Lysiteles subdianicus, Tang, Guo, Yin, Chang-Ming, Peng, Xian-Jin, Ubick, Darrell & Griswold, Charles, 2008

Tang, Guo, Yin, Chang-Ming, Peng, Xian-Jin, Ubick, Darrell & Griswold, Charles, 2008, The crab spiders of the genus Lysiteles from Yunnan Province, China (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 1742, pp. 1-41 : 32-34

Lysiteles subdianicus sp. nov.

Figs 17 a–l , 22

Type material: Holotype: male, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Fugong County, Lumadeng Township, Old Shibali [N27.07831º, E98.77426º], 2305 m, 15, 21 August 2005, Guo Tang (HNU-Tang 050704).

Paratypes: 2 ɗ, 2 Ψ, same data as holotype (2 ɗ, 1 Ψ: HNU; 1 Ψ: CAS). Fugong County: 3 ɗ, 5 km from Yaping to Fugong [N27.14497°, E98.74463°], 2000 m, 7 May 2004, Heng-Mei Yan (CAS-Yan04050701).

Etymology. The specific name is the combination of “ sub- ” and “ dianicus ”, referring to the similarity of the new species to L. dianicus Song & Zhao, 1994 .

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to L. dianicus Song & Zhao, 1994 ( Figs 7 ) in the general appearance and the genital organs, the differences are discussed in the diagnosis of L. dianicus .

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 3.00. Prosoma 1.60 long, 1.30 wide; opisthosoma 1.50 long, 1.20 wide. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow with “n”-shaped blackish brown stripes. Eye area and clypeus blackish brown. Both AER and PER strongly recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.20, PME 0.07, PLE 0.14, AME - AME 0.20, AME - ALE 0.20, PME - PME 0.26, PME - PLE 0.35, MOA 0.30 long, front width 0.37, back width 0.38. Sternum yellow; chelicerae and labium blackish brown; gnathocoxae brown. Legs yellow with weak spines, femora I with 3 prolateral spines, tibiae and metatarsi I, II with 2 pairs of ventral spines, tibiae and metatarsi III, IV with 1 ventral spine. Leg measurements: I: 6.30 (1.90, 2.30, 1.20, 0.90); II: 6.70 (2.00, 2.40, 1.30, 1.00); III: 4.10 (1.10, 1.50, 0.80, 0.70); IV 4.30: (1.20, 1.50, 0.90, 0.70), formula 2, 1, 4, 3. Opisthosoma oval, dorsum yellow with black markings; anteriorly with a pair of brown longitudinal stripes; medially with a pair of small white spots; posteriorly with 3 pairs of large blackish brown stripes; laterally with a black stripe; venter yellow, with a “U”-shaped faint black marking.

Palp ( Figs 17 e–g, j ). VTA digitform, apically curved; RTA long spatulate, with a small basal apophysis, apex sharp and curved. Embolus thick, with a small helix twisted in anticlockwise.

Female (one of the paratypes, Tang 050704): Total length 3.80. Markings as in male, opisthosoma dorsum markings darker than in male. Prosoma 1.60 long, 1.30 wide; opisthosoma 2.30 long, 2.20 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.20, PME 0.08, PLE 0.15, AME - AME 0.16, AME - ALE 0.15, PME - PME 0.25, PME - PLE 0.33, MOA 0.25 long, front width 0.35, back width 0.39. Legs grey, leg measurements: I: 4.30 (1.20, 1.60, 0.90, 0.6); II: 4.60 (1.30, 1.60, 1.00, 0.70); III: 2.80 (0.90, 1.00, 0.50, 0.40); IV: 3.20 (1.00, 1.10, 0.60, 0.50), formula 2, 1, 4, 3. Opisthosoma wider than male, dorsum with 2 pairs of small white spots.

Epigyne-vulva ( Figs 17 h–i, k–l ). Epigyne with a large atrium, copulatory openings lateral; copulatory ducts curved in elephant’s-trunk-shape; spermathecae globular.

Variation. Total length: males 3.00–3.40 (n =6); females 3.60–3.80 (n = 2). Abdominal markings vary in size and number among observed specimens: two females with 2 pairs of small white spots; one male only with 1 pair of white spots; one male without white spot ( Figs 17. a–d ); 2 specimens without ventral U-shaped black marking before spinnerets.

Distribution. China (recorded from Fugong County of Yunnan Province).

Figures

FIGURES 17 a – l. Lysiteles subdianicus sp. nov. a – d Habitus (a, b male; c, d female); e – g, j Left palp (e prolateral, f, j ventral, g retrolateral view); h, k Epigyne; i, l Vulva. Scale bars: a – d = 1; e – l = 0.1.

FIGURES 7 a – f. Lysiteles dianicus Song & Zhao, 1994. a – b Habitus (a male, b female); c – f Left palp (c prolateral, d, i ventral, e retrolateral, f dorsal view). Scale bars: a – b = 1; c – f = 0.1.