Plusioglyphiulus steineri, Golovatch & Geoffroy & Mauriès & Den Spiegel, 2009

Plusioglyphiulus steineri View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs 14-17)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Laos. Khammouan Prov., Gnommalat, 17°37.907’N, 105°07.461’E, Cave Tham Kamuk , guano, 19.II.2003, leg. H. Steiner, holotype ♂ ( VMNH) GoogleMaps ; 2 ♂♂ paratypes, 1 fragment paratype, 2 juveniles paratypes ( VMNH). — Same locality, 20.II.2003, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ paratypes ( VMNH); 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ paratypes ( MNHN GA058); 1 ♂ paratype ( ZMUM); 1 ♂ paratype ( ZMUC); 1 ♂ paratype ( SEM).

ETYMOLOGY. —To honour Helmut Steiner, who collected this material.

DIAGNOSIS. — Differs from congeners by the especially complex gonopod structure, coupled with the isostichic carinotaxy of the collum and of other body segments, the convex paraprocts, the subtrapeziform epiproct and the absence of spots dorsad of the ocellaria.

DESCRIPTION

Length of adults 27-35 mm, width 1.8-2.0 mm, collum and segments of posterior third of body being equally broadest. Coloration usually uniformly grey-brown, sometimes with a paramedian pair of more or less wide, grey-yellowish stripes; collum, head and segment 2 mostly pale; tips of tergal crests/ tubercles usually dark brown; ocellaria dark brown to blackish, devoid of adjacent spots dorsally.

Body with 56-69p+2-1a+T. Length of holotype about 27 mm, width 1.8 mm, with 56p+1a+T.

Antennae rather elongate ( Figs 14A; 17A), antennomeres 6 and 7 each with a considerable group of bacilliform sensilla distodorsally; similar but minute sensilla present also on antennomere 7. Ocellaria transversely subreniform, with 9-12 ocelli in 5-7 longitudinal rows. Gnathochilarium oligotrichous ( Fig. 17B).

Postcollar constriction very evident, collum and segment 2 being strongly enlarged ( Fig. 14B). Carinotaxy formula of collum: I+//t+2p/t+3p/t+4p/ t+ta/t+6p/t/t+7a/t+pp/t+ma/t ( Fig. 14A, B). Carinotaxy of metatergum 2, 8/8+m/m+8/8; formula of metaterga 3 and 4, 7/7+M(m/m)+7/7, dorsal 3+3 tubercles in anterior row being subtransverse; formula of metatergum 5, 3/3+I/i+3/3+m/m+3/3+I/ i+3/3; formula of subsequent metaterga, 3/3+I/ i+3/3/3+m/m(m/m/m)+3/3/3+I/i+3/3; that of apodous segments, 7/7+m/m+7/7 ( Fig. 14); all crests and tubercles rather high, poriferous cones (I) only slightly higher, and median ones (m) slightly lower, than others ( Figs 14 A-E; 15B). Dorsal crests on several posteriormost segments considerably higher than others (Fig. 14E). Midbody segments circular in cross-section (Fig. 15B). Pleural regions of segments 2-4 conspicuously expanded, flap-shaped, especially so on segment 3 ( Fig. 14A). Pleural ridge behind gonopod aperture on male segment 7 ( Fig. 14D), tegument and limbus as in above congeners. Epiproct regularly and broadly rounded apically, with a small median knob and 1+1 unusually high, paramedian, subtransverse tubercles at midway; paraprocts flattened; hypoproct emarginate at caudal margin ( Figs 14E, F; 15A).

Legs short, on midbody segments about half as long as body diameter ( Fig. 15B). Claw at base with a strong but relatively short accessory spine about ¼ as long as claw itself ( Fig. 15F). Tarsi, tarsal setae and male legs 1-3 ( Figs 15 C-E; 17C-E) as in P. grandicollis , but a rudimentary telopodite of male leg 1 persisting as a knob.

Anterior gonopods( Figs 16A, B; 17F) much like in P.ampullifer n. sp., but processes cxp1non-contiguous, very slender and high, with short pilosity laterally near base,subsecuriform apically; processes cxp2 very slightly curved, similarly slender and high; telopodites (te) simple, laterocaudal in position, movable, high, subcylindrical, setose in distal third, apically curved mesad.Posterior gonopods ( Figs 16C, D; 17G) small, complex,resembling a pair of curved forceps,without traces of telopodites; each coxite crescent-shaped, attenuating distad,with a rather long and flagelliform arm (d) at about basal third mesally, a shelf-like structure and two dentiform flaps (x and y) on frontal face.

REMARKS

Any obvious troglomorphic traits in this species seem to be absent.