Nannaria komela, 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 komela sp. nov. Figs 13 , 14 Vernacular name: "The Lambsburg Twisted-Claw Millipede"

Material examined.

Holotype: United States - Virginia • ♂; Carroll County, Lambsburg, Lambsburg Rd. , Hawks State Forest , hillside above Turkey Creek; 36.6062°N, - 80.7720°W; elev. 767 m; 7 Oct. 2017; hand collected; J. Means, D. Hennen leg.; VTEC MPE03523 .

Paratypes: United States - Virginia • 1 ♂; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE03536 • 1 ♂; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE03537 • 1 ♀; same collection data as holotype; VTEC MPE03699 • 1 ♀; same collection data as holotype; VMNH MPE03700 • 1 ♂; Carroll County, crest of Blue Ridge at end of VA. Hy. 716, ca. 3 miles W of Lambsburg; 36.5852°N, - 80.8155°W; 3 June 1986; R. Hoffman, R. Highton leg.; VMNH NAN0295 .

Other material.

United States - North Carolina • 1 ♀; Surry County, gully behind North Carolina Welcome Center; 36.5605°N, - 80.7469°W; elev. 421 m; 24 June 2017; hand collected; J. Means leg.; VTEC MPE02891 • 1 ♂; Surry County, 8 NW Dobson, 1338, 2nd bridge, 0.5 S 1421; 36.4719°N, - 80.8355°W; 11 Aug. 1975; R. Shelley, J. Clamp leg.; NCSM NAN0506 • 4 ♂ ♀; Surry County , along 1328, 1.8 mi from int. of 1325 on hillside in dry stream bed, 11.2 mi W Dobson; 36.4181°N, - 80.9283°W; 7 Sep. 1978; W. Jones leg.; NCSM NAN0512; SCAU - Virginia • 1 ♂; Russell County, 4200' Beartown Mtn.; 36.9360°N, - 81.8859°W; 16 Oct. 1976; C. Rushin leg.; VMNH NAN0141. For detailed collection data see Suppl. material 7 .

Diagnosis.

Adult males of Nannaria komela sp. nov. are distinct from other Nannaria and the nearby N. wilsoni , based on the following combination of characters: Gonopods. Gonopodal acropodite semi-circular, curving dorsomedially throughout, with appearance of slight swelling before apex in posterior view (Fig. 13C , red arrow), not with corkscrew before apex as in N. wilsoni . Tip simple, rounded, curving dorsally. Tip not sharp, with small triangular lateral flange as in N. domestica , or with laminate expansion and tooth-like lateral flange as in N. wilsoni . Height of telopodite basal zone reduced, ca. 1/4 length of acropodite, not ca. 1/6 as in N. wilsoni . Prefemoral process serpentine, curving ventrally. Prefemoral process not laminate as in N. domestica , or long, curving medially as in N. wilsoni . Prefemoral spine reduced and fused with prefemoral process, forming basal ridge (Fig. 13C , red triangle), not separate as in N. domestica . Color. Tergites with orange paranotal spots (Fig. 14 ). Black background. Dorsum of collum smooth with orange margin.

Measurements.

♂ holotype (VTEC, MPE03523): BL = 28.1, CW = 3.6, IW = 2.2, ISW = 0.8, B11W = 4.6, B11H = 3.0; ♀ paratype (VTEC, MPE03699): BL = 33.3, CW = 3.8, IW = 2.0, ISW = 1.0, B11W = 5.0, B11H = 3.3.

Variation.

The specimen from Beartown Mountain (VMNH NAN0141) has a slightly less serpentine prefemoral process, and a more pronounced prefemoral spine.

Distribution.

Known from southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina (Virginia: Carroll and Russell counties; North Carolina: Surry County, Suppl. material 7; Fig. 126 ). Distribution area: 70 km2; status: MRE.

Ecology.

Individuals of Nannaria komela sp. nov. have been collected from mesic deciduous forests dominated by oak, maple, tuliptree, and rhododendron. They are often found under 1-2 cm moist soil on hillsides.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an arbitrary combination of letters from the Greek kome, meaning ‘village,’ and melon, meaning ‘sheep,’ which refers to the town of Lambsburg, Virginia nearby to the type locality. It is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Type locality.

United States, Virginia, Carroll County, Lambsburg, Lambsburg Rd., Hawks State Forest, hillside above Turkey Creek, 36.6062°N, - 80.7720°W.

Figures

Figure 13. Nannaria komela sp. nov. paratype ♂ (VMNH, NAN 0295) left gonopod A anterior view B medial view C posterior view; red arrow indicates dorsomedial bend giving appearance of medial swelling; red triangle indicates prefemoral spine fused with prefemoral process. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 14. Nannaria komela sp. nov. holotype ♂ (VTEC, MPE 03523) coloration. Scale bar: 4.0 mm.

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