Utivarachna tangi Liu, Xu & Haddad, 2020

Liu, Keke, Yin, Haiqiang, Haddad, Charles R., Xu, Xiang & Ma, Zhining, 2020, Two new species of Utivarachna Kishida, 1940 from southern China, with an updated key to the Chinese species (Araneae: Trachelidae), Zootaxa 4803 (1), pp. 87-102 : 97-101

Utivarachna tangi Liu, Xu & Haddad sp. nov.

Figs 7 A−E, 8A−K, 9A, B

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:278F7C71-956E-40EE-8315-2F1E2A7573BC

Type material. Holotype: ♀: CHINA: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Chongzuo City , Longzhou County, Nonggang National Nature Reserve , Sanlian Station , Longdan , 22°32’04.93”N, 106°50’13.07”E, 307 m, 31.X.2017, leg. A.L. He et al., in HNU.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Dr Guo Tang, who made significant contributions to spider taxonomy in China.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to those of U. subfabaria sp. nov. in having similar atria and bursae, but differs by the copulatory ducts being close to each other ( Figs 8J, K , 9A, B ) vs. separated and parallel in U. subfabaria sp. nov. ( Figs 5I, J , 6E, F ) and the blade-shaped bursae ( Figs 8J, K , 9A, B ) vs. ampullate in U. subfabaria sp. nov. ( Figs 5I, J , 6E, F ).

Description. Female. Habitus as in Fig. 7A, B . Total length 5.43. Carapace ( Fig. 7A ) dark brown, broadly oval in dorsal view (CL = 1.17 CW), pars cephalica strongly domed, anteriorly narrowed to 0.6 times its maximum width, with abundant black setae, posteriorly with indistinct cervical groove and distinct fovea, length 2.89, width 2.47. Eyes ( Fig. 7C ) diameters: AME 0.13, ALE 0.14, PME 0.14, PLE 0.14; interdistances:AME–AME 0.06, ALE−AME 0.13, ALE−ALE 0.54, PME–PME 0.22, PLE−PME 0.25, PLE−PLE 0.95, AME−PME 0.10, ALE−PLE 0.25. MOA 0.32 long, front width 0.34, back width 0.46, occupying most of anterior cephalic region. Mouthparts ( Fig. 7D, E ): chelicerae yellow-brown (red-brown in furrow), straight, robust, with abundant setae along retromarginal teeth; 5 promarginal (4th largest, 5th smallest) and 3 retromarginal teeth (second largest); maxillae yellowish-pink, slightly convergent anteriorly, twice longer than wide, with numerous setae on anterior inner margin and dense maxillary setae tuft on anterior margin; labium pentagonal, with row of setae on anterior margin, slightly longer than wide, with trapezoidal base located at notch in anterior sternum, marginal grooves distinct in trapezoidal base. Sternum ( Fig. 7E ) yellowish-white, as long as wide, with finely chain-shaped, raised, hollowed lines around edge. Abdomen ( Fig. 7A, B ) dark brown, 2.56 long, 2.45 wide, ovoid, with abundant short setae and three pairs of oval marks dorsally, and abundant pallid dots ventrally. Legs yellowish pink ( Fig. 8 A−H), with abundant setae on each segment; base of each tarsus notched dorsally, sub-base of femur enlarged, without conical ventral cusps and spines; legs III and IV distinctly thinner; femur IV longer than femora I–III, tibia IV longer than tibiae I–III, metatarsus IV longer than metatarsi I–III, tarsus I longer than tarsi II–IV; femora I–IV wider basally; two claws with about 5 small teeth on each; measurements: I 6.44 (1.74, 0.93, 1.62, 1.24, 0.91); II 6.43 (1.79, 0.89, 1.63, 1.27, 0.86); III 5.49 (1.53, 0.80, 1.24, 1.32, 0.64); IV 7.26 (2.00, 0.81, 1.69, 1.95, 0.81). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne ( Figs 8J, K , 9 ). Atrium large, as long as wide, occupying almost whole posterior half of plate; copulatory openings semilunar-shaped, closely spaced, located in middle of epigyne, connecting bursae by long thin copulatory ducts; copulatory ducts long, with median part between bursae straight and parallel, posteriorly connected to anterodorsal spermathecae; bursae large, 2 times longer than wide, with posterior margins touching anterior margins of comma- shaped spermathecae;bursae with several small clusters of glandular particles on posterior surface, occupying about2/3 of epigyne length; fertilization ducts broad, widely separated from each other, distance almost equal to width of atrium.

Remarks. This new species occurs exactly in the same locality as the paratypes of U. subfabaria sp. nov., Nonggang National Nature Reserve. These two species are sympatric in at least some sites explored by the authors. Differences in color and epigyne morphology can be used to separate them.

Habitat. As with U. subfabaria sp. nov., this species can be found in leaf litter in parts of rainforest with karst physiognomy.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURE 5A–J. Utivarachna subfabaria sp. nov., female paratype, legs and genitalia.A. Tarsus, metatarsus and tibia I, retrolateral view. B. Patella and femur I, retrolateral view. C. Tarsus, metatarsus and tibia II, retrolateral view. D. Patella and femur II, retrolateral view. E. Tarsus and metatarsus III, retrolateral view. F. Tibia, patella and femur III, retrolateral view. G. Tarsus and metatarsus IV, retrolateral view. H. Tibia, patella and femur IV, retrolateral view. I. Epigyne, ventral view. J. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–H = 0.5 mm; I, J = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6A–F. Utivarachna subfabaria sp. nov. male palp and female genitalia. A. Male palp, prolateral view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, retrolateral view. D. Same, dorsolateral view. E. Epigyne, ventral view. F. Vulva, dorsal view.Abbreviations: A, atrium; B, Bulb; BU, bursae; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory openings; E, embolus; FD, fertilization duct; GP, glandular particles; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD, sperm duct; SP, spermathecae; ST, subtegulum; T, tegulum. Scale bars: A–F = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7A–E. Utivarachna tangi sp. nov., female holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, dorsal view. C. Eyes, ventral view. D. Chelicerae, ventral view. E. Maxillae, labium and sternum, ventral view. Scale bars: A, B, E = 0.5 mm; C, D = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 8A–K. Utivarachna tangi sp. nov., female holotype, legs and genitalia. A. Tarsus, metatarsus and tibia I, retrolateral view. B. Patella and femur I, retrolateral view. C. Tarsus, metatarsus and tibia II, retrolateral view. D. Patella and femur II, retrolateral view. E. Tarsus III, retrolateral view. F. Metatarsus, tibia, patella and femur III, retrolateral view. G. Tarsus IV, retrolateral view. H. Metatarsus and tibia IV, retrolateral view. I. Patella and femur IV, retrolateral view. J. Epigyne, ventral view. K. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–I = 0.5 mm; J, K = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 9A–B. Utivarachna tangi sp. nov. holotype, female genitalia.A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, dorsal view.Abbreviations: A, atrium; BU, bursae; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory openings; FD, fertilization duct; GP, glandular particles; SP, spermathecae. Scale bars: A, B = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Collection localities for Utivarachna subfabaria sp. nov. and U. tangi sp. nov. in China.