Miniaria richarti 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 : 328

Miniaria richarti Shear & Marek , n. sp.

Figs 12–25 , 46–56

Types: All specimens deposited in CAS. Male holotype and female paratype from Rainier Road , 3.0 mi NW of Military Road , Fort Lewis Military Reservation , Thurston Co. Washington, collected 29 November 2003 by W. Leonard .

Diagnosis. Distinct from M. ramifera in lacking a posterior subterminal branch on the gonopod anterior angiocoxite, and in having the gonopods closely appressed in the midline. The anterior angiocoxite is sharply elbowed, not evenly curved as in M. ramifera .

Etymology. The species name honors Dr. Casey Richart, whose collecting has contributed much to our knowledge of the litter fauna of the Pacific Northwest and California.

Description. Male from Germany Creek. Length 3.0 mm, greatest width 0.30 mm.

Nonsexual characters and secondary sexual modifications as described for genus. Gonopods ( Figs 19–24 , 46– 53 ) small, anterior angiocoxites (aac, Fig. 19 ) distinctly elbowed at near right angle posteriorly, slightly knobbed at tips, distally with prominent fringed margin. Posterior angiocoxites (pac, Fig. 19 ) about two-thirds length of anterior ones, fimbriate along posterior margin, divided into medial fimbriate region and longer, thin apical branch, sheathing single curved flagellocoxite or flagellum. Colpocoxite much reduced. Ninth legs ( Figs 25 , 54 , 55 ) as described for genus.

Females similar to males in all nonsexual respects.

Distribution. Oregon: Tillamook Co.: 1 mi W, 0.5 mi S of Lee’s Camp, 45.587°N, - 123.599°W, 700′ asl, 4 November 1972, E. M. Benedict, 2mm, 2ff.Washington:Cowlitz Co.: SR503, 11.4 mi E of I-5, 410′ asl, 45.968833°N, - 122.549817°W, 7 March 2004, W. Leonard, m, f; Pin Creek, 0.5 mi E of Carrolls, 46.267°N, - 122.853°W, 300′ asl. 7 March 2003. W. Leonard, m; Germany Creek, 5.3 mi N of SR4, 46.267°N, - 123.132°W, 11 November 2004, W. Leonard, m. Grays Harbor Co.: Porter Creek Campground, 46.978167°N, - 123.2565°W, 3 March 2005, W. Leonard, m. Lewis Co.:604 Roswell Road, Centralia, 280′ asl, 46.722317°N, - 122.9444°W, 25 January 2004, C. Richart, W. Leonard, m. Mason Co.: Kennedy Creek, 47.0876°N, - 123.0957°W, 30 March 2003, W. Leonard, 2 mm, f. Thurston Co.: Hospital Creek, above confluence with Skookumchuck River, 46.773267°N, - 122.58555°W, 15 December 2003, W. Leonard, K. McAllister, 2 mm; Black Lake and Belmore Road at 66th Avenue, Tumwater, 46.989°N, - 122.9665°W, 19 November 2004, W. P. Leonard, 2 mm, 5 ff; Summit Lake, 248′ asl, 47.002833°N, - 123.130167°N, 18 December 2004, W. Leonard, m; Olympia, Watershed Park, 11 February 2003, W. Leonard, m, f. Wahakiakum Co.: 11.7 mi on Elochoman Valley Road from SR4, 450′ asl, 46.316783°N, - 122.2617°W, 28 March 2004, C. Richart, m.

Notes. As with M. ramifera , variation is evident in the gonopod drawings, but it is not certain if this represents true geographic variation or is simply due to slightly different viewing angles. In the males from Hospital Creek ( Fig. 47 ) and Centralia, the even curvature of the anterior angiocoxite of M. ramifera is approached, while in Lee’s Camp ( Figs 52, 53 ), Kennedy Creek ( Fig. 51 ) and Toutle ( Fig. 49 ) males, the anterior angiocoxite bends at almost a right angle—with the Lee’s Camp ( Figs 52, 53 ) and Kennedy Creek ( Fig. 51 ) males having a distinct knob at the bend. A common feature appears to be the division of the fimbriate posterior angiocoxite into a thin distal branch and a broader, more proximal portion. Parts of specimens on SEM stubs: Hospital Creek, WS36-10; Kennedy Creek, WS36-3; Lee’s Camp, WS36-4.

Figures

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 20–23. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp., gonopods of specimen from Lee’s Camp. 20. Posterior view. 21. Tips of anterior colpocoxites, ventral view. 22. Posterior view showing sheathing of flagellocoxite by posterior angiocoxite. 23. Posterior view showing colpocoxite and origin of flagellocoxite. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cc, colpocoxite; cx, gonopod coxa; f, flagellocoxite; pac, posterior angiocoxite.

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 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.

FIGURES 55–61. Gonopods and ninth legs of male striariid millipedes. Figs. 55, 56. Miniaria richarti n. gen., n. sp. 55. Ninth legpair of specimen from Elochoman River Road, anterior view. 56. Left ninth leg of specimen from Hospital Creek, anterior view. Figs. 57–59. Tigraria oregonensis n. gen., n. sp., male paratype; 57. Right gonopod, mesal view. 58. Same, lateral view. 59. Right ninth leg, anterior view. Figs. 60, 61. Kingaria prattensis n. gen., n. sp., male holotype. 60. Right gonopod, lateral view. 61. Left ninth leg, anterior view. Abbreviations: aac, anterior angiocoxite; cc, colpocoxite; cx, coxa; cxp, coxal process; f, flagellum; pac, posterior angiocoxite; t9, telopodite of ninth leg.