Cnodalia quadrituberculata, Mi & Peng & Yin, 2010

Mi, Xiao-Qi, Peng, Xian-Jin & Yin, Chang-Min, 2010, The spider genus Cnodalia (Araneae: Araneidae) in China, Zootaxa 2452 (1), pp. 59-66 : 60-61

Cnodalia quadrituberculata new species

Figs 1–8 ; 17

Holotype: male, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Gongshan County, Dulongjiang Township, Bailai Group , (N28º 0.20ʹ, E98º11.52ʹ), 1676 m, 31 October–3 November, 2004, Guo Tang, Tang0406 ( HNU) . Paratypes: 1 female, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Gongshan County, Dulongjiang Township, Xianjiudang Village , (N27º 33.78ʹ, E98º11.73ʹ), 1634 m, 4–5 November , 2004, Guo Tang , Tang 0407 ( HNU) ; 2 females, Tang 0407 ( CAS) .

Etymology. The specific name is the combination of quadri (Latin for four) and tuberculata (Latin for tubercles), in reference to the four tubercles on the female dorsal abdomen.

Diagnosis. The female of Cnodalia quadrituberculata n. sp. can be easily distinguished from other Cnodalia species by the width of the epigynum (1.5 times less than the length in C. quadrituberculata n. sp. and 1.9 times more than the length in the other two species); the abdomen with two pairs of dorsal humps (only one pair in all other Cnodalia females). The male of C. quadrituberculata n. sp. differs from other Cnodalia species by having the embolus with a membranous lamella at the middle part which is absent in all other species.

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.65. Prosoma 1.25 long, 1.10 wide; abdomen 1.45 long, 1.70 wide. Carapace yellowish brown with V-shaped light colored part in front of the fovea ( Fig. 3 ). Cervical groove inconspicuous ( Fig. 3 ). Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.09, PLE 0.09, AME 0.10, PME 0.13; AME-AME 0.18, AME-ALE 0.18, PME-PME 0.19, PME-PLE 0.20, MOA 0.18 long with front width 0.31 and back width 0.34. Sternum, chelicerae, gnathocoxae and labium yellowish brown, sternum chordate, chelicera with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Legs without annulus, anterior claws on tarsi I and II extremely elongated, each long claw has 13–15 ventral teeth; coxa I hooked; femur I has 3 long spines anteriorly. Leg measurements: I 4.55 (1.75, 1.55, 0.75, 0.50), II 3.84 (1.42, 1.27, 0.70, 0.45), III 2.06 (0.75, 0.63, 0.35, 0.33), IV 2.73 (1.00, 0.95, 0.48, 0.30). Abdomen wider than long, with two pairs of very low humps ( Fig. 3 ). Dorsum gray with brown longitudinal pattern anteriorly and dark folium posteriorly ( Fig. 3 ). Venter grayish with a pair of white spots anteriorly. Palp with 2 patellar macrosetae; paracymbium small; cymbium with a small tubercle on the proximal base; median apophysis, round proximally and pointed distally; membranous conductor surrounds the embolus; embolus long, curved near the base of median apophysis, with membranous lamella at middle part; terminal apophysis large, with dozens of denticles and a threadlike apophysis ( Figs. 6–8 ).

Female (based on one of the paratypes from Tang0407): Total length 3.15. Prosoma 1.65 long, 1.05 wide; abdomen 1.9 long, 3.0 wide. Carapace yellowish brown with light color portion around fovea ( Fig. 1 ). Cervical groove obvious. Cephalic region slightly elevated ( Fig. 1 ). Eye sizes and distances: ALE 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME 0.10, PME 0.15; AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.28, PME-PME 0.23, PME-PLE 0.33, MOA 0.33 long with front width 0.33 and back width 0.40. Sternum, chelicerae, gnathocoxae and labium yellowish brown, sternum chordate. Legs without annulus, anterior claws on tarsi I and II extremely elongated, each long claw has 13-15 ventral teeth ( Fig. 2 ), femur I has 2 long spines anteriorly. Leg measurements: I 4.85 (1.75, 1.65, 0.90, 0.55), II 4.80 (1.75, 1.75, 0.80, 0.50), III 2.75 (1.00, 0.90, 0.45, 0.40), IV 3.45 (1.10, 1.25, 0.75, 0.35). Abdomen with two pairs of humps, dorsum grayish with a brown transverse stripe before humps ( Fig. 1 ). Epigynum with short lateral rimmed scape; atrium long, copulatory openings located ventrally; copulatory ducts long and twisted; spermathecae spherical ( Figs. 4–5 ).

Variation. Female total length ranges from 2.80 to 3.15.

Distribution. China (Yunnan Province).

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Cnodalia quadrituberculata n. sp. 1, female habitus, dorsal view; 2, female tarsus I, prolateral view; 3 male habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1, 3 = 1 mm; 2 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 4–8. Cnodalia quadrituberculata n. sp. 4, epigynum, ventral view; 5 vulva, prodorsal view; 6 left palp, prolateral view; 7, left palp, ventral view; 8, median apophysis. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.