Mingyi Tian

Convergent Evolution of Unique Morphological Adaptations to a Subterranean Environment in Cave Millipedes (Diplopoda)

Animal life in caves has fascinated researchers and the public alike because of the unusual and sometimes bizarre morphological adaptations observed in numerous troglobitic species. Despite their worldwide diversity, the adaptations of cave millipedes (Diplopoda) to a troglobitic lifestyle have rarely been examined. In this study, morphological characters were analyzed in species belonging to four different orders (Glomerida, Polydesmida, Chordeumatida, and Spirostreptida) and six different families (Glomeridae, Paradoxosomatidae, Polydesmidae, Haplodesmidae, Megalotylidae, and Cambalopsidae) that represent the taxonomic diversity of class Diplopoda. We focused on the recently discovered millipede fauna of caves in southern China. Thirty different characters were used to compare cave troglobites and epigean species within the same genera. A character matrix was created to analyze convergent evolution of cave adaptations. Males and females were analyzed independently to examine sex differences in cave adaptations. While 10 characters only occurred in a few phylogenetic groups, 20 characters were scored for in all families. Of these, four characters were discovered to have evolved convergently in all troglobitic millipedes. The characters that represented potential morphological cave adaptations in troglobitic species were: (1) a longer body; (2) a lighter body color; (3) elongation of the femora; and (4) elongation of the tarsi of walking legs. Surprisingly, female, but not male, antennae were more elongated in troglobites than in epigean species. Our study clearly shows that morphological adaptations have evolved convergently in different, unrelated millipede orders and families, most likely as a direct adaptation to cave life.

Contributions to the knowledge of subterranean trechine beetles in southern China's karsts: five new genera (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae).

Abstract Recent discoveries reveal that southern China’s karsts hold the most diverse and morphologically modified subterranean trechine beetles in the world, albeit the first troglobitic blind beetle was only reported in the early 1990’s. In total, 110 species belonging to 43 genera of cavernicolous trechines have hitherto been recorded from the karsts of southern China, including the following five new genera proposed below: Shiqianaphaenops Tian, gen. n., to contain two species: Shiqianaphaenops majusculus (Uéno, 1999) (= Shenaphaenops majusculus Uéno, 1999, comb. n.), the type species from Cave Feng Dong, Shiqian, Guizhou, and Shiqianaphaenops cursor (Uéno, 1999) (= Shenaphaenops cursor Uéno, 1999, comb. n.), from Cave Shenxian Dong, Shiqian, Guizhou; and the monotypic Dianotrechus Tian, gen. n. (the type species: Dianotrechus gueorguievi Tian, sp. n., from Cave Dashi Dong, Kunming, Yunnan), Tianeotrechus Tian & Tang, gen. n. (the type species: Tianeotrechus trisetosus Tian & Tang, sp. n., from Cave Bahao Dong, Tian’e County, Guangxi), Huoyanodytes Tian & Huang, gen. n. (the type species: Huoyanodytes tujiaphilus Tian & Huang, sp. n., from Longshan, Hunan) and Wanhuaphaenops Tian & Wang, gen. n. (the type species: Wanhuaphaenops zhangi Tian & Wang, sp. n., from Cave Songjia Dong, Chenzhou, Hunan).

A review of the dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923 in China, with descriptions of four new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae).

Abstract Four new species of Desmoxytes are described from southern China: Desmoxytes lingulata sp. n., Desmoxytes parvula sp. n., and Desmoxytes nodulosa sp. n., from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Desmoxytes getuhensis sp. n. from Guizhou Province. In addition, new records of Desmoxytes scutigeroides Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010 and Desmoxytes scolopendroides Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010 are provided, with a modified key to Desmoxytes species currently known to occur in China. Two of the new species, Desmoxytes nodulosa sp. n. and Desmoxytes getuhensis sp. n., seem to be troglobites.

Four new cavernicolous species of the millipede genus Eutrichodesmus Silvestri, 1910 from southern China (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Haplodesmidae)

Four new species of the large oriental genus Eutrichodesmus Silvestri, 1910 are described from caves in southern China: E. digitatus sp. n. (Guangdong), E. simplex sp. n. (Jiangxi), E. spinatus sp. n. (Hunan) and E. planatus sp. n. (Guangxi).

Orthogonius species and diversity in Thailand (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Orthogoniini), a result from the TIGER project

Abstract The carabid genus Orthogonius MacLeay is treated, based mainly on materials collected in Thailand through the TIGER project (the Thailand Inventory Group for Entomological Research). Among 290 specimens, 20 species are identified in total, 10 of them are new species: Orthogonius taghavianae sp. n. (Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park), Orthogonius coomanioides sp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius similaris sp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Loei: Phu Kradueng National Park), Orthogonius setosopalpiger sp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius gracililamella sp. n. (Loei: Phu Kradueng National Park; Chaiyaphum: Tat Tone National Park), Orthogonius pseudochaudoiri sp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park), Orthogonius constrictus sp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius pinophilus sp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius vari sp. n. (Cambodia: Siem Reap; Thailand: Ubon Ratchathani: Pha Taem National Park; Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park) and Orthogonius variabilis sp. n. (Thailand: Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park; Phetchabun: Nam Nao National Park; China: Yunnan). In addition, Orthogonius mouhoti Chaudoir, 1871 and Orthogonius kirirom Tian & Deuve, 2008 are recorded in Thailand for the first time. In total, 30 species of Orthogonius have been recorded from Thailand, indicating that Thailand holds one of the richest Orthogonius faunas in the world. A provisional key to all Thai species is provided. A majority of Thai Orthogonius species are endemic. Among the ten national parks in which orthogonine beetles were collected, Thung Salaeng Luang holds the richest fauna, including 16 species.

A new genus and species of troglobitic ground beetle from eastern Guizhou, Southwest China (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae).

Tianzhuaphaenops jinshanensis n. gen., n. sp. is described from a limestone cave called Jinshan Rongdong in the easternmost Guizhou Province of Southwest China. This troglobitic trechine genus is related to Guizhaphaenops- Qianotrechus- Qianaphaenops complex but its precise position remains undetermined.

Contributions to the millipede genus Nepalella Shear, 1979 from China, with four new species and first results on phylogeny based on DNA-barcoding (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Megalotylidae)

Four new species of the chordeumatidan millipede genus Nepalella Shear, 1979, family Megalotylidae, are described from caves in southern China: N. troglodytes sp. nov., N. lobata sp. nov., N. jinfoshan sp. nov., and N. wangi sp. nov. Three of them (except N. lobata sp. nov.) are presumed troglobites. Additional locality records of two cave congeners, N. caeca Shear, 1999 and N. grandoides Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2006, are also provided. DNA-barcoding based on the COI mitochondrial gene is documented in this genus and for species of the order Chordeumatida outside Europe for the first time. Interspecific p-distances between Nepalella species amount to 8.5-15.9%, while intraspecific p-distances are 0-6.8%. The species of Nepalella are found to show a surprisingly low genetic distance from the European genus Atractosoma Fanzago, 1876, family Craspedosomatidae Gray in Jones, 1843, potentially based on the very limited number of barcoding sequences of the order Chordeumatida being available.

A review of the baconii species group of the termitophilous genus Orthogonius Macleay (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Orthogoniini).

The baconii species group of the termitophilous carabid genus Orthogonius Macleay, 1825, is defined and reviewed. This group is known only from southern Asia and so far recorded by two species: Orthogonius baconii Chaudoir, 1871, from India and O. nepalensis Habu, 1979, from Nepal. Two new species are described and illustrated: O. rogueti n. sp. from southern India and O. ceylanicus n. sp. from Sri Lanka. In addition, a key to all species of this species group is provided.

Six new species of dragon millipedes, genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, mostly from caves in China (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae).

Abstract Six new species of Desmoxytes are described from southern China: Desmoxytes laticollis sp. n., Desmoxytes simplipoda sp. n., and Desmoxytes similis sp. n., all three from caves in Guangdong Province; Desmoxytes phasmoides sp. n. also from a cave, and both epigean Desmoxytes spiniterga sp. n. and Desmoxytes variabilis sp. n., the latter trio from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A modified key to all 20 Desmoxytes species currently known to occur in China is given.

Definition and review of the lancangjiang species group of the termitophilous genus Orthogonius Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Orthogoniini)

Abstract The lancanjiang species group of the termitophilous ground beetle genus Orthogonius Macleay, 1825, is defined and reviewed. This group is characterized by the black and rather elongate body, dense punctation on head and elytra, long and slender appendages, thin fore tibiae, and elytral interval 3 without a subapical setiferous pore. To date, the lancanjiang species group is composed of four species and one subspecies, including three new species and one new subspecies which are described in the present paper: O. macrophthalmus sp. n. (northern Vietnam), O. euthyphallus sp. n. (southern Vietnam), O. euthyphallus bolavenensis ssp. n. (southern Laos) and O. carinatus sp. n. (northern Laos). A distribution map and a key to all species of this group are also provided.