Karagama, Shear & Richart & Wong, 2020

Karagama View in CoL , new genus

Type species: Karagama ladybird View in CoL , n. sp.

Diagnosis: Differs from Taiyutyla View in CoL and the new genus Vancouvereuma View in CoL in the very simple, acuminate, curved coxites of the posterior gonopods, which lack a T-shaped branch but do have narrow fimbriate regions posteriorly, near a suppressed pore ( Figs. 107, 108 View FIGS , 110 View FIGS ). The anterior gonopods ( Figs. 105 View FIGS , 109 View FIGS ) are two-branched, similar to those of Bifurcatella View in CoL , n. gen. (see below) but the branches occupy distinctly anterior and posterior positions, rather than lateral and mesal, as in Bifurcatella View in CoL species.

Etymology: The genus name is an arbitrary combination of letters that should be treated as feminine in gender.

Included species: Besides the type, Karagama lupus ( Shear, 2004) , n. comb., and Karagama loftinae ( Shear & Krejca, 2011) , n. comb. are also included in the genus.

Notes: This genus is somewhat heterogeneous, particularly with regard to the anterior gonopod, which in the type species has the posterior branch tightly appressed to the anterior; while in the other two, it is well separated. Geography may present another problem, since the type species is from northern California ( Redwood National Park) and the other two included species are from the southern Sierra Nevada and Vancouver Island . Nevertheless for the present, relying only on morphology, they seem to belong together .

The name of K. lupus does not change gender since the specific epithet is a noun in apposition rather than an adjective.