Nannaria solenas, Means & Hennen & Marek, 2021

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 solenas sp. nov. Figs 82 , 83 , 84 Vernacular name: "The Pipestem Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - West Virginia • ♂; Summers County, Pipestem Resort State Park, path to lake, ca. 12 km northeast of Athens ; 37.5278°N, - 80.9889°W; 835 m; 21 Aug. 2014; hand collected; J. Means, E. Francis leg.; VTEC MPE00128 .

Paratypes: United States - West Virginia • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE00130 , 132-134 • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as holotype; VMNH, MPE00135 , 137, 139, 142 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE00129 , 131, 136 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE00138 , 140, 141.

Other material.

United States - Virginia • 2 ♂♂; Hamilton's Cave , ca. 4 mi. E Mechanicsburg; 37.1726°N, - 80.8780°W; 11 Apr. 1967; Herpetology Class leg.; VMNH NAN0151 • 1 ♂; same collection data as preceding; 29 Apr. 1956; R. Hoffman leg.; VMNH NAN0177 • 19 ♂♂; Bland County, Hamilton's Cave , 5 mi. ENE of Mechanicsburg; 37.1834°N, - 80.8624°W; 20 Sep. 1967; Knight, Rushin, Liscombe, R. Hoffman leg.; VMNH NAN0322 • 5 ♂♂; Bland County, hillside outside Hamilton’s Cave, ca. 6 km east of Mechanicsville (presumably a typo of Mechanicsburg ); 37.1468°N, - 80.8727°W; 16 May 1980; R. Hoffman leg.; VMNH NAN0323 • 10 ♂♂; Bland County, Big Walker Mountain, on 3 mi / SE of Mechanicsville (presumably a typo of Mechanicsburg ); 37.1307°N, - 80.8916°W; 21 Oct. 1978; R. Hoffman leg.; VMNH NAN0220 • 10 ♂; Russell County, Pinnacles Nature Preserve , nr preserve tr.; 36.9533°N, - 82.0550°W; elev. 625 m; 20 Aug. 2006; hand collected; P. Marek, C. Spruill leg.; VTEC MMC0201, 203-207, 209, 212, 214, 215 • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as preceding; VTEC MMC0200, 208, 210, 211, 213 • 1 ♂; Tazewell County, SE slope East River Mtn., near Cove Creek ; 37.2060°N, - 81.3070°W; 29 Mar. 1971; C. Chapman leg.; VMNH NAN0049 • 3 ♂♂; Tazewell County, Burkes Garden, e. slope of Beartown Mtn. ; 37.0114°N, - 81.6990°W; elev. 1219 m; 19 Feb. 1971; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0328 • 1 ♂; Wythe County, Crawfish Valley, Channel Rock Hollow trail 1 mile from Strawberry Rd. end; 36.9526°N, - 81.3247°W; elev. 772 m; 24 Mar. 2017; hand collected; C. Harden leg.; VTEC MPE02416 • 1 ♂; Wythe County, Crawfish Valley, Channel Rock Hollow trail 1.5 mile from Strawberry Rd. end; 36.9585°N, - 81.3189°W; elev. 770 m; 24 Mar. 2017; hand collected; C. Harden leg.; VTEC MPE02428 • SCAU - West Virginia • 1 ♂; Fayette County, Fayette Station ; 38.0672°N, - 81.0834°W; 4 Oct. 1989; W. Arnold leg.; NCSM NAN0455 • 1 ♂; Mercer County, Athens, Jackson's Park , Unity Rd. ; 37.4267°N, - 81.0402°W; 2 Oct. 1966; W. Shear leg.; VMNH NAN0031. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria solenas sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the sympatric N. asta sp. nov. and N. aenigma , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite straight, not gently curving throughout as in N. asta sp. nov. or N. aenigma . Distal zone short, rectangular, bent medially at 90° angle with acropodite with slight cephalically-directed upturn at terminal edge (Fig. 82A , red arrow), not rounded, directed caudally with lateral flange as in N. asta sp. nov., or sinuous as in N. aenigma . Acropodite simple with slight swelling on inner margin but lacking dimple on outer margin as in N. asta sp. nov., or hooked lateral flange as in N. aenigma . Prefemur with long, acicular prefemoral process, not stout as in N. asta sp. nov., or laterally curving as in N. aenigma . Prefemoral spine pronounced and tooth-like (Fig. 82C , red triangle), not cephalically-curving as in N. asta sp. nov. or lacking as in N. aenigma . Telopodite basal zone simple, ca. 1/2 length of acropodite, not with lateral bulge, < ½ length of acropodite as in N. asta sp. nov., or <1/6 length of acropodite as in N. aenigma . Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 83 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange and white margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE00128): BL = 30.8, CW = 4.1, IW = 2.1, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 5.0, B11H = 3.3; ♀ paratype (VMNH, MPE00140): BL = 34.7, CW = 4.3, IW = 2.5, ISW = 1.1, B11W = 5.5, B11H = 3.1.

Variation.

Individuals from Crawfish Valley, Wythe County, Virginia, have reduced, shelf-like prefemoral spines (Fig. 84 , red triangle).

Distribution.

Known from southwestern Virginia and southeastern West Virginia, with an individual from central West Virginia (West Virginia: Fayette, Mercer, and Summers counties; Virginia: Bland, Giles, Russell, Tazewell, and Wythe counties, Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: 3,009 km2; status: SRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of Nannaria solenas sp. nov. have been collected from mesic hardwood forests, dominated by oak, maple, and pine. Specimens from Crawfish Valley were collected at night while walking on top of grass in an overgrown road.

Etymology.

This species is named after its type locality, Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia. The specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek solínas, meaning pipe.

Type locality.

United States, West Virginia, Summers County, Pipestem Resort State Park, path to lake, ca. 12 km northeast of Athens, 37.5278°N, - 80.9889°W.

Figures

Figure 82. Nannaria solenas sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 00128) left gonopod A anterior view; red arrow upturned acropodite tip B medial view C posterior view; red triangle indicates pronounced prefemoral spine. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 83. Nannaria solenas sp. nov. non-type ♂ (VTEC, MPE 02420) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

Figure 84. Nannaria solenas sp. nov. non-type ♂ (VTEC, MPE 02420) from Crawfish Valley left gonopod; red triangle indicates reduced prefemoral spine.

Figure 126. Distribution map of Nannaria minor species group collection localities in the central Appalachians.