Pholcus kaebyaiensis Yao & Li

Dong, Tingting, Zheng, Guo, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2016, Fifteen new species of the spider genus Pholcus (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4136 (2), pp. 201-246 : 233-238

Pholcus kaebyaiensis Yao & Li sp. nov.

Figs 25–26

Type material. Holotype: male, Tham (cave) Kaeb Yai (19°34.620′N, 99°03.681′E, elevation 684 m), 25 km North North-East of Chiang Dao, Chiangmai, Thailand, 26 June 2014, P. Jäger and E. Grall leg. Paratype: 1 female, same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. m u s en s i s sp. nov. ( Figs 27–28 ) in having similar male chelicerae ( Fig. 26 D), uncus ( Fig. 26 C), and female external genitalia ( Fig. 26 A) but can be distinguished by the presence of a nearly angular median branch on the appendix ( Fig. 26 C), by the strongly protruding medially prolatero-distal membranous process on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 25 C), by the presence of a large, sclerotized retrolateral apophysis (with a small, pointed prolateral apophysis; arrow in Fig. 25 C) distally on the procursus, by the anterior arch of the vulva strongly protruding medially ( Fig. 26 B). This species also resembles P. songkhonensis sp. nov. ( Figs 29–30 ) in having similar male chelicerae ( Fig. 26 D), bulbal apophyses ( Fig. 26 C), and female external genitalia ( Fig. 26 A) but can be distinguished by the short eye-stalks on the male ocular area (as in P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov., cf. Fig. 31 E), by the strongly protruding medially prolatero-distal membranous process on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 25 C), and by the nearly elliptic pore plates on vulva ( Fig. 26 B).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 5.12 (5.64 with clypeus), carapace 1.40 long, 1.40 wide, opisthosoma 3.72 long, 2.13 wide. Leg I: 60.10 (14.36 + 0.80 + 14.17 + 24.10 + 6.67), leg II: 35.39 (9.74 + 0.72 + 8.97 +14.42 + 1.54), leg III: 25.18 (7.31 + 0.70 + 6.35 + 9.62 + 1.20), leg IV: 32.02 (9.10 + 0.71 + 8.21 + 12.50 + 1.50); tibia I L/d: 89. Distance PME-PME 0.52; diameter PME 0.13; distance PME-ALE 0.02; distance AME- AME 0.06; diameter AME 0.06. Sternum wider than long (0.94/0.86). Habitus as in Figs 26 E–F. Carapace yellowish, with brown marks extending to ocular area; ocular area yellow, with two median brown bands; sternum yellow. Legs yellow, darker rings absent. Opisthosoma pale brown, without spots. Ocular area elevated; each eye triad on top of a short, laterally directed eye-stalk (as in P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov., cf. Fig. 31 E). Thoracic furrow absent. Chelicerae as in Fig. 26 D, with a pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, a pair of black distal apophyses, and a pair of frontal apophyses. Pedipalps as in Figs 25 A–B; trochanter with a short ventral apophysis; femur with a distinct ventral modification; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two prolatero-dorsal spines distally (arrow in Fig. 25 C); uncus with a scaly edge; appendix hooked, with a median branch; embolus sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 7.3%; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae; tarsus I with approximately 11 distinct pseudosegments.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 26 G–H. Total length 4.47 (4.81 with clypeus), carapace 1.36 long, 1.44 wide, opisthosoma 3.11 long, 1.56 wide; tibia I: 9.87; tibia I L/d: 66. Distance PME-PME 0.26; diameter PME 0.10; distance PME-ALE 0.03; distance AME-AME 0.05; diameter AME 0.05. Sternum wider than long (0.95/ 0.80). Ocular area without eye-stalks. External genitalia ( Fig. 26 A) with a knob. Vulva ( Fig. 26 B) with a sclerotized anterior arch and two nearly elliptic pore plates.

Distribution. Thailand (Chiangmai, type locality; Fig. 32 ).

Natural history. The species was found in the aphotic zone inside the cave.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Pholcus kaebyaiensis sp. nov., holotype male. A – B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view, up arrow points at prolatero-dorsal spines, left arrow points at prolatero-distal membranous process, right arrow points at small, pointed prolateral apophysis; D. Retrolateral view). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.20 (A – B), 0.05 (C – D).

FIGURE 26. Pholcus kaebyaiensis sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A – B, G – H). A. External genitalia, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F, H. Ventral view). a = appendix, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, fa = frontal apophysis, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A – D), 0.60 (E – H).

FIGURE 27. Pholcus musensis sp. nov., holotype male. A – B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view, arrows point at prolatero-dorsal spines; D. Retrolateral view, arrow points at large, sclerotized retrolateral apophysis). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A – B), 0. 0 5 (C – D).

FIGURE 28. Pholcus musensis sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A – B, G – H). A. External genitalia, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F, H. Ventral view). a = appendix, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, fa = frontal apophysis, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.05 (A – C), 0.10 (D), 0.50 (E – H).

FIGURE 29. Pholcus songkhonensis sp. nov., holotype male. A – B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view, arrow points at narrow prolatero-distal membranous process; D. Retrolateral view, arrow points at retrolateral apophysis). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A – B), 0.05 (C – D).

FIGURE 30. Pholcus songkhonensis sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A – B, G – H). A. External genitalia, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F, H. Ventral view). a = appendix, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, fa = frontal apophysis, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.05 (A – C), 0.10 (D), 0.50 (E – H).

FIGURE 31. Male and female ocular area, frontal view. A – B. Pholcus tharnlodensis sp. nov., holotype male (A) and paratype female (B). C – D. P. hinsonensis sp. nov., holotype male (C) and paratype female (D). E – F. P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov., holotype male (E) and paratype female (F). Scale bars: 0.10 (A – F).

FIGURE 32. Distribution records of new Pholcus species from Southeast Asia. ® Pholcus anaiensis sp. nov.; P. ballarini sp. nov.; P. cenranaensis sp. nov.; P. chiangmaiensis sp. nov.; P. gou sp. nov.; © P. hinsonensis sp. nov.; P. kaebyaiensis sp. nov.; P. kottawagamaensis sp. nov.; P. krachensis sp. nov.; P. musensis sp. nov.; © P. songkhonensis sp. nov.; ® P. taptaoensis sp. nov.; © P. tharnlodensis sp. nov.; ® P. w a n sp. nov.; ® P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov.