Pholcus mueangensis Yao & Li, 2017

Dong, Tingting, Zheng, Guo, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2017, Ten new species of the spider genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4306 (3), pp. 339-369 : 354

Pholcus mueangensis Yao & Li sp. nov.

Figs 11–12

Type material. Holotype: male (Ar29657), Lak Mueang Cave (8°27.983′N, 98°31.898′E, elevation 15 m), Mueang District , Phangnga, Thailand, 10 October 2015, Q. Zhao, G. Zhou and Z. Chen leg. Paratypes: 2 males and 2 females (Ar 29658–29661), same data as holotype.

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

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. buatong Huber, 2016 (see Huber et al. 2016c: 38, figs 143–146, 154– 168, 184–186) with similar male chelicerae ( Fig. 12 D) and epigynum ( Fig. 12 A) but can be distinguished by two transversal sclerotized ridges close retrolatero-ventrally but separated retrolatero-dorsally on the procursus (arrows in Fig. 11 D), by the longer appendix ( Fig. 12 C), by the shorter embolus ( Fig. 12 C) and by the nearly triangular pore plates ( Fig. 12 B).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 3.12 (3.28 with clypeus), carapace 0.78 long, 0.82 wide, opisthosoma 2.34 long, 0.61 wide. Leg I: 38.10 (9.10 + 0.43 + 9.04 + 17.63 + 1.90), leg II: 24.11 (6.22 + 0.42 + 6.03 + 10.38 + 1.06), leg III: 14.32 (4.17 + 0.38 + 3.56 + 5.51 + 0.70), leg IV: 20.99 (6.15 + 0.38 + 5.06 + 8.46 + 0.94); tibia I L/d: 111. Distance PME-PME 0.36; diameter PME 0.09; distance PME-ALE 0.03; AME absent. Sternum wider than long (0.69/0.55). Habitus as in Figs 12 E–F. Carapace yellowish, with brown marks on posterior half; ocular area brownish, with a brown median band; sternum yellowish, with brownish marks. Legs yellowish, patellae, proximal parts of femora and tibiae brown, darker rings absent. Opisthosoma yellowish, with dark brown spots dorsally and laterally. Ocular area elevated, each eye triad on top of a laterally directed eye-stalk; Thoracic furrow absent. Chelicerae as in Fig. 12 D, with a pair of indistinct frontal apophyses, distal apophyses absent. Pedipalps as in Figs 11 A–B; trochanter with a long ventral apophysis; femur with a small dorsal apophysis proximally and a rounded ventral protrusion; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two transversal sclerotized ridges close retrolatero-ventrally but separated retrolatero-dorsally; bulbal apophyses as in Fig. 12 C; uncus absent; appendix long; embolus long, weakly sclerotized, with some nearly transparent projections distally. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 3%; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae; tarsus I with 7 distinct pseudosegments.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 12 G–H. Total length 3.21 (3.40 with clypeus), carapace 0.73 long, 0.78 wide, opisthosoma 2.48 long, 0.83 wide; tibia I: 6.41; tibia I L/d: 73. Distance PME-PME 0.21; diameter PME 0.08; distance PME-ALE 0.03; AME absent. Sternum wider than long (0.61/0.50). Ocular area without eye-stalks. Epigynum ( Fig. 12 A) with a knob. Vulva ( Fig. 12 B) with a sclerotized anterior arch and two nearly triangular pore plates.

Variation: Unknown (leg I lost in the other specimens).

Distribution. Thailand (Phangnga, type locality; Fig. 21 ).

Natural History. The species was found in the entrance zone of the cave.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Pholcus mueangensis Yao & Li sp. nov., holotype male. A – B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view, arrows point at two transversal sclerotiZed ridges). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A – B), 0.05 (C – D).

FIGURE 12. Pholcus mueangensis Yao & Li sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A – B, G – H). A. Epigynum, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F. Lateral view; H. Ventral view). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, fa = frontal apophysis, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.05 (A – C), 0.10 (D), 0.50 (E – H).

FIGURE 21. Distribution records of new Pholcus species from Southeast Asia. 1. Pholcus bulacanensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. bicornutus species group; 2. P. duan Yao & Li sp. nov., 3. P. ping Yao & Li sp. nov. and 4. P. vietnamensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. bidentatus species group; 5. P. fuza Yao & Li sp. nov. and 6. P. mueangensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. buatong species group; 7. P. cheni Yao & Li sp. nov. and 8. P. subwan Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. halabala species group; 9. P. shuye Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. krabi species group; 10. P. dongxue Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. yichengicus species group.