Nannaria blackmountainensis, 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 blackmountainensis sp. nov. Figs 73 , 74 Vernacular name: "The Black Mountain Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Kentucky • ♂; Harlan Co., Black Mountain summit, radar station access road off Black Mountain Ridge Rd. , about 2.4 rd. km E jct w/ KY-160; 36.9156°N, - 82.8930°W; elev. 1250 m; 10 May 2011; hand collected; P. Marek, C. Hall and D. & M. Beamer leg.; VTEC SPC001090.

Paratypes: United States - Kentucky • 1 ♂; Harlan Co., Stone Mountain State Natural Area , wooded slope above entrance ex US-421; 36.7607°N, - 83.1400°W; elev. 570 m; 31 May 2006; hand collected; P. Marek leg.; VMNH SPC001002 • 1 ♀ same collection data as for preceding; VTEC SPC001009 • 1 ♂ Kentucky, Harlan Co., Cumberland Mountain (N Slope), Wagonroad Tunnel Trail ; 36.7328°N, - 83.2216°W; elev. 691 m; 25 July 2005; hand collected; P. Marek and C. Spruill leg.; FMNH SPC000652 .

Other material.

United States - Kentucky • 1 ♂; Bell County, Pine Mountain State Park, trail to Honeymoon Falls ; 36.7434°N, - 83.7121°W; 26 Sept.1976; R. Hoffman leg.; VMNH NAN0184 • 1 ♂; Bell County , Pine Mtn. State Park ; 36.6844°N, - 83.8351°W; 10 May 1975; J. Ettman leg.; VMNH NAN0493 • 2 ♂♂; Bell County , Pine Mtn. State Park , Wildflower Garden Area ; 36.7359°N, - 83.7379°W; 1 Feb. 1976; J. Ettman leg.; NCSM NAN0545 • 1 ♀; Harlan County , Cumberland Mtn (N slope), Wagonroad Tunnel Trail (36.7389°N, - 83.2197°W, elev. 528 m), 26 July 2005 (Coll: P. Marek, C. Spruill; VTEC SPC000794. SCAU - North Carolina • 1 ♂; Avery County , wooded hillside at Plumetree; 36.0269°N, - 82.0080°W; 4 June 1964; L. Hubricht leg.; VMNH NAN0183 • 11 ♂♂ ♀♀; Avery County , 3.7 SSE Banner Elk, NC 105 & 184, Grandfather Mtn.; 36.1170°N, - 81.8386°W; 8 Sept. 1973; R. Shelley; NCSM NAN0498 • 6 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 1978; R. Shelley leg.; NCSM NAN0518 • 20 ♂♂ ♀♀; Avery County , Newland; 36.0873°N, - 81.9273°W; 20 Aug. 1984; D. Massee leg.; NCSM NAN0522 • 1 ♂; Watauga County , Valle Crucis, NC 194, ca. 6S 1113; 36.2092°N, - 81.7783°W; 11 Oct. 1975; J. Clamp leg.; NCSM NAN0515; SCAU - Tennessee • 1 ♂; Carter County , 2.5 miles S of Burbank; 36.1123°N, - 82.1019°W; 2 May 1951; L. Hubricht leg.; VMNH, NAN0185 • 6 ♂; Carter County , Roan Mtn.; 36.1943°N, - 82.0710°W; 9 Aug. 1941; Brooks leg.; VMNH, NAN0186 • 5 ♂♂; Carter County , N slope, Roane Mtn; 36.1079°N, - 82.1280°W; 9 Aug. 1941; Dr. & Mrs. Brooks leg.; VMNH, NAN0294 • 1 ♂; Cumberland Mtns.; E. Cope leg.; VMNH, NAN0181; SCAU - Virginia • 1 ♀; Lee County , Poor Valley , Pennington Gap, VA. 621, ca. 1.6 km E US. 421, on N facing slope; 36.7768°N, - 83.0157°W, elev. 460 m; 10 June 2005; hand collected; P. Marek leg.; VTEC, SPC000540 • 1 ♂; Scott County, Powell Mtn. off FS 642, ca. 1 mi NW of Duffield, JNF; 36.7311°N, - 82.8071°W; 13 Sept. 1994; C. Hobson, D. Stevenson leg.; VMNH NAN0182. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7.

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria blackmountainensis sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby N. domestica based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite gently curving dorsomedially with pronounced medial swelling (Fig. 73A ). Acropodite tip with large, hooked lateral flange (Fig. 73A , red arrow), not small, triangular lateral flange as in N. domestica . Tip terminating in small, dorsally directed rectangular point, not sharp, caudally directed as in N. domestica . Height of telopodite basal zone ca. 1/2 length of prefemoral process, not <1/3 length as in N. domestica . Prefemoral process straight, acuminate, not laminate and serpentine as in N. domestica . Prefemoral spine reduced and fused to prefemoral process, forming small ridge (Fig. 15B , red triangle). Color. Tergites with hot orange/red paranotal spots (Fig. 74 ). Jet black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, SPC001090): BL = 31.2, CW = 3.6, IW = 2.3, ISW = 0.7, B11W = 4.7, B11H = 3.2. ♀ paratype (VTEC, SPC001009): BL = 35.4, CW = 4.1, IW = 2.8, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 5.5, B11H = 3.9.

Variation.

There exists a fair amount of variation amongst individuals of N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. from throughout the species’ range. Individuals from the northern border of Tennessee and North Carolina have medially curving prefemoral processes and sharp, pronounced prefemoral spines, while the only known specimen from near Crummies, Kentucky (SPC000652) has a small, triangular prefemoral spine. The southern populations of N. blackmountainensis may be discovered to be a separate species; however, such a discovery is contingent on the further collection of genetic material.

Distribution.

Nannaria blackmountainensis sp. nov. has a disjunct distribution in the confluence of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee and western Virginia and North Carolina (Kentucky: Harlan and Bell counties; Virginia: Scott County; Tennessee: Cumberland and Carter counties; North Carolina: Avery and Watauga counties; Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: 5,582 km2; status: SRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of N. blackmountainensis sp. nov. were collected from mesic forests of hemlock, tuliptree, maple, and oak, with an understory of jewelweed and stinging nettle.

Etymology.

This species is named for its type locality. The specific name is an adjective.

Type locality.

United States, Kentucky, Harlan Co., Black Mountain summit, radar station access road off Black Mountain Ridge Rd., about 2.4 rd. km E jct w/ KY-160, 36.9156°N, - 82.8930°W.

Figures

Figure 15. Nannaria fowleri Chamberlin, 1947, ♂ (VTEC, MPE 03017) left gonopod A anterior view B medial view C posterior view; red triangle indicates stout, tooth-like prefemoral spine. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 73. Nannaria blackmountainensis sp. nov. holotype ♂ left gonopod (VTEC, SPC 001090) A anterior view; red arrow indicates hooked lateral flange B medial view; red triangle indicates reduced prefemoral spine C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 74. Nannaria blackmountainensis sp. nov. paratype ♂ (VMNH, SPC 001002) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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