Wendilgarda muji Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009

Miller, Jeremy, Griswold, Charles & Yin, Chang, 2009, The symphytognathoid spiders of the Gaoligongshan, Yunnan, China (Araneae: Araneoidea): Systematics and diversity of micro-orbweavers, ZooKeys 11 (11), pp. 9-195 : 28-29

Wendilgarda muji Miller, Griswold & Yin , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FF5CF835-DD76-4CA5-A6B7-17B0913606C5

Figs 12 , 11 C-D, 13 E-E, 14 , 96

Material Examined. Holotype: CHINA: Yunnan: Longling Co., Long jiang Township , Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve (Gu Cheng Shan Mtn.), 24.82886°N, 98.75917°E, 2010 m, 26 May 2005, in the forest, Yan Heng-mei, GKJ026 (CASENT 9022037, HNU), 1 ♁.

Paratypes: [same data as holotype] (CASENT 9022036, CAS), 1 ♁, 2 ♀ ; [same data as holotype] (CASENT 9022035, HNU), 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, 28 May 2005, good primary broadleaf forest, night collecting, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, CGY129 (CASENT 9022611, CAS), 1 ♀ ; 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 9022390, HNU), 1 ♁.

Etymology. Formed from the Chinese words for wood (mù) and rooster (jī), referring to the element and animal of the Chinese zodiac when this species was collected.

Diagnosis. Among Asian Wendilgarda species, male most similar to W. sinensis Zhu & Wang, 1992 ; apparently distinguished from this species by details of the embolic division and median apophysis (Fig. 12E, G; Song, et al., 1999: fig. 84E, F) and the more domed carapace shape in W. sinensis (Fig. 12A-B; Zhu and Wang 1992: fig. 1), but published work on this species is inadequate to make a more explicit diagnosis. Distinguished from W. assamensis Fage, 1924 by the lack of a two part ventral apophysis (unclear from the drawings whether this is the median apophysis or some other structure), one hooked and the other straight ( Brignoli 1981: figs 5-6); from W. coddingtoni Zhu, Zhang & Chen, 2001 by the lack of an auxiliary retrobasal process in addition to the paracymbium (Fig. 13F; Zhu et al. 2001: fig. 7).

Female distinguished from other Asian species except W. sinensis by the blunt scape tip and distinctly concave posterior margin of the epigynum ( Fig. 11D ); distinguished from W. sinensis by details of the epigynum shape including a deeper median invagination of the posterior margin in W. muji ( Fig. 11D ) than in W. sinensis ( Song et al. 1999: fig. 84C).

Description. Carapace tan. Sternum dark gray. Legs with femora and patellae tan, distal segments light brown to orange. Abdomen tan with brown to dark gray patches (Fig. 12A-D).

Male palp: Palpal patella with sinuous macroseta (Fig. 12E). Palpal tibia with two trichobothria. Paracymbium hook-like with blunt tip (Fig. 14B). Tegulum smooth, bulbous (Figs 12F, 13F). Median apophysis with larger dorsal and smaller ventral lobes (Figs 12G, 13E). Embolic division a complex series of apophyses visible through semitransparent conductor (Fig. 12G); one filiform embolic apopysis extends beyond conductor tip, runs along conductor on mesal face of bulb nearly to cymbial margin (Figs 12E, 13E, 14A).

Vulva: Epigynum with transverse ridges, rounded lateral lobes ( Figs 11C , 14C), median part of posterior margin a gently rounded concavity revealing scape with blunt tip ( Fig. 11D ).

Male (CASENT 9022036): Total length 1.48, carapace 0.59 long, 0.66 wide, clypeus 0.15, sternum 0.38 long, 0.38 wide, coxa IV separated by 2.00 times their width. Posterior median eyes separated by about one third their diameter. Macrosetae: Leg I: patella d1, tibia d2, p1; Leg II: patella d1, tibia d2; Leg III: patella d1, tibia d1; Leg IV: patella d1, tibia d1. Metatarsal trichobothria: TmI: 0.16; TmII: 0.19; TmIII: 0.23. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Female (CASENT 9022036): Total length 1.88, carapace 0.59 long, 0.62 wide, clypeus 0.12, sternum 0.39 long, 0.39 wide, coxa IV separated by 1.91 times their width. Posterior median eyes separated by about two thirds their diameter. Macrosetae as in male. Metatarsal trichobothria: TmI: 0.19; TmII: 0.22; TmIII: 0.23. Leg measurements: see Appendix A. Spinnerets (Fig. 14D-F).

Figures

Figure 11. A, B, Zoma dibaiyin sp. n. from Pee He; C, D, Wendilgarda muji sp. n. from Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve; E, F, Coddingtonia euryopoides sp. n. from Zaotang He at Baihualing village; G-I, Mysmena changouzi sp. n. from from No. 12 Bridge Camp area. A, C, E, G, epigynum, ventral view; B, D, F, I, cleared vulva, dorsal view; H, epigynum, lateral view. Arrow in B indicates lateral pit.

Figure 12. Wendilgarda muji sp. n. from Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve. A-D, habitus; E-G, male palp. A, male, lateral; B, female, lateral; C, female, dorsal; D, female, ventral; E, prolateral; F, retrolateral; G, ventral. C: conductor; EA: embolic apophysis; MA: median apophysis; T: tegulum.

Figure 13. A-D, Zoma dibaiyin sp. n. from Pee He, SEM of female; E, F, Wendilgarda muji sp. n. from Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve, SEM of male palp. A, epigynum; B, spinnerets; C, ALS; D, PMS and PLS; E, prolateral; F, retrolateral. AC: aciniform gland spigot; AG: aggregate gland spigot; C: conductor; CY: cylindrical gland spigot; EA: embolic apophysis; FL: flagelliform gland spigot; MA: median apophysis; MAP: major ampullate gland spigot; mAP: minor ampullate gland spigot; n: nubbin; PC: paracymbium; PI: piriform gland spigot; T: tegulum.

Figure 14. Wendilgarda muji sp. n. from Xiao Hei Shan Nature Reserve. A-B, SEM of male palp; C-F, SEM of female. A, ventral; B, retrolateral, detail showing paracymbium; C, epigynum; D, ALS; E, PMS; F, PLS. AC: aciniform gland spigot; AG: aggregate gland spigot; C: conductor; CY: cylindrical gland spigot; EA: embolic apophysis; FL: flagelliform gland spigot; MA: median apophysis; MAP: major ampullate gland spigot; mAP: minor ampullate gland spigot; n: nubbin; PC: paracymbium; PI: piriform gland spigot; T: tegulum; t: tartipore.

Figure 96. Distribution map, inset map shows study area. Black: Wendilgarda muji sp. n.; yellow: Mysmena changouzi sp. n.; blue: Mysmena bizi sp. n.; red: Mosu huogou sp. n.; purple: Crassignatha quanqu sp. n.; white: Crassignatha gudu sp. n.