Alpinella waltheri

Antić, Dragan Ž. & Makarov, Slobodan E., 2016, The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida), Zootaxa 4211 (1), pp. 1-205 : 19-23

Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov.

Figs 12–14

Diagnosis. As for the genus.

Etymology. The new species is named after Frank Walther, a German malacologist, the collector. Material studied (total: 1 male). Holotype. GEORGIA: male, Pass Abano, border between Kakheti and Tusheti regions, 2860 m asl, short alpine meadow, under small stone, 3 Sep. 2009, F. Walther leg. (SMNG). Type locality. GEORGIA: Pass Abano, border between Kakheti and Tusheti regions, 2860 m asl. Description. Body with 30 segments (including telson) in adult male.

MEASUREMENTS. Holotype male 14 mm long, vertical diameter of the largest pleurotergite 1 mm. COLORATION ( Fig. 12 ). Dorsolateral sides of pleurotergites yellowish to pale brown, forming paramedian stripes on dorsal side. Dorsomedial and ventrolateral sides of pro- and metazonites darker, greyish on prozonites, brownish on posterior parts of metazonites and on lateral keels. Ventrolateral sides increasingly greyish until two last segments with brown ventrolateral sides.

HEAD. Without frontal depression in male. Labrum with three medial teeth and 5+5 labral and 2+2 supralabral setae. Promentum triangular, without setae. Lingual plates with 5+5 setae, on each plate arranged in one row. Stipites with ca 25+25 setae. Antennae 1.85 mm long in holotype. Length of antennomeres (in mm): I (0.09), II (0.2), III (0.5), IV (0.25), V (0.48), VI (0.18), VII (0.13) and VIII (0.02). Length/breadth ratios of antennomeres I– VII: I (1), II (1.8), III (5.5), IV (2.5), V (3.7), VI (1.4) and VII (1.4). Antennomeres II, IV, V, VI and VII with one, three, one, four and one sensillum, respectively. Number of ocelli 23, arranged in 6 rows in holotype.

COLLUM. Narrower than head, with six macrochaetae. Anterior edge semi-circular, posterior margin gently concave.

BODY SEGMENTS ( Fig. 12 ). Lateral keels like lateral swellings. Macrochaetae relatively long and trichoid. CIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.65; MIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 1.75; PIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.6; MA (pleurotergite 15) ~ 95˚.

TELSON. Epiproct with a pair of spinnerets and 3+3 setae (1+1 paramedian, 2+2 marginal). Hypoproct with 1+1 apical setae. Paraprocts with 3+3 marginal setae.

WALKING LEGS. Leg-pairs 1 and 2 with tarsal combs; prefemora with several long and robust setae; femora and postfemora with a group of several long and robust setae.

MALE SEXUAL CHARACTERS ( Fig. 13 ). Leg-pairs 3–7 enlarged. Leg-pairs 3 and 4 each with a basal exterior protrusion on prefemur. No other peculiarities. Leg-pairs 10 and 11 with coxal glands, no other peculiarities.

ANTERIOR GONOPODS ( Fig. 14 A–C). With neither an anterior sternal lamella nor a sac. A medial rounded syncoxite with an anterior, chitinized part (s1) and a posterior, somewhat higher and more vesicular part (s2). Two lateral structures present on both sides of this medial lobe: an inner, simple process (ip) with a posteriorly curved and denticulate mesal edge (mip), and a more outer and more complex part (op) consisting of a posterior, long, slender and acuminate process (ap) connected to a lamellar structure (ls). The latter carrying a lateral subtriangular projection (stp) and a mesally orientated, apically hairy process (mhp). The mesalmost part of anterior gonopods a single simple lever (slv) which can be traced in posterior view. In addition, a row of short setae (rs) can be seen on both sides in posterior view.

POSTERIOR GONOPODS ( Fig. 14 D). Coxites (c) divided. Telopodites (t) present on posterolateral side. Coxal processes (cp) long and slender, slightly curved posteriorly. Coxal vesicles (cv) present on anterior side.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov., holotype male habitus. Scale line = 1 mm.

FIGURE 13. Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. A. Leg 3. B. Leg 4. Scale lines = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 14. Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov., holotype male gonopods. A. Anterior gonopods, anterior view. B. Anterior gonopods, lateral view. C. Anterior gonopods, posterior view. D. Posterior gonopods, posterior view. c = coxite; t = telopodite; ap = acuminate process; cp = coxal process; cv = coxal vesicle; ip = lateral inner process; ls = lamellar structure; op = lateral outer process; rs = row of setae; s 1 = anterior medial part; s 2 = posterior medial part; mip = denticulate mesal egde of ip; mhp = mesal hairy process; slv = simple lever; stp = subtriangular projection. Scale line = 0.3 mm.