An unexpected new cave-dwelling species of the genus Leucogeorgia Verhoeff, 1930 (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae) from the Chechen Republic, Caucasus, Russia

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the description of a presumed troglobiont millipede, Leucogeorgia umari sp.n., from a cave formed by sulfuric acid karstification processes in Chechnya, northern Caucasus, Russia. This is the 16th member in the genus and the first record of a cave-dwelling Leucogeorgia species on the northeastern macro slope of the Greate Caucasus Ridge, or Caucasus Major. The new species presents an isolate lying rather far northeast of the distribution core area of the genus in the western Caucasus. The new species is diagnosed, described in de- tail, illustrated using several techniques, and mapped. New records of some previously described or unidenti- fied species of the genus are also presented. The relationship of the new species with congeners and the distribution of the genus Leucogeorgia are briefly discussed. A plausible scenario of speciation in Leucogeorgia is hypothesized in connection with global Pleistocene climate changes. Some interesting cave-dwelling arthropods with a similar isolated distribution incarbonate massifs on the northern macro slope of the Caucasus are also listed.