Anoplodesmus gladius Nguyen, Vu, Nguyen & Le, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Nguyen, Anh D.
name: Vu, Tam T. T.
name: Nguyen, Thu Anh T.
name: Le, Son X.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Diplopoda
Polydesmida
Paradoxosomatidae
Anoplodesmus
Anoplodesmus gladius

description: Anoplodesmus gladius sp. nov.
Figs 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Examined material.
Holotype. Vietnam • male; Cao Bang Province, Pia Oac-Pia Den National Park; 22.5943°N, 105.8846°E; 1,200 m a. s. l.; bushes; 9 May 2021; Anh D. Nguyen leg.; IEBR-Myr 903 H.
Paratypes. Vietnam • 1 male; same data as for the holotype; IEBR-Myr 903 P • 2 males; Cao Bang Province, Ha Lang District, Duc Quang commune, outside Pia Ma cave; 10 October 2023; Anh D. Nguyen leg.; IEBR-Myr 894 • 1 male, 1 female; same locality, but on the way to Hang Ong; 22.5540°N, 105.8622°E; 850 m a. s. l.; 8 May 2021; Anh D. Nguyen leg.; IEBRMyr 907 • 3 males, 3 females; Hoa Binh Province, Kim Boi District, Thuong Tien Nature Reserve; 20.64039°N, 105.44606°E; 12 May 2017; Hung D. Nguyen leg.; IEBR-Myr 641.
Etymology.
The species epithet “ gladius ” adjective, is used to emphasize the blade-shaped solenophore of the male gonopod.
Diagnosis.
The species is characterized by having sub-moniliform body, poorly developed paraterga, gonopod femorite stout, enlarged distad, swollen dorsally. distal part with an acute spine distomesally; curved posteriad, large blade-shaped with an acute terminal, basal part with a rectangular process; solenomere short but longer than solenophore.
Description.
Size: body length 25.97–28.02 mm (males), 33.33 mm (female). Width of midbody pro- and metazona 2.15–2.36 mm (males), 3.08 mm (female), and 2.30–2.48 mm (males), 3.24 mm (female), respectively. Length of holotype 25.97 mm, width of pro- and metazona 2.15 mm and 2.30 mm, respectively.
Coloration: generally brownish yellow, except prozona and anterior halves of metatzona brownish. Legs pale yellow, antennae light brown.
Head (Fig. 11 C): labrum and frons densely setose, vertex sparsely setose along epicranial suture. Latter deep, distinct, running from rear margin of vertex down to labrum. Antennae slender and very long, reaching behind segment 6 if stretched laterally; antennomere 1 = 7 <6 <5 <2 = 4 in length.
Collum (Fig. 11 A, B): a little wider than head, surface smooth, with two rows of setae: 4 + 4 close to anterior margin and 2 + 2 nearly posterior margin. All setae broken.
Body (Figs 11 – 12) submoniliform, width of ring 4 <3 <2 = 5, parallel-sided on rings 5–16, thereafter gradually tapering towards telson. Metatergal surface smooth, shagreened, shining, with only one row of 2 + 2 setae near anterior margin. Transverse sulcus very poorly developed, superficial, possibly visible only on metaterga 5–18. Prozona and pleura also shagreened and shining. Stricture dividing pro- and metazona rather distinct and smooth, neither striolate nor beaded.
Paraterga (Figs 11 A, B, 11 D, 12 A, 12 C) strongly reduced, almost missing, slightly more easily traceable as lateral keels on pore-bearing segments than on poreless ones. Ozopore (Fig. 11 B, 11 D) formula normal, pores located on paraterga 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15–19. Pleurosternal carinae well-developed until segment 16, missing on subsequent ones.
Telson (Figs 12 C – D, 13 A): Epiproct long and curved down, with four small spinnerets at tip. Paraprocts semi-circular, each with two setae located on disk. Hypoproct roundly trapeziform, with two distolateral setiferous knobs (Fig. 13 A).
Sternites (Figs 12 B, 13 B) sparsely setose, cross-impression with both transverse and longitudinal sulci moderately developed. Sternal cones obvious, front pairs slightly stouter, caudal pairs somewhat slenderer and longer. Sternite 5 with an elevated bifid lamina between coxae 4 and a ventrad-elevated setiferous process between coxae 5 (Fig. 13 B).
Legs: slender and about 1.6 times as long as body height. Tarsal brushes present until ring 15, thereafter missing. Prefemora not swollen dorsally. Femora without modifications.
Gonopod (Figs 14 – 15) rather complex. Coxite (co) stout, about half length of telopodite, distoventral part sparsely setose. Prefemoral part as usual densely setose. Femorite (fe) stout, enlarged distad, swollen dorsally, with a basal spine and an acute spine (as) distomesally; separated from postfemoral region laterally by a distinct demarcation sulcus. Solenophore complex, curved posteriad, large blade-shaped with an acute terminal; basal part with a rectangular process (rp). Seminal groove running distodorsad fully on mesal side of femorite, Solenomere (sl) flagelliform, longer than solenophore, only its proximal half sheathed by solenophore.
Remarks.
The gonopod solenomere is still long in comparison with length of the solenophore. Thus, the species is better to be assigned to the A. elongissimus group. It clearly differs from its other congeners in having a blade-shaped gonopod solenophore.
Habitats.
The species was found under the leaf litter in moist environments. It moves quickly when disturbed.
description: Published as part of Nguyen, Anh D., Vu, Tam T. T., Nguyen, Thu Anh T. & Le, Son X., 2025, Mountainous millipedes in Vietnam. IV. Three new Anoplodesmus Pocock, 1895 in northern Vietnam (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with notes on its phylogenetics, pp. 919-934 in Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (3) on pages 919-934, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.150442