Holotype ♂ (SCAU), China, Yunnan Province, Qujing City, Luoping County, Machang Village, Shuiyuan Dong Cave, 24°49'33"N, 104°21'48"E, 1530 m, 18.VI.2015, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang.

2 ♀ juv. (SCAU), same data as the holotype.

To emphasize the very pretty appearance of this species; adjective.

Differs from other species of the genus by the unusually elongate and densely setose gonopodal coxa. Superficially similar to T. intricatus sp. n., but distinguished from the latter in the longer tergal setae (Fig. 1A), and gonopodal femorite with a large, club-shaped, mesoventral lobe (Fig. 3). See also Key below.

Figure 1. 

Trichopeltis bellus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A–B habitus, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

Length of holotype ca. 16 mm, width of midbody pro- and metazonae 1.5 and 4.5 mm, respectively. Coloration in alcohol uniformly light yellow. Adults with 20 segments (Fig. 1). In width, head < collum < segment 2 < 3 < 4 < 5 < 7–16 < 6 (Figs 1A, 2A); following segment 16, body rapidly tapering towards telson (Fig. 1A).

Head: vertex densely pilose and microgranulate, clypeus clearly smooth (Fig. 2B), epicranial suture superficial. Labrum with three teeth. Antennae short and clavate, reaching behind segment 2 when stretched dorsally; in length, antennomere 6 > 3 > 2 > 5 = 4 > 1 > 7 (Fig. 2B).

Figure 2. 

Trichopeltis bellus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A collum and segments 2–3, dorsal view B head and segments 1–4, ventral view C cross-section of segment 8, caudal view D segment 7, ventral views E–F segments 17–19 and telson, dorsal and ventral views, respectively. Abbreviations: an = antenna; co = collum; ga = gonopod aperture; ml = marginal lobules; ts = tergal seta; tu = tubercles.

Collum fan-shaped (Fig. 2A), incompletely covering the head from above, dorsal surface with six irregular transverse rows of small, round, setigerous tubercles (Fig. 2A). Marginal lobules on collum: 13+13 small, microvillose, setigerous, nearly sharp anteriorly and 6+6 similarly small, microvillose, but squarish laterally.

Mid-dorsal regions on segments 2–16 with five more or less regular, transverse rows of similarly small, setigerous tubercles, 6–8 + 6–8 per row (Fig. 2A). The tubercles extending onto paraterga, but each of the latter only with three or four irregular rows of similar tubercles (Fig. 1A). Following metaterga with 6–8 rows of smaller tubercles (Fig. 2E).

Paraterga very strongly developed (Figs 1–2), high, only slightly declivous, but never extending down below level of venter (Fig. 2C), each with 6–8 small, dentiform, lateral and 5–7 much larger, squarish caudolateral lobules, all evident, setigerous and microvillose (Figs 1–2). Caudolateral lobules on paraterga mostly oblong, relatively large, and well separated from one another (Figs 1–2). Caudolateral corner of paraterga projecting behind rear tergal margin only on segments 17–19 (Fig. 3E–F).

Integument clearly microgranulate throughout (Fig. 1A), prozonae finely alveolated. Limbus regularly crenulated. Stricture between pro- and metazonae broad, shallow and finely microgranulated. Tergal setae simple, very long and subfiliform (Fig. 1A). Ozopores invisible, pore formula untraceable.

Epiproct tip sharp, with four spinnerets apically (Fig. 2F). Hypoproct subtrapeziform, 1+1 caudal setigerous papillae clearly separated (Fig. 2F).

Pleurosternal carinae clearly present on segment 2 alone. Sterna modestly setose, cross-impressions moderate, clearly broadened between ♂ coxae 6, 7 and 9 (Figs 1B, 2D). Gonopod aperture rhomboid (Figs 1B, 2D).

Legs very long and slender, unmodified, produced beyond paratergal lateral margin (Figs 1B, 2C), about 1.8 times as long as midbody height.

Gonopods (Fig. 3) complex. Coxa subcylindrical, unusually long, and very densely setose on lateral side. Prefemora densely setose, with a few particularly long setae. Femorite composed of extremely strong mesoventral process (fp), the latter about as long as telopodite, slightly curved, club-shaped. Acropodite suberect, laterally with a smaller, parabasal, rounded process (p) supporting a still smaller lobe (a) apically. Acropodite with one evident apical lobe (l) and a few very small subapical lobules (lo). Seminal groove (sg) entirely mesal, terminating without pulvillus at lo, forming no distinct solenomere.

Figure 3. 

Trichopeltis bellus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A–B right gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Abbreviations: a = lobe on acropodital process; fp = femoral process; l = apical lobe; lo = lobules; p = acropodital process; sg = seminal groove.

Based on the unpigmented body and long legs, this species is probably a troglobite.

Holotype ♂ (SCAU), China, Yunnan Province, Kunming City, Shilin County, Guishan Town, Haiyi I Dong Cave, 24°38'50"N, 103°32'49"E, 1890 m, 16.VI.2015, leg. Mingyi Tian, Weixin Liu, Xinhui Wang & Mingruo Tang.

To emphasize the complex gonopods; adjective.

Differs from all congeners except T. bellus sp. n. by the unusually densely setose gonopodal coxa, and from all species by the particularly complex gonopod which shows a number of peculiar processes and lobules (Fig. 4). See also the Key below.

Figure 4. 

Trichopeltis intricatus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A–B anterior part of body C–D posterior part of body, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

Length of holotype ca. 10 mm, width of midbody pro- and metazonae 1.5 and 2.5 mm, respectively. Coloration in alcohol nearly pallid. Body with 20 segments (Fig. 4). All characters as in the previous species (Figs 1–3), except as follows. In width, head < collum < segment 2 < 3–4 < 5 < 6 < 7; thereafter body increasingly tapered towards telson (Fig. 4).

Head sparsely pilose. Antennae very short and clavate, reaching behind segment 2 when stretched dorsally; in length, antennomere 6 > 3 > 4 = 5 = 2 = 7 = 1 (Fig. 5B).

Figure 5. 

Trichopeltis intricatus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A collum and segments 2–3, dorsal view B head and segments 1–4, ventral view C cross-section of segment 10, caudal view D segment 5–7, ventral views E–F segments 16–19 and telson, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

Collum fan-shaped, inverted subtrapeziform, incompletely covering the head from above, with five irregular transverse rows of small, round, setigerous tubercles (Fig. 5A). Marginal lobules on collum: 15+15 small, microvillose, nearly sharp anteriorly and 6+6 similarly small, but squarish laterally.

Mid-dorsal regions on segments 2–16 with five regular, transverse rows of about 15+15 similarly small, setigerous tubercles extending onto paraterga, in frontal and caudal rows smaller than others (Fig. 4A & C).

Paraterga 3–5 with 4–5 small, dentiform, lateral and 5–6 much larger, squarish, caudal lobules. Similarly, paraterga 2 and 6–16 with 6 lateral, 6–7 caudal lobules.

Tergal setae simple, very short and mostly abraded (Fig. 4A & C).

Epiproct short, conical (Fig. 5D).

Gonopod aperture subcordiform (Figs 4B, 5D).

Legs short and robust (Figs 4–5), produced beyond paratergal lateral margin, about 1.2 times as long as midbody height.

Gonopods (Fig. 6) very complex. Coxa short and squarish, but unusually densely setose laterally, much like in the previous species. Prefemora densely setose, but with more numerous longer setae. Femorite only slightly curved caudally at base with a clearly tripartite femoral process (p), branches p1 (mesal) and p2 (lateral) being subequal, long and rounded at end, branch p3 being basalmost slender and acuminate at end. Acropodite longer than p, at base with a long, slender, apically mushroom-shaped lobe (m) on lateral side, and an even longer, slender, finger-shaped, mesal, apical lobe (l), as well as a group of lobules (lo) between p and m. Seminal groove (sg) entirely mesal, terminating without pulvillus near lo, forming no distinct solenomere.

Figure 6. 

Trichopeltis intricatus sp. n., ♂ holotype. A–B right gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Abbreviations: l = apical lobe; lo = lobules; m = mushroom-shaped lobe; p = acropodital process; p1–3 = processes 1–3; sg = seminal groove.

Based on the pallid body, this species may be a troglobite.

Holotype ♂ (SCAU), China, Hunan Province, Chenzhou City, Linwu County, Xianghualing Town, II Dong Cave, 19.VI.2009, leg. Mingyi Tian & Zhihong Xue (CHIhn09-LWX03).

1 ♂, 3 ♀ (SCAU), same data as the holotype.

To emphasize that most of the paraterga are upturned.

Differs from all congeners except T. cavernicola Golovatch, 2016 by the clearly upturned paraterga, and from all congeners by the shapes of the various lobes which are all confined to the distal third of the gonopodal telopodite. Among congeners, only T. latellai Golovatch, Geoffroy, Mauriès & VandenSpiegel, 2010, from two caves in Guizhou Province (Golovatch et al. 2010) strongly resembles T. reflexus sp. n. in showing a similarly condensed apical third of the gonopodal telopodite, but that in the latter species is less strongly curved, untwisted and more elaborate. See also Key below.

Length of both sexes ca. 10 mm, width of midbody pro- and metazonae 0.8 and 2.5 (♂) or 1.0 and 2.5 mm (♀), respectively. Coloration in alcohol nearly pallid. Body with 20 segments (Fig. 7). All characters as in T. bellus sp. n. (Figs 1–3), except as follows. In width, head < collum < segment 2 < 4 < 3 = 5 < 6–15; thereafter body increasingly tapered towards telson (Fig. 7).

Figure 7. 

Trichopeltis reflexus sp. n., ♂ paratype. A–B habitus, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

Collum with 3–4 irregular transverse rows of small and sharpened tubercles. Marginal lobules on collum: 13+13 small, setigerous, nearly sharp anteriorly and 3+3 similarly small, dentiform laterally (Fig. 8A–B).

Figure 8. 

Trichopeltis reflexus sp. n., ♂ paratype. A collum, segments 2–4, dorsal view B segments 8–9, dorsal view C head and segments 1–7, ventral view D cross-section of segment 9, caudal view E–F segments 17 or 16–19 and telson, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.

Mid-dorsal regions on segments 2–16 with two regular, transverse rows of 3+3 and 4+4 tubercles similar to those on collum (Fig. 8A–B), extending onto paraterga, the latter with 2–3 similar tubercles; following metaterga with three rows of 3+3, 2+2 and 3+3 tubercles (Figs 7A, 8E–F). Caudal margin of mid-dorsal region of metaterga with 12–16 lobules (Fig. 8A–B, E).

Paraterga very strongly developed (Figs 7–8), lateral margin narrow and upturned, but still remaining below a regularly convex dorsum (Fig. 8D). Paraterga with 3–4 lateral and 4–6 caudal lobules (Figs 7–8).

Tergal setae simple and short, mostly abraded (Fig. 7A).

Epiproct short, conical (Fig. 8F).

Pleurosternal carinae poorly-developed, but present on segments 2 and 3.

Sterna clearly broadened only between ♂ coxae 9. Gonopod aperture suboval (Fig. 8C).

Legs short, but slender, about 1.2 times as long as midbody height (Figs 7–8).

Gonopods (Fig. 9) complex only in apical third of telopodite. Coxa as usual, short and squarish, with one long seta. Prefemoral part as usual, with only a few particularly long setae distally. Telopodite slightly curved caudally, without femoral processes at base. Acropodite strongly condensed, tripartite, with a large, subtriangular, more basal lobe (b) and a short, squarish, more distal lobe (d), both similar in size and lying on lateral side; caudal to both b and d with a few differently shaped lobules (lo); apical lobe (l) highest, acuminate, folded. Seminal groove (sg) entirely mesal, terminating without pulvillus near lo, forming no distinct solenomere.

Figure 9. 

Trichopeltis reflexus sp. n., ♂ paratype. A–B right gonopod, lateral and mesal views, respectively. Abbreviations: b = acropodite basal lobe; d = acropodite distal lobe; l = apical lobe; lo = lobules; sg = seminal groove.

Based on the pallid body and slender legs, this seems to be a troglobite.