very short, with subterminal processes; fourth legpair largest but with short, wide podomeres (L4, Fig. 4 ); gonopod colpocoxites strongly reduced ( Figs 9 , 19 ); ninth legpair with coxal pores and curved coxal processes (cxp, Figs 10 , 25 ).

Etymology. The genus name is feminine in gender and is an arbitrary combination of letters.

Description. Small species of Striariinae with 28 postcephalic rings. Length 3–4 mm, width about 0.25–0.30 mm. Color white, with single black ommatidium on each side of head. Antennae relatively short, robust, clavate. Head, except for labrum, covered with fine setae and small tubercles ( Fig. 1 ). Collum ornamented by closely set small tubercles, coalescing into vague crests in posterior fifth of collum length. Metazonites with twelve subequal crests ( Figs 13, 14 ); metazonital setae long, prominent, with longitudinal grooves and feathered tips ( Figs 15 ). Telson with three lobes only shallowly separated, not prominent; spinnerets directed posteriad (sp, Fig. 16 ). Legs with specialized flattened setae with median ridges and long, filamentous extensions ( Fig. 6 ).

The following secondary sexual characters occur in males. Head frontally flattened with slight swellings below antennal sockets. Labrum flat and smooth, slightly concave, distal corners distinctly angular, not rounded (lab, Fig. 1 ). Mandibular stipes with serrate anteriodistal margin, prominent distal tooth (m, Fig 1 ). First legpair ( Fig. 2 ) enlarged, femora curved, lacking needle setae, distal podomeres with few long, flattened setae ventrally. Second legpair larger than first; openings of vas deferentia separate, subtended by long, flattened, ribbon-like setae (vd, Figs 3 , 5 ). Third legpair robust, coxal flasks short, with subterminal process ( Fig. 5 ); tarsi with special sensory array including comb setae and recessed pore plate ( Fig. 6 ; see Discussion section below for further details). Fourth legpair the largest; prefemora and femora nearly as wide as long (L4, Figs 4 , 8 ). Fifth, sixth and seventh legpairs enlarged; seventh coxae unmodified. Tenth coxae with glands, not modified or enlarged (cx10, Fig. 10 ).

Gonopods ( Figs 9, 11 , 19–24 , 39–44, 46–53 ), separate from prominent, transverse sternum, coxae large, with two or three setae. Anterior angiocoxites curved, with fimbriate posterior margin distally. Posterior angiocoxites smaller than anterior ones, fimbriate, sheathing single flagellum or flagellocoxite. Colpocoxites membranous-fimbriate, much reduced. Ninth legs ( Figs 10 , 25 , 45 ), variably free or partially fused to sternum; coxae and telopodites fused, coxae with prominent anterior lobe bearing gland pore, also with strongly curved single process; telopodites strongly flattened, setose, with ornament of pointed tubercles (as on other legs).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Miniaria ramifera n. gen., n. sp., male holotype. 1. Head and legpairs 1 and 2, anterioventral view. 2. Left leg 1, posterior view. 3. Coxae of legpair 2, ventral view. 4. Legpairs 3 and 4, ventral view. Abbreviations: cf, coxal flask of coxa 3; cx3, body of coxa 3; lab, labrum; L (numeral), numbered legpair; m, mandibular stipes; om, ommatidium; pf (numeral), prefemur of numbered legpair; vd, opening of vas deferens.

FIGURES 9–14. Miniaria n. gen. species. 9–11. Miniaria ramifera n. gen., n. sp., male holotype. 9. Gonopods, posterior view. 10. Legpair 9 and coxae of legpair 10, anterior view. 11. Tip of gonopod anterior angiocoxite, ventral view. 12–14. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., male from Germany Creek. 12. Head and legpair 1, ventrolateral view. 13. Pleurotergites 11 and 12, lateral view. 14. Pleurotergites 12 and 13, dorsal view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cx, gonopod coxa; cx (numeral), coxa of numbered legpair; lab, labrum; L1, legpair 1; m, mandibular stipes; numerals, ring numbers; om, ommatidium.

FIGURES 15–19. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., male from Germany Creek. 15. Segmental seta. 16. Telson, lateral view. 17. Tarsus 3, lateral view. 18. Tip of tarsus 4, lateral view. 19. Gonopods, posterior view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cx, coxae of gonopods; pac, posterior angiocoxite; s, sternum of gonopods; sp, spinnerets; t, telson; x, comb seta.

FIGURES 24–30. Male striariid millipedes. Figs. 24, 25. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., male. 24. Gonopods of specimen from Pin Creek, ventral view. 25. Legpair 9 and coxae 10 of specimen from Kennedy Creek, ventral view. Figs. 26–30. Tigraria oregonensis n. gen., n. sp. male. 26. Head and first 3 legpairs, ventral view. 27. Collum, lateral view. 28. Pleurotergites 13, 14, dorsal view. 29. Segmental seta. 30. Left leg 2, ventral view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cc, colpocoxite; col, collum; cx, coxa of gonopods; cx (numeral), coxa of numbered legpair; L (numeral), numbered legpair; lab, labrum; m, mandibular stipes; numeral, ring numbers; s, sternite of gonopods; vd, opening of vas deferens.

FIGURES 5–8. Miniaria ramifera n. gen., n. sp., male holotype. 5. Legpairs 2 and 3, ventral view. 6. Tarsus of left leg 3, lateral view. 7. Comb seta of tarsus 3. 8. Legpairs 4–6, ventral view. Abbreviations: cf, coxal flask of leg 3; L (numeral), numbered legpair;pf(numeral),prefemurofnumberedleg;w,accessory clawoftarsus3,x,combsetae;y,recessedporeplate;z,sensory seta.

FIGURES 39–46. Gonopods and ninth legs of male striariid millipedes. Figs. 39–45. Miniaria ramifera n. gen., n. sp. 39. Right gonopod of specimen from Mashel River, mesal view. 40. Same, lateral view. 41. Right gonopod of specimen from Cook- Underwood Road, mesal view. 42. Same, lateral view. 43, Right gonopod of specimen fromAinsworth State Park, mesal view. 44. Right gonopod of specimen from Timber, mesal view. 45. Ninth legpair of specimen from Ainsworth State Park, posterior view. 46. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., right gonopod of specimen from Hospital Creek, mesal view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cc, colpocoxite; cx9, ninth leg coxa; cxp, coxal process; pac, posterior angiocoxite; t9, telopodite of ninth leg.

FIGURES 47–54. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., male paratype. 47. Right gonopod of specimen from Hospital Creek, lateral view. 48. Right gonopod of specimen from Centralia, lateral view. 49. Right gonopod of specimen from Toutle, lateral view. 50. Gonopods of specimen from Elochoman River Road, anterior view. 51. Right gonopod of specimen from Kennedy Creek, mesal view. 52. Right gonopod of specimen from Lee’s Camp, mesal view. 53. Same, Lateral view. 54. Ninth legpair of specimen from Lee’s Camp, anterior view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cc, colpocoxite; cx, coxa; cxp, coxal process; f, flagellum; pac, posterior angiocoxite; t9, telopodite of ninth leg.