Nepalmatoiulus chinensis, Mikhaljova, 2020

Mikhaljova, Elena V., 2020, New data on the fauna of China, part I: the taxonomy of the millipede family Julidae (Diplopoda), Zootaxa 4729 (1), pp. 47-66 : 51-53

Nepalmatoiulus chinensis new species

Figs 13–21

Material examined: Holotype: male ( ZMUM), China, Sichuan Province, NW of Mianning , H = 2955 m asl., 28°39´13´´ N, 101°58´34´´ E, 9 June 2012, leg. I. Belousov, G. Davidian, I. Kabak, Korolev. Paratypes: 1 female, 3 fragments ( ZMUM), same locality as in holotype, 9 June 2012, leg. I. Belousov, G. Davidian, I. Kabak, Korolev.

Diagnosis. Differs from congeners mainly by the narrower opisthomere velum with strongly sloped margin, apically rounded mesomeral process coupled with hook-shaped apex of promere (in mesal view), distally converging margins and a broadly curved mesal margin in promere.

Description. Male. Length about 37 mm, vertical diameter 2.5 mm, with 62(–1) rings, excluding telson. Coloration in alcohol dark brown with a grayish tinge; prozona marbled. Telson lighter. Head yellow with dark brown transverse band between eyes; head posterior portion marbled; marbled spots between beige antennae. Eyes black. Legs beige. Collum with two large transverse-oval light spots. Head smooth, 2 epicranial setae, 4 supralabral setae, and not less than 30 labral setae. Eye patches oval, each composed of not less than 45 ocelli. Antennae medium-sized, rather slender and clavate. Length ratios of antennomeres 2–7 as 8.8:6.0:6.0:6.0:4.6:1, width ratios as 1.3:1.4:1.5:1.6:1.4:1, respectively. Antennomere 5 with incomplete distodorsal corolla of 7 – 8 sensory bacilli; antennomere 6 with 1–3 sensory bacilli distodorsally. Mandibular stipites with subtriangular rounded smooth lobes. Gnathochilarium: about 10 nonapical stipital setae; lamellae linguales each with not less than 7 setae arranged longitudinally. Collum at posterior margin laterally with several distinct short lower striae, dorsally with indistinct very short striae. A transverse row of broken setae at hind edge of collum. Body cylindrical. Prozona smooth. Suture between pro- and metazonite straight, distinct. A metazonite gradually growing narrower toward body ventral part. Metazona with dense, regular, longitudinal striae reaching hind margin (20–22 striae in an approximate square with sides equal to metazonital length of a midbody ring dorsal part). A transverse row of thin setae at hind edge of metazonites, setae denser and longer on dorsal portion. Ozopores small, lying behind suture dividing pro- and metazona without touching it. Limbus with tongue-shaped lobes (type 3 or 4 in Enghoff 1987). Telson very densely setose. Epiproct caudal process of middle length, carrying at tip a claw-shaped process a little curved caudad. Legs relatively short and slender. Very delicately serrate ventral pads present on postfemur and tibia, starting from legs 2. Claw of all legs at base with a long (longer than claw) setiform accessory claw ventrally but without accessory claw dorsally. Leg pair 1 forming a hook, the distal ring not coming into close contact with the basal rings (“open hook” type in Enghoff 1987), postfemur with inflated scaly-rugose ventral surface, tip with indistinct rugosity, coxa with one seta, distal ring with a few setae, but without tarsal remnant ( Figs 13–14 ). Coxa 2 with one mesapical oral seta, gland opening positioned in apical and axial position ( Figs 16–17 ) according to Enghoff (1987). Penis pear-shaped, about 1.5 times longer than wide, with apical excavation ( Fig. 15 ). Ventral margin of body ring VII with ventrad subtriangular apically rounded lobes. Gonopods slightly protruding. Promere flattened, with distally converging margins, apically oval, caudally excavated for accommodation of mesomeral process; margin of apical excavation strongly produced caudad, papillate (in mesal view promere apex nearly hook-shaped); mesal margin of the excavation broadly retroverted; posterior surface subcentrally with small flattened rudimentary telopodite ( Figs 20–21 ). Flagellum slender, middle length, caudally covered with cuticular conical obtuse denticles. Opisthomere frontally with apically rounded papillate mesomeral process. Velum with strongly sloped smooth margin, mesal surface densely spinose posteriorly. Solenomere densely spinose.

Female. Length about 32 mm, vertical diameter 4.0 mm. Gnathochilarium without nonapical stipital setae.

Vulva with operculum and bursa of about equal height; apical excavation poorly-developed, apical lobes of bursa not long; posterior median plate with 17–18 setae arranged in two more or less regular rows ( Fig. 18 ); operculum setation as in Fig. 19 .

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 13–19. Nepalmatoiulus chinensis sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype. 13, leg 13, leg pair 1, front view; 14, leg 1, front view; 15, penis, front view; 16, leg pair 2, front view; 17, coxae 2, front view; 18, vulva, caudal view; 19, vulva, front view. Male: Figs 13–17. Scales: 20 μm (Figs 14, 15, 17), 100 μm (Figs 13, 16, 18–19).

FIGURES 20–21. Nepalmatoiulus chinensis sp. nov., male holotype. 20, promere, caudal view, flagellum broken; 21, opisthomere, mesal view. Scales in mm.