Glyphiulus sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu, 2022

Zhao, Yi, Guo, Wan-Ru, Golovatch, Sergei I. & Liu, Wei-Xin, 2022, Revision of the javanicus species group of the millipede genus Glyphiulus Gervais, 1847, with descriptions of five new species from China (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Cambalopsidae), ZooKeys 1108, pp. 89-118 : 89

Glyphiulus sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu sp. nov.

Figs 5A , 6 , 7

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (SCAU GD7), China, Guangdong Province, Qingyuan City, Yangshan County, Taiping Town, Niubi Village, Cave Niubi Yan, 24°10'23.93"N, 112°33'27.50"E, 100 m alt., 2014-XII-27, leg. Tian Mingyi, Liu Weixin, Huang Sunbin & Wang Xinhui. Paratypes: 1 ♂ (ZFMK), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (SEM), 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (SCAU GD7), same data as the holotype.

Etymology.

To emphasise the apicomesal process of the anterior gonopod coxite being hook-shaped.

Diagnosis.

Differs from congeners of the Glyphiulus formosus -group by the anterior gonopod showing a high and digitiform process, in which the tip is hook-shaped, coupled with a short, distally pectinate flagellum of the posterior gonopod. Based on molecular evidence, G. sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. differs from all other Glyphiulus species analysed in a> 16.1% uncorrected p-distance of the COI barcoding gene.

Description.

Length ca. 33.0-42.0 (♂) or 45.0-50.0 mm (♀), mid-body rings round in cross-section, their width and height similar, 2.2-2.3 mm (♂) or 2.5-2.8 mm (♀). Body with 52-65 (♂) or 70-76 (♀) podous + 1-4 apodous rings + telson. Colouration orange-brownish to brownish, anterior part of body much darker in alcohol, red-brownish (Fig. 5A ).

Head surface smooth (Fig. 7A ). Labrum with 4 or 5 teeth anteromedially. Ocellaria blackish, with 12-15 (♂) or 17-23 (♀) ommatidia arranged in 1-3 irregular linear rows (Fig. 7A ). Antennae relatively long, reaching back to ring 3; in length, antennomeres 5> 3> 2> 4> 6> 1> 7. Antennomeres 5-7 each with a distodorsal field or corolla of bacilliform sensilla (sensory bacilli). Antennomere 7 with four sensory cones (Fig. 7A ). Gnathochilarium with a separate promentum, lamellae linguales and promentum densely setose, a few setae on mentum (Fig. 7B ). Mandible with a large external tooth and an internal tooth, the latter provided with nine cusps.

Collum: crests complete and evident; carinotaxy formula I-III+P+M (Fig. 7A ). Following metaterga strongly crested; carinotaxy formula 2/2+I/i+3/3 (Fig. 6 ). Ozoporiferous tubercles very large, much higher than wide. Tegument delicately alveolate-areolate, fine longitudinal striations in front of stricture. Metatergal setae absent. Rings 2 and 3 with long pleural flaps (Fig. 6D ). Limbus more or less regularly denticulate.

Epiproct simple, very narrow, caudal edge uneven, with a strong central tubercle dorsally (Fig. 6C ). Paraprocts rather regularly convex, each with several irregular rows of setae. Hypoproct transversely bean-shaped, with 3+3 small setae near caudal margin.

Legs slender, about 1.2 times as long as mid-body height; claw with a small accessory spine at base, about 1/3 as long as claw (Fig. 7F ). ♂ legs 1 very strongly reduced, represented by a sternum showing a pair of small, fused, paramedian, subunciform prongs directed forward, with about 10-11+10-11 long setae at base; flanked by strongly separated, rudimentary, 2-segmented leg vestiges, first segment being much larger (Fig. 7D ). ♂ legs 2 slightly hypertrophied, coxae large; penes small, much shorter than coxae, oblong-subtrapeziform, each with two strong setae distolaterally (Fig. 7C ). ♂ legs 3 modified through coxae being especially slender and elongate (Fig. 7E ). ♂ femora 6 and 7 normal, without modifications.

Anterior gonopods (Fig. 7H ) with a broad and plate-shaped coxosternum supporting about 18-20 microsetae near distal margin; apicomesal process of coxite very high, digitiform, tip narrow and hook-shaped. Telopodite large and coiled, 1-segmented, lateral in position, slightly higher than lateral corner of coxite and with a field of 5-10 microspinules at base and 6-8 strong setae apically.

Posterior gonopods (Fig. 7I ) compact. Coxite subquadrate, with a circular field of 12-15 basolateral microspinules in frontal view and an elongated field of 20-25 microspinules in caudal view; apical and mesal parts of coxite with dense, strong and curved setae. Lamelliform lobe membranous, with a short, distally pectinate flagellum (Fig. 7J ).

Vulvae very simple, bare, modestly emarginate medially (Fig. 7G ).

Remarks.

In the absence of direct troglomorphic traits, this species can only be considered as troglophilic at most. In the Guangdong Province and in Hong Kong, only G. formosus and G. granulatus have been recorded as yet.

Figures

Figure 5. Pictures of live animals A G. sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. from Cave Niubi Yan B G. scutatus Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. from Cave Bianfu Dong C G. portaliformis Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. from Cave Baiyan Dong D G. xiniudong Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. from Cave Xiniu Dong E G. conuliformis Zhao & Liu, sp. nov. from Cave Yanzi Dong.

Figure 6. Glyphiulus sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu, sp. nov., ♂ paratype A rings 2 - 4, dorsal view B, E mid-body rings, dorsal and lateral views, respectively C posterior body rings, dorsal view D rings 2 - 5, sublateral view F cross-section of a mid-body ring, caudal view. Scale bars: 1 mm. Abbreviation: pf: pleural flap.

Figure 7. Glyphiulus sinuatoprocessus Zhao & Liu, sp. nov., ♂ paratype A head, collum and antenna B gnathochilarium C penes D leg 1, frontal view E leg 3, frontal view F mid-leg G ♀ paratype, vulvae H anterior gonopods, caudal view I posterior gonopod, caudal view J flagellum. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B), 0.2 mm, (C-I), 0.1 mm (J).