Simaoa kavanaugh Miller, Griswold & Yin, sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FB4E5F5F-C54A-45B9-B37D-A699C7A904AC

Figs 20 B-E, 31 E-F, 35-37, 97

Material Examined. Holotype: CHINA: Yunnan: Longling Co., Longjiang Township, Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve, 1.2 km SSE of Route S317 at km 23.5, 24.82888°N, 98.76001°E, 2020 m, 27-28 May 2005, good primary broadleaf forest, dusting webs in understory, C. Griswold, CGY128 (CASENT 9029306, HNU), 1 ♁.

Paratypes: [same data as holotype] (CASENT 9022374, CAS), 4 ♁, 10 ♀; [same data as holotype] (CASENT 9022373, HNU), 2 ♁, 10 ♀; [same data as holotype] (CASENT 9029343, with prey, CAS), 1 ♀; Longyang Co., Mangkuan Township, Zaotang He at Baihualing village, 25.30450°N, 98.80059°E, 1635 m, 2 June 2005, good subtropical broadleaf forest, dusting webs in understory, C. Griswold, CGY135 (CASENT 9022399, HNU), 1 ♁, 2 ♀ ; [same data] (CASENT 9022400, CAS), 1 ♁, 2 ♀; [same data] (CASENT 9029351, CAS), 1 ♀, 1 juv; Longyang Co., Bawan Township, Sancha He, Luoshuidong area, 24.92597°N, 98.75806°E, 2300 m, 3 June 2005, good broadleaf forest, night collecting, C. Griswold, CGY137 (CASENT 9022384, HNU), 5 ♀ ; [same data] (CASENT 9022383, CAS), 5 ♀; [same data] (CASENT 9022385, HNU), 5 ♀; Longyang Co., Bawan Township, forest below Dasheyao Forestry Station in Hunan He valley, 24.92597°N, 98.75806°E, 2272 m, 3 June 2005, disturbed forest, beating understory vegetation, C. Griswold, CGY136 (CASENT 9022392, HNU), 3 ♀ ; Longyang Co., Bawan Dist., Nankang Yakou, 24.83178°N, 98.76472°E, 2180 m, 22-25 May 2005, understory of good forest on E-facing slope, dusting webs near forest floor, C. Griswold, CGY115 (CASENT 9022377, CAS), 1 ♁, 3 ♀ ; [same data] (CASENT 9022378, HNU), 3 ♀, 1 juv; [same data] (CASENT 9029345, CAS), 1 ♀; [same data] (CASENT 9029346, CAS), 1 ♀; Longling Co., Longjiang Township, Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve, 1.2 km SSE of Route S317 at km23.5, 24.82888°N, 98.76001°E, 2020 m, 26 May 2005, good primary broadleaf forest, dusting webs in understory, C. Griswold, CGY126 (CASENT 9022349, CAS), 2 ♁, 9 ♀, 8 juvs ; [same data] (CASENT 9022368, HNU), 2 ♁, 9 ♀, 8 juvs; [same data] (CASENT 9022348, HNU), 1 ♁, 2 ♀; [same locality] 28 May 2005, good primary broadleaf forest, night collecting, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, CGY129 (CASENT 9022353, CAS), 1 ♁, 1 ♀; Baoshan Prefecture, pass over Gaoligongshan, Luoshuidong, 28 air km E Teng Chong, 24.95°N, 98.75°E, 2300 m, 26-31 October 1998, native forest, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, C.L. Long (CASENT 9029307, CAS), 2 ♁, 10 ♀, 57 juvs ; Baoshan Prefecture, pass over Gaoligongshan, Nankang, 36 air km SE Teng Chong, 24.83333°N, 98.78333°E, 2100 m, 4-7 November 1998, native forest, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, C.L. Long (CASENT 9029308, HNU), 3 ♀, 5 juvs .

Etymology. Named in honor of David Kavanaugh for his leadership on the Gaoligongshan inventory project. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from S. yaojia by the palpal tibia, which lacks a dorsal tooth-like apophysis (Fig. 37C) and is relatively short (Fig. 36B; tooth-like apophysis present, tibia relatively long in S. yaojia, Fig. 33B), and by the embolus, which makes more than a full turn in S. kavanaugh (Fig. 36A), half a turn in S. yaojia (Fig. 33B). Male carapace more strongly raised in S. kavanaugh (compare Figs 32A and 35A). Female distinguished from other Simaoa species except S. yaojia by the presence of two transverse lobes of the epigynum, a raised anterior lobe and a low posterior lobe along epigastric furrow (Figs 30D, 37F); distinguished from S. yaojia by the relatively wider anterior lobe of epigynum overlapping with the spermathecae (Fig. 31E-F; fitting in the space between the spermathecae in S. yaojia; Fig. 31C-D) and the angle of the copulatory ducts, oblique in S. kavanaugh (Fig. 31F), longitudinal in S. yaojia (Fig. 31D).

Description. Carapace brown, lighter in thoracic region, male with head region strongly raised, sulci below ALE. Sternum pale with indistinct dark markings. Legs yellow, darker on distal part of tibia. Femoral spots on legs I and II, indistinct in male. Abdomen brown with numerous tan spots, with two large and up to six small dorsal white spots, and two longitudinal white lines laterally running to posterior tubercle, region between white stripes tan with dark brown chevrons (Fig. 35).

Male palp: Tibia without tooth-like apophysis. Base of cymbium with large toothlike apophysis (Fig. 37A). Embolus makes more than full spiral turn (Fig. 36A).

Vulva: Epigynum with two parallel transverse lobes, anterior one raised, posterior one lower, set along epigastric furrow (Fig. 37F). Anterior transverse lobe wider than space between spermathecae (Fig. 31F). Spermathecae round with copulatory duct spiraling posteriorly and mesally through thick sclerotized capsule. Fertilization ducts run through center of copulatory duct spiral, curve mesally near tips.

Male (CASENT 9022374):Total length 0.81, carapace 0.22 long, 0.23 wide, clypeus 0.19, sternum 0.24 long, 0.24 wide, coxa IV separated by 2.00 times their width. Leg I: patella d1, tibia d1, p4, metatarsus p1; Leg II: patella d1, tibia d1, v3; Leg III: patella d1, tibia d1; Leg IV: patella d1, tibia d1. Metatarsal macrosetae kinked near center. Metatarsal trichobothria: TmI: 0.35; TmII: 0.36; TmIII: 0.35. Leg measurements: see Appendix A. Epiandrous gland spigots in two widely spaced clusters of two spigots each.

Female (CASENT 9022374): Total length 1.03, carapace 0.38 long, 0.36 wide, clypeus 0.11, sternum 0.27 long, 0.24 wide, coxa IV separated by 1.64 times their width. Leg I: patella d1, tibia d1; Leg II: patella d1, tibia d1; Leg III: patella d1, tibia d1; Leg IV: patella d1, tibia d1. Metatarsal trichobothria: TmI: 0.35; TmII: 0.36; TmIII: 0.35. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Natural History. This species builds a three-dimensional spherical web typical of the Mysmenidae (Fig. 20 B-E).