Paropiona aenigma Shear & Marek 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Shear, William A.
name: Marek, Paul E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Chordeumatida
Caseyidae
Paropiona
Paropiona aenigma

description: Paropiona aenigma Shear & Marek, sp. nov.
Figs 13–21, 31
Types. Male holotype, two male and two female paratypes from Tolmie State Park, 61 st Avenue NE, Olympia, Thurston Co., Washington, 47.120°N, - 122.776°W, 20’ asl, collected 4 February 2003 by W. Leonard. Parts of paratype males are mounted on SEM stub WS38-7.
Etymology. The species name, a Latin noun in apposition, refers to our original indecision concerning the placement of this species in Opiona or a new genus.
Diagnosis. Distinct from P. gardneri sp. nov. in the undivided angiocoxite of the gonopods (divided in gardneri), relatively shorter telopodites of legpair 2 and in having the coxal processes of legpair 9 spirally curved rather than hooked.
Description. Holotype male. 8.0 mm long, 0.75 mm wide (Fig. 31). Other nonsexual characters as described for P. gardneri.
First legpair short, stout, arising from fused coxosternum, lacking specialized setae, tarsal comb obscure.
Second legpair (Fig. 13) with gonapophyses (ga) short, diverging, bearing long setae on anterior surface; vas deferens and accessory pore not observed; telopodite (t2) with five podomeres, terminal podomere button-like, clawless.
Third legpair (Fig. 13) with short, convergent coxal lobes (cl) sparsely setose, single long terminal seta; telopodites (t3) with four podomeres, terminal podomere with long, single seta.
Gonopods in anterior view (Fig. 14) bilaterally fused as coxosternum (cxs, Fig. 16), undivided angiocoxites (ac) simple, semiquadrate. In posterior view (Fig. 15) angiocoxites (ac) slightly spatulate. Telopodites (t) as large as angiocoxites, emerging from distinct sockets in coxae, laterally flattened, diverging, with long terminal process tipped with minute spicules. In oblique lateral view (Fig. 16), angiocoxites (ac) cupped inward, telopodites (t) basally broad.
Ninth legpair (Figs 17–20) sternum (s9) narrow, elongated coxae (cx9) widely separated; coxal processes (cp) with mesal branch thin, short, acute, lateral branch robust, spirally curved, with pore (p) at base; telopodites (t) slightly longer than coxal processes, narrow, with small tuft of stout setae at tip (Fig. 20).
Tenth legpair (Fig. 21) sternum (s10) broad, coxae (cx10) globular, enlarged, with large pores (p), short, curved, blunt coxal processes (cp); prefemora and femora with rows of acute tubercles.
Paratype female. 8.0 mm long, 0.8 mm in diameter. Nonsexual characters as in male. Vulvae not modified, sparsely setose.
Records. In addition to the holotype and paratype locality: WASHINGTON: Clallam Co.: Deer Park Road, 6.1 mi north of US 101, 1123’asl, 14 June 2003, W. Leonard, m. Grays Harbor Co.: Canyon River, 47.304°N, - 123.509°W, 514’ asl, 3 October 2003, W. Leonard, m, ff; Canyon River, 6 mi west, 1.5 mi north of Matlock, 47.436°N, - 123.874°W, 26 May 2003, W. Leonard, mm; 47.314°N, - 123.540°W, 13 October 2003, W. Leonard, m, f.; Canyon River, 47.303°N, - 123.509°W, 22 June 2002, W. Leonard, m, f. Jefferson Co.: Queets River Road, 0.8 mi from US 101, Olympic National Park, 3 June 2003, W. Leonard, mf; same, but 4.8 mi from US 101, mm; Nolan Crook at US 101, 47.701°N, - 124.320°W, 3 March 2002, W. Leonard, m, ff; Willoughby Creek at Hoh River, 3.5 mi east of US 101, 28 March 2003, W. Leonard, mm; Satsop River, Grady Road, 2 mi north of US 101, 22 June 2001, W. Leonard, m, f. Lewis Co.: seep beside road along Cowlitz River, east of Riffle Lake, 46.462°N, - 122.163°W, 650’ asl, 9 April 2004, C. Richart, W. Leonard, m; Road #4000, southwest of Pe El MacDonald Road, 46.524°N, - 123.194°W, 650’ asl, 3 January 2005, W. Leonard, mm, ff. Mason Co.: Potlatch State Park, Shelton, 47.361°N, - 123.157°W, 20’ asl, 17 February 2002, W. Leonard, m; Skokomish Valley Road at US 101, Purdy Canyon near George Adams Salmon Hatchery, 47.301°N, 123.182°W, 15 February 2003, W. Leonard, m; Kennedy Creek, 0.6 mi upstream from US 101, 47.090°N, - 123.095°W, 8 February 2003, W. Leonard, m, f; same, but 47.087°N, - 123.091°W, 30 March 2003, mm; same but 47.090°N, - 123.095°W, 8 December 2004, m. Pacific Co.: Trap Creek, 1.1 mi north of State Route 12, 3 May 2003, W. Leonard, mm; Middle Nemah River drainage, WDFW Type N study basin, 3576 A3300Road, 46.468°N, - 123.809°W, 1900’ asl, 7 June 2006, C. Richart, m. Thurston Co.: Priest Point (Squaxin) Park, East Bay Drive Northeast, Olympia, 47.070°N, - 122.894°W, 100’ asl, 16 February 2003, W. Leonard, m; Wetland bedside Kennedydell Park, 46.987°N, - 122.970°W, 50, asl, 4 April 2004, W. Leonard, mm; Capitol State Forest, tributary to Kennedy Creek, 47.023°N, 123°013’, 948’asl, 13 September 2003, W. Leonard, mm; Capitol State Forest, unnamed tributary to Perry Creek, 47.062°N, - 123.069°W, 950’ asl, 17 October 2003, W. Leonard, m; Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area, 2 March 2001, W. Leonard, mm; McAllister Springs, 47.049°N, - 122.795°W, 23 February 2004, W. Leonard, mm, ff; McAllister Creek, 5 m south of Steelacom Road, 47.057°N, - 122.713°W, 100’ adl, 11 December 2004, W. Leonard, mm; Beach Trail, Evergreen State College campus, Olympia, 47.079°N, - 122.978°W, 100’ asl, 22 December 2003, m. Wahakiakum Co.: State Route 4 at milepost 23.7, 19 September 2003, W. Leonard, m; Allison Springs, Olympia, 47.048°N, - 122.983°W, 29 September 2003, W. Leonard, m; Rock Creek at Elochoman River, 46.276°N, - 123.280°W, 317’ asl, 10 January 2004, W. Leonard, C. Richart, mm, ff; Rock Candy Mountain Road, 1 mi south of US 101, Capitol State Forest, 28 June 2003, W. Leonard, mm, ff.
description: Published as part of Shear, William A. & Marek, Paul E., 2025, Additions to the millipede family Caseyidae Verhoeff, 1909. IV. Two new genera and three new species (Chordeumatida, Striarioidea, Caseyidae), pp. 533-547 in Zootaxa 5631 (3) on pages 539-540, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5631.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/15371308