Hongkongia songi, Zhang, Feng, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Tso, I-Min, 2009

Zhang, Feng, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Tso, I-Min, 2009, Review of the genus Hongkongia (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from China, Zootaxa 2164, pp. 61-68 : 65-68

Hongkongia songi sp. nov.

Figs. 8–16

Type material: Holotype 3, Kenting National Park, Pingtung County [N 22.6°, E 120.5°], Taiwan, March 12, 2000, Y. L. Xie leg. (THU–Ar–01–0198, 3E6). Paratype, 1Ƥ, same data as holotype (THU–Ar–01–0202, 3EF).

Etymology: The specific name is a patronymic in honor of the late Prof. Daxiang Song who made great contributions to the study of Chinese spiders.

Diagnosis: The new species is very similar to H. reptrix Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 in the shape of genital organs, but can be distinguished by: (1) the tip of embolus extending into the conductor, while in the latter with the singular S-shaped tip, free; (2) the broader tip of tibial apophysis; (3) the slightly M-shaped anterior hood of epigyne; (4) the shape of spermathecae and copulatory ducts.

Description: Male (holotype). Carapace 1.53 long, 1.22 wide. Abdomen missing. Carapace pale brownish yellow, head about half the width of thorax. Eye ( Fig. 9 ) diameters, AME 0.11, ALE 0.09, PME 0.12, PLE 0.10; eye distances, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.03, ALE–PLE 0.03; MOA 0.29 long, front width 0.28, back width 0.26. Clypeus height 0.10. Chelicerae shape as in Fig. 10 , with three promarginal teeth and one small retromarginal tooth. Endites, labium and sternum as illustrated as Fig. 11 .

Leg measurements:

IV missing missing missing missing missing missing

Male palp ( Figs 14–16 ): tibial apophysis broad and large, with widening tip and one dorsal spine (only seen from dorsal view); tegulum prolaterally as a semicircular, strongly sclerotized piece; embolus ribbonshaped, long and curved, tip extended into the conductor; conductor long, with broad base, and near the apex with a spinous apophysis.

Female: total body length 4.72: cephalothorax 1.79 long ( Fig. 8 ), 1.36 wide; abdomen 2.93 long, 1.62 wide. Eye diameters, AME 0.12, ALE 0.10, PME 0.11, PLE 0.10; eye distances, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.06, PME–PLE 0.03, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.31 long, front width 0.29, back width 0.27. Leg formula: 4123.

Abdomen ( Fig. 8 ) cylindrical, covered with short appressed hairs, anteriorly with a cluster of long and erect hairs, central part with two pairs of muscle impressions. Anterior spinnerets long, about 1/4 length of abdomen or longer, widening distally.

Epigynum as illustrated ( Figs 12–13 ): anterior hood slightly M-shaped, the very small copulatory openings centrally; vulva with heavily sclerotized ducts, and spermathecae thin-walled, almost oval; fertilization ducts short, arising from the inner margin of the spermathecae.

Distribution: Known from the type locality only.

Figures

FIGURE 8 – 11. Hongkongia s ongi sp. nov. 8. Female, dorsal view. 9. Male eyes, dorsal view. 10. Male left chelicera, posterior view. 11. Male endites, labium and sternum, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (10); 0.5 mm (9, 11); 1 mm (8).

FIGURE 12 – 16. Hongkongia s ongi sp. nov. 12. Epigynum, ventral view. 13. Vulva, dorsal view. 14. Left male palp, prolateral view. 15. Same, ventral view. 16. Same, retrolateral view. Ah = anterior hood; C = conductor; Cd = copulatory duct; Co = copulatory opening; E = embolus; Fd = fertilization duct; Sd = sperm duct; Sp = spermathecae; T = tegulum. Scale bars: 0.4 mm (12 – 13); 0.5 mm (14 – 16).