Epanerchodus shibadongensis Li, Deng & Liu, 2025

Epanerchodus shibadongensis Li, Deng & Liu sp. nov.

Figs 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9

Material examined.

Holotype. China: • ♂ (JSU Epanerchodus 03); Hunan Province, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Huayuan County, Shibadong Village, Shiba Cave ; 28°22'49"N, 109°49'30"E, ca. 620 m a. s. l., 17 November 2024, S. Li, Z. X. Liu, and Y. Z. Zou leg. GoogleMaps Paratypes. China: • ♂, 3 ♀♀ (JSU Epanerchodus 04 - JSU Epanerchodus 07); same data as holotype; Hunan Province, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Jishou City, Tangle Cave ; 28°18'9"N, 109°39'2"E, ca. 340 m a. s. l.; 8 May 2023, H. J. Deng, H. Y. Xiang, and Z. X. Liu leg. GoogleMaps China: • 2 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀ (JSU Epanerchodus 08 - JSU Epanerchodus 15); same data as holotype; Hunan Province, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Jishou City, Jiuzhaiping Cave ; 28°29'19"N, 110°6'28"E, ca. 340 m a. s. l.; 22 September 2023, S. Li, Y. Z. Zou, Z. X. Liu leg. GoogleMaps

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the type locality, Shibadong Village and Shiba Cave. Adjective.

Diagnosis. Adult males of E. shibadongensis sp. nov. are distinct from other species of Epanerchodus based on the following combination of characters: (1) body larger in size, length of body ca 21–23 mm (males), width of body ca 3.1–3.3 mm (males); (2) a simple gonopod structure (Fig. 9 B View Figure 9 ); (3) a short vertical spiniform process present in a mid-lateral position of the endomere (Fig. 9 C View Figure 9 ).

Diagnostic remarks.

This new species is similar to Epanerchodus chutou Liu and Golovatch 2018 , from Shiqian County, Guizhou Province ( Liu and Golovatch 2018), in which the gonopod endomere shows a spiniform process and a missing gonopod exomere. However, the two species compared differ as follows: (1) gonopodal prefemorite about 1 / 3 as long as telopodite, vs. prefemorite about 2 / 3 as long as telopodite in E. chutou ; (2) gonopod endomere with a vertical spiniform process near the middle, vs. gonopod endomere with a slender, spiniform, basal process in E. chutou ; (3) gonopod endomere lamellar, crescent-shaped apically, vs. gonopod endomere hoe-shaped, folded at the edge, flush apically in E. chutou ; (4) clivus long and high, vs. clivus short in E. chutou .

Description.

Based on type specimens. Length of body ca 21–23 mm (males) or 22–24 mm (females). Width of body ca 3.1–3.3 mm (males) or 3.3–3.6 mm (females). Coloration: Live specimens whitish (Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ); in alcohol pale yellowish green (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ). Body: Adults with 20 segments. In width, head <collum <segments 2–3 <3–6 <7–9 <11–13, thereafter body gradually tapering posteriorly towards telson. Head: vertex covered with short sparse setae, epicranial suture conspicuous, frons densely clothed with short pubescence (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ). Labrum with a row of three sharp teeth, mandibular stipes inflated (Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 ). Antennae long and slender, slightly clavate, densely covered with short setae, in length, antennomere 1 <7 <4 <5 = 2 = 6 <3, antennomere 6 inflated, antennomere 7 with four sensory cones apically (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ). Exoskeleton: Collum subelliptical, with a row of setae along anterior margin, two faint lateral incisions on each side. Paraterga obvious, midbody metaterga ca 2.0 times as wide as prozona (Fig. 7 B View Figure 7 ). Paraterga on collum and rings 2–13 clearly upturned dorsally above a faintly convex dorsum, other paraterga flat (Fig. 7 A View Figure 7 ). Caudolateral corners of paraterga strongly acute, collum, rings 2–5, and rings 13–19 projecting posteriorly past rear tergal margin (Fig. 7 A View Figure 7 ). Constriction between pro- and metazona narrow and smooth (Fig. 7 B View Figure 7 ). Metatergal sculpture faint, with three irregular transverse rows of setigerous polygonal bosses. Sulcus between middle and caudal rows of setae deeper than that between front and middle rows. Tergal setae mostly visible, short. Poreless and pore-bearing paraterga with 3 or 4 faint incisions at lateral margin, respectively. Ozopores located between last and penultimate marginal incisions. Pore formula normal: 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15–19. Epiproct process short, conical, slightly surpassing paraprocts caudally, pre-apical lateral papillae small, with two long setae (Fig. 7 D View Figure 7 ). Hypoproct trapezoid, with two triangular and conical papillae at caudal margin. Sterna sparely setose, cross-impressions shallow (Fig. 7 E View Figure 7 ). Legs 1 shorter, coxa longer, following legs slender, densely setose, claw sharp, spiniform, curved mesad, lacking sphaerotrichomes, prefemora not bulged laterally, about 2 times as long as body height in both sexes (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ). Gonopods: (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ) coxite robust; prefemorite clothed with dense long setae, as usual, about 1 / 3 as long as telopodite; telopodite inflated; clivus (cl) long and high; endomere (en) lamellar, crescent-shaped apically, with a vertical spiniform process (a) at 2 / 3; exomere absent; a short, digitiform, lateral process (p) about 1 / 4 the length of endomere and near endomere base; seminal groove (sg) starting from lateral side of lateral process, debauching medially from femorite into an accessory seminal chamber.