Ligidium schultzi, Recuero & Caterino, 2025

Ligidium schultzi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E438B528-4175-4BF6-9308-EA9ECE8C9D41

Figs 14–15 View Fig View Fig

Ligidium sp. 6 – Recuero & Caterino 2024: table 1.

non Ligidium elrodii View in CoL – Schultz 1982: 14.

Diagnosis

This new species is characterized by the distally broadened male pleopod 2 endopodite, which presents on the caudal margin as a marked notch. Male pleopod 2 exopodite has its frontal margin concave. It also can be distinguished from all other Appalachian species based on molecular data, representing a distinct evolutionary lineage.

Etymology

The species is named after George A. Schultz, for his important contributions to our knowledge of the genus Ligidium in North America, and for being the first to illustrate this species from North Carolina.

Material examined

Holotype

USA – North Carolina • ♂; Swain Co., Great Smoky Mountains N.P., off Highway 441, Thomas Divide Trail ; 35.5824° N, 83.3979° W; 1405 m a.s.l.; 12 Mar. 2020; M. Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; GenBank no: OR169857 (Cox1); USNM, CUAC000171290 About CUAC .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes GoogleMaps

USA – North Carolina • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; CUAC000171291 About CUAC • 4 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; CUAC000171292 About CUAC to CUAC000171295 About CUAC GoogleMaps .

Other material examined

USA – Georgia • 2 ♂♂; Towns Co., Brasstown Bald; 34.8782° N, 83.8108° W; 1347 m a.s.l.; 17 Nov. 2020; Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; CUAC000171279 About CUAC , CUAC000180791 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; CUAC000138052 About CUAC GoogleMaps – North Carolina • 1 ♂; Graham Co., Nantahala N.F., Huckleberry Knob ; 35.3210° N, 83.9934° W; 1674 m a.s.l.; 4 May 2020; M. Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; CUAC000138050 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀, Haywood Co., Balsam Mountain Trail ; 35.6425° N, 83.2007° W; 1565 m a.s.l.; 5 Nov. 2020; M. Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; CUAC000138054 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 3 ♂♂; Macon Co., Highlands Biological Station, Coker Rhododendron Trail ; 35.0558° N, 83.1840° W; 1191 m a.s.l.; 20 Jun. 2022; P. Marek and L. Kairy leg.; CUAC000171315 About CUAC , CUAC000171319 About CUAC , CUAC000171320 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Macon Co., Nantahala N.F., Copper Ridge Bald ; 35.3270° N, 83.3359° W; 1535 m a.s.l.; 15 Sep. 2020; M. Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; CUAC000171277 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171278 About CUAC , CUAC000138046 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 3 ♀♀; Macon Co., Nantahala N.F., Cowee Bald ; 35.3270° N, 83.3359° W; 1503 m a.s.l.; 15 Sep. 2020; F. Etzler, A. Haberski and P. Wooden leg.; CUAC000138047 About CUAC , CUAC000171283 About CUAC , CUAC000171284 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 5 imm.; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171285 About CUAC to CUAC000171289 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♂♂; Macon Co., Nantahala N.F., Van Hook Glade Campground ; 35.0783° N, 83.245° W; 1018 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun. 2022; CUAC000171321 About CUAC , CUAC000171322 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171318 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; Transylvania Co., Pisgah Forest ; 35.3291° N, 82.789° W; 910 m a.s.l.; 23 Dec. 2021; E. Recuero and P.C. Rodríguez-Flores leg.; CUAC000171302 About CUAC , CUAC000171303 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Transylvania Co., Pisgah National Forest, Hwy 215 ; 35.2910° N, 82.9133° W; 1561 m a.s.l.; 8 May 2018; M. Caterino, R. Kucuk and L. Cushman leg.; CUAC000171304 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171305 About CUAC , CUAC000171306 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ovi. ♀; Clay Co., Nantahala N.F., Tusquitee Bald ; 35.1415° N, 83.7273° W; 1582 m a.s.l.; 6 Jul. 2021; M. Caterino and E. Recuero leg.; CUAC000165724 About CUAC . GoogleMaps – South Carolina • 1 ♀; Oconee Co., Sumter N.F., Walhalla Hatchery ; 34.9853° N, 83.0731° W; 765 m a.s.l.; 21 Jan. 2023; C.W. Harden leg.; CUAC000177091 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; CUAC000177092 About CUAC GoogleMaps – Tennessee • 1 ♂; Blount Co., Great Smoky Mountains N.P., Rich Mountain Gap ; 35.645° N, 83.81° W; 600 m a.s.l.; 27 Oct. 2021; M. Caterino, A. Haberski and P. Wooden leg.; CUAC000171264 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171265 About CUAC , CUAC000171266 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 3 ♂♂; Sevier Co., Great Smoky Mountains N.P., off Highway 441 ; 35.6240° N, 83.4163° W; 1394 m a.s.l.; 12 Mar. 2020; M. Caterino and F. Etzler leg.; CUAC000138081 About CUAC , CUAC000171297 About CUAC , CUAC000171298 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171300 About CUAC , CUAC000171301 About CUAC GoogleMaps • 1 imm.; same data as for preceding; CUAC000171296 About CUAC . GoogleMaps

Description

Body length of males 4.6–5.7 mm, of females 4.7–5.7 mm; width (at pereonite 4) of males 2.5–2.8, of females 2.6–2.9 mm. Color in ethanol ( Fig. 14 View Fig ) dorsally brown with large off-white, a dark brown longitudinal medial stripe running from pereonite 1 to pereonite 7, frequently broadening caudally; pereonites with darker transverse bands in the caudal margin, frequently with clearer spots; epimera brown marbled with off-white, with large white spots at the base; pleonites brown with a pair of more or less defined off-white spots, paramedian in pleonites 1 and 2, more lateral in pleonites 3–5; telson with two white spots laterally, and a white anchor-shaped spot; head marbled brown, sometimes with white area above eyes; antennae brown, sometimes with large white spots in basal segments, and a white setae bundle in the flagellum; uropod brown, dorsally with inner part of basipodite white; pereopods brown and white, pleopod exopodites white, often with inner and frontal parts brown. Antennule ( Fig. 15G View Fig ) three-segmented; first segment about 1.7–1.8 times as long as wide, 2–3 spiniform setae in its distal border; second segment about 2.5–2.6 times as long as wide, bearing 2–3 strong spiniform setae in the distal border; third segment with blunt apex and 1 or no setae. Antennae ( Fig. 15F View Fig ) with 5 segmented peduncle, relative size of antennomeres 5>4>3=2>1; antennal flagellum with 10–12 articles. Dactylus of pereopods with outer claw longer than inner one; no sexual dimorphism observed in pereopods 1 ( Fig. 15H View Fig ) and 7 ( Fig. 15I View Fig ). Male pleopod 1 endopodite ( Fig. 15A View Fig ) with narrow projection obliquely truncated distally, bearing 2 strong, blunt setae, up to 1.2 times as long as endopodite; part of caudal and inner margins with pilose setae. Pleopod 1 exopodite ( Fig. 15B View Fig ) with broadly rounded caudal margin bearing 2–3 strong, blunt setae, up to 0.5–0.7 times as long as exopodite; external margin with 2–3 very short but strong setae. Male pleopod 2 exopodite ( Fig. 15C View Fig ) 1.8–1.9 times as wide as long; inner, outer and part of frontal margin with dense, hairy setation; caudal margin strongly convex, with 2–4 very short, but strong setae; frontal margin concave. Male pleopod 2 endopodite ( Fig. 15D–E View Fig ) with unevenly rounded tip, presenting a marked notch or indentation; inner margin with minute spiniform setae denser near the base. Telson ( Fig. 14 View Fig ) with caudal margin obtusely produced. Uropod ( Fig. 15J View Fig ) with long endopodite, 1.6–1.8 times as long as exopodite when not broken, and about 2.1–2.2 times as long as basipodite.

Distribution

The species is widely distributed in the southern part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with all known records found west of the Asheville Depression ( Fig. 14 View Fig ). Studied specimens have been collected in moist leaf litter from conifer, deciduous, and mixed forest, as well as under dead logs and stones, usually in damp places near streams. From 600 m to 1674 m a.s.l., most frequently above 1000 m.

Remarks

Ligidium schultzi sp. nov. corresponds with Ligidium sp. 6 in Recuero & Caterino (2024a). The shape of male pleopod 2 endopodite of this species was first illustrated by Schultz (1982), as a morphological variant of what he identified as L. elrodii , and indicated the need for further taxonomic study to determine the specific status. The new species is closely related to L. enotahensis sp. nov. and L. protuberans sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A View Fig ; see Remarks for those species). All three gene fragments analyzed are informative to identify this species, with high genetic p-distances among the mentioned taxa for Cox1, moderate for 28S and low for NaK (Supp. file 1), forming reciprocally monophyletic clades in all cases.