Gymnaetoides polaoensis, Feng & Huang & Luo, 2020

Feng, Xueli, Huang, Shihui & Luo, Changqing, 2020, A new cave species of the genus Gymnaetoides (Rhaphidophoridae: Aemodogryllinae: Aemodogryllini) from Guizhou, China, Zootaxa 4885 (3), pp. 447-450 : 448-450

Gymnaetoides polaoensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Description. Male. Body medium-sized ( Figs. 1 A–C). Vertex of head divided into two conical tubercles, bases of the well-developed tubercles drawn together, obtusely rounded apices separated ( Figs. 1D, E ). Size of eyes not distinctly reduced ( Figs. 1D, E ). Anterior margin of pronotum straight, posterior margin protruding caudad, ventral margin arc-shaped ( Fig. 1F ); posterior margin of mesonotum protruding caudad; posterior margin of metanotum slightly protruding caudad.

Legs long and slender. Coxae with small medial projections. Fore femur about 1.8 times longer than the pronotum, ventrally unarmed, internal genicular lobe with 1 small spine, external genicular lobe with 1 long spine; fore tibia ventrally with 1 inner spine and 2 outer spines, apex with 1 small outer spine on dorsal surface and 1 pair of long spines on ventral surface, between the paired ventral spines with 1 small spine. Middle femur ventrally unarmed, internal and external genicular lobes with 1 long spine respectively; middle tibiae ventrally with 1 inner spine and 1 outer spine, apex with 1 pair of dorsal spines and 1 pair of ventral spines, between the paired ventral spine with 1 small spine. Hind femur ventrally unarmed, apex with 1 small dorsal spine; hind tibia dorsally with 78–81 inner spines and 74–79 outer spines, arrange in groups, ventral and dorsal surface with 1 pair of small subapical spines respectively, apex with 1 pair of long dorsal spines and 1 pair of long ventral spines; the longest dorso-apical spine not exceeding the dorso-apical spine of hind metatarsus ( Fig. 1G ). Hind metatarsus with bristles beneath.

Abdominal sternites with short ventral projections ( Fig. 1H ). Paraproct and epiproct normally developed, epiproct nearly triangular ( Fig. 1I ). Epiphallus of male genitalia like the shape of “H” ( Fig. 2A ); lateral lobes of genitalia distinctly sclerotized, dorsal lateral lobes shorter than ventral lateral lobes ( Figs. 2A, B ).

Female. Unknown.

Coloration. Body brown with dark brown or black irregular stripes on tergites and abdominal sternites ( Figs. 1 A–C). Face without distinct longitudinal bands ( Fig. 1D ). Eyes off-white ( Figs. 1D, E ). Legs light brown ( Figs. 1 A–C).

Material examined. Holotype: 1♂, Polao Cave, Zhenfeng County, Southwest Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture , Guizhou Province, 24.VIII.2020, coll. Shihui Huang & Changqing Luo. Paratype: 1♂, same data as the holotype.

Measurements (mm). Body: ♂13.93–14.39; pronotum: ♂5.72–6.52; fore femur: ♂10.72–11.02; hind femur: ♂19.94–22.37.

Distribution. China (Guizhou).

Discussion. Gymnaetoides contained only three species before this study. This new species can be easily distinguished from the other Gymnaetoides by the morphological features of male genitalia (e.g. the shape of epiphallus and lateral lobes), body size, coloration and the number of spines on the hind tibiae. It should be noted that the size of the eyes of males is not obviously reduced, but the coloration of the eyes is off-white, which suggests that the pigments in the eyes are somewhat reduced.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Polao Cave where this species occurs.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gymnaetoides polaoensis sp. nov. (male). A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, lateral view; C. habitus, ventral view; D. head, frontal view; E. vertex of head, showing conical tubercles; F. pronotum, dorsal view; G. hind tarsus, lateral view; H. abdomen, lateral view; I. epiproct, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia. A. genitalia, dorsal view; B. genitalia, ventral view.