Althepus chengmenensis Li & Li

Li, Fengyuan, Liu, Chang & Li, Shuqiang, 2018, Ten new species of the spider genus Althepus Thorell, 1898 from Southeast Asia (Araneae, Ochyroceratidae), ZooKeys 776, pp. 27-60 : 29-30

Althepus chengmenensis Li & Li sp. n. Figs 1, 2, 20, 21

Types.

Holotype: ♂, China, Yunnan Province, Baoshan City, Longyang District, Chengmen Cave, 24°55.691'N, 98°45.112'E, 2393 m a.s.l., 14.VII.2016, Y. Li and M. Xu. Paratypes: 1♂3♀, same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis.

Althepus chengmenensis Li & Li, sp. n. resembles A. xuae Li & Li, sp. n. in having a sigmoid conductor in males and curved, elongate spermathecae in females. Males can be distinguished from the latter species by the pleated margin of the conductor and by the three acuminate projections on the distal end of the conductor (Figure 1B); females can be distinguished by having longer spermathecae (versus shorter in A. xuae Li & Li, sp. n.) (Figure 2A). This new species can be distinguished from all the other known species of the genus by the bent middle part of the conductor (Figure 1A) and by the elongate spermathecae of similar lengths (Figure 2A).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 3.44; carapace 1.14 length, 1.28 width; abdomen 1.95 length, 1.13 width. Carapace round, light yellow, with brown lateral margins and one wide, brown median band, the middle one wider than others (Figure 2C). Anterior margin of cephalic region distinctly elevated. Clypeus brown. Cheliceral promargin with one tooth, followed by a lamina, retromargin with two small teeth (Figure 20A), posterior surface of fang with 25 small denticles. Labium brown. Sternum yellow, with eight brown spots. Abdomen elongate, with complex patterns dorsally and ventrally. Legs brown, femur and tibia with white annulations (Figure 2C). Leg measurements: I 22.56 (5.26, 0.55, 6.15, 8.65, 1.95), II 15.48 (4.23, 0.52, 4.15, 5.10, 1.48), III missing, IV missing. Male palp (Figure 1 A–D): tarsus with three slightly curved, serrated bristles at the top of cymbial protrusion (one of them was missing, Figure 1A), one curved spine and one twisted spine with the tip directed towards distally (Figure 1A); bulb yellow, ovate; embolus arising retrolatero-proximally from bulb, slightly sigmoid; conductor arising distally from bulb, sigmoid, with three acuminate projections distally (Figure 1B); embolus and conductor widely separated (distance almost equal to diameter of bulb).

Female (one of the paratypes). Total length 3.25; carapace 1.06 length, 1.28 width; abdomen 1.95 length, 1.13 width. Similar to male in colour and general features (Figure 2 D–E) but smaller. Internal genitalia with two spermathecae on each side (Figure 2A). Leg measurements: I missing, II 10.82 (3.00, 0.47, 2.75, 3.30, 1.30), III 10.79 (2.95, 0.45, 2.80, 3.40, 1.19), IV 11.42 (3.20, 0.47, 3.15, 3.30, 1.30).

Variation.

Males: carapace 1.14-1.38 length, 1.28-1.50 width, femur I 5.26-6.73 (the number of specimens = 2). Females: carapace 1.06-1.20 length, 1.13-1.28 width, femur I 2.88-3.91 (the number of specimens = 3).

Distribution.

China. Known only from the type locality (Figure 21).

Natural history.

Collected on rocks outside a cave at an altitude of 2393 m.