Buotidae, a new family for the minute North American milliped Buotus carolinus (Chamberlin) 1940 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Striarioidea)

Buotus carolinus (Chamberlin) 1940, a minute, rarely collected but relatively widespread milliped of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, was originally described as a member of the order Polyzoniida, family Polyzoniidae. Shear (1981) correctly placed the species in the order Chordeumatida and argued for assignment to the suborder Craspedosomatidea, superfamily Brannerioidea, family Tingupidae. New studies of fresh specimens using the scanning electron microscope, however, revealed characters inconsistent with this placement and instead support inclusion of Buotus in the suborder Striariidea, superfamily Striarioidea. Because the species cannot be accommodated in any of the established families of this superfamily, a new family Buotidae is herein erected to receive it.