Glyphiulus latus Chen 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Chen, Hui-Ming
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Spirostreptida
Glyphiulidae
Glyphiulus
Glyphiulus latus

description: Glyphiulus latus sp. nov.
Figs 1A‒F, 2A‒D, 3A‒F, 4A‒B, 5A‒E, 6
Type material. Holotype male, China: Sichuan Province, Leshan City, Muchuan County, Longgong Cave (29°11'49.21"N, 103°41'35.24"E), 4 November 2015, H.M. Chen leg. (IBGAS). Paratypes: 2males and 6 females, same data as holotype (IBGAS).
Etymology. This specific name is derived from the Latin word latus, meaning ‘broad’ and refers to the broad mesal process of the coxosternum of the anterior gonopods.
Diagnosis. The new species differ from other species in this genus except Glyphiulus submediator Golovatch, Geoffroy, Mauriès & VandenSpiegel, 2011 (Golovatch et al. 2011b: 164, figs 11‒14) from Vietnam, by the presence a prolonged and broad coxosternal mesal processes of the anterior gonopods. It can be differentiated from Glyphiulus submediator by the elongated flagellum of the posterior gonopods, male legs 1 with 5-segmented telopodites, metatergal carinotaxic formula: 2/2+I/i+3/3+I/i+2/2, and clypeus with four teeth anteromesally (Fig. 5C).
Description. Holotype with 66p + 1a + T, 47 mm long and 2.3 mm wide; paratypes (male, female) with 60‒67p + 1‒4a + T, length 41‒51 mm, width 2.2‒2.5 mm.
Coloration yellow-brown to red-brown, tergal crests dark red-brown to castaneous brown (Figs 1A‒F, 6). Clypeus with four teeth anteromedially (Fig. 5C). Eyes barely discernible as slightly convex tubercles, unpigmented, 5‒10 on each side of head (Figs 1A, 2A‒D). Antennae slender, terminal part of antennomere 5 expanded, antennomeres 5 and 6 each with a distodorsal group of bacilliform sensilla (Figs 1A, 2A‒D, 5D). Gnathochilarium with a separate promentum, polytrichous (Fig. 3A).
Collum strongly crested, lateralmost crest continuous or split, carinotaxic formula (1a+2c+III‒IV+5c+6a+pc+ma+pc+6a+5c+IV‒III+2c+1a) or (I‒III+4c+5a+pc+ma+pc+5a+4c+III‒I) (Figs 2A‒D). Subsequent metaterga noticeably crested as well. Postcollum constriction modest (Fig. 1B). Ozopores starting from body ring 5 (Figs 1A, B). Ozoporiferous tubercles round, wider than high; midbody metatergal crests complete. Crests divided into two transverse rows of tubercles, the anterior tubercle round and upright, the posterior one triangular, directed caudally. Lateral crests rather small. Carinotaxic formula 2/2+I/i+3/3+I/i+2/2 (Figs 1A‒E). Body rings round in cross-section (Fig. 3E).
Epiproct simple, devoid of tuberculation, with a rounded ridge in caudal part and an evident axial rib dorsally. Paraprocts convex, with only a shallow but evident depression beside caudal edge, polytrichous. Hypoproct crescent shaped, weakly setose (Figs 1E, F).
Male legs 1 5-segmented, with considerably shortened telopodites and a pair of large, subdigitiform, medially contiguous, forward directed coxal processes with groups of long, robust setae at base (Fig. 3B). Male legs 2 nearly normal. Penes broad, rounded, each with 4 robust setae distolaterally (Figs 3C, 5E). Male legs 3 modified, having coxa especially slender and elongate (Fig. 3D). Midbody legs obviously longer than body diameter (Fig. 3E). Accessory claw absent (Fig. 3F).
Anterior gonopods with a pair of shield-like coxosterna, sunken medially from caudal view. Prolonged and broad coxosternal mesal processes of anterior gonopods present. Telopodites curved, moveable, lateral, 1- segmented and each with 5 strong setae distally (Figs 4A, 5A). Posterior gonopods compact, coxite with medial, apically lamelliform lobe and slender, elongated, curved flagellum; the mediolateral margin of coxite with two rows of strong and curved setae (Figs 4B, 5B).
Distribution. Known only from type locality, Sichuan, China.
Notes. Based on its evident troglomorphic traits, like eye reduction, elongation of legs and antennae and general pallid coloration, this species seems to be a troglobiont.
The carinotaxic formula of the collum and metazona in Glyphiulus are considered stable within species, and highly useful in classification (Golovatch et al., 2007b). However, this species shows noticeable intraspecific variation of the carinotaxic formula of the collum. This variation is reflected in the lateralmost crest which may twisted or divided from the middle (Figs 2B‒D). When divided, the lateralmost crest gives rise to two differently shaped, shorter crests, one derived from the anterior part, one from the posterior part of the ‘original’ crest. The number of crests thus increases by one (Fig. 2D).
description: Published as part of Chen, Hui-Ming, 2017, Two new species of the millipede genus Glyphiulus Gervais, 1847 from Southwest China (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Cambalopsidae), pp. 197-208 in Zootaxa 4323 (2) on pages 198-200, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4323.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/898900