Atypus suiningensis Zhang 1985

Zhu, Ming-Sheng, Zhang, Feng, Song, Daxiang & Qu, Ping, 2006, A revision of the genus Atypus in China (Araneae: Atypidae), Zootaxa 1118, pp. 1-42 : 28-31

Atypus suiningensis Zhang 1985

( Figs 87–98 )

Atypus suiningensis Zhang 1985: 140 , fig. 2 (1 male holotype, 8 female paratypes from Hunan, Suining, China, HNU, not examined). — Schwendinger 1990: 360. — Song, Zhu & Chen 1999: 35, figs 15S, 16D–E.

Material examined. CHINA: Hunan Province, Suining County, N 26°35’, E 110°10’, 2 males and 1 juvenile female, 14 October 1996, M. Y. Liu leg. ( HNU) ; Suining County, 23 females, 17 September 2004, M. S. Zhu, F. Zhang and J. X. Zhang leg. ( MHBU) ; Zhejiang Province, Ningbo City, Mt Tiantong , N 29°48’, E 121°42’, 2 males and 2 females, 8 July 2001, Y. J. Zhang leg. ( MHBU) .

Diagnosis. Males of this species resemble those of A. karschi in the shape of their palpal bulb, but differs in males by metatarsus IV having spines dorsally, by the longer conductor situated far away from tegular process in retrolateral view and with its upper margin almost straight in prolateral view, and by the rounded upper distal corner of the conductor ( Figs 96, 97 ); females differ by the almost equal­sized four pyriform receptacula and the oval lateral patches of pores ( Figs 90–92 ).

Redescription.

Male. Total length (including chelicerae) 11.07. Carapace 4.05 long, 3.78 wide; abdomen 4.41 long, 2.52 wide. Carapace similar to that of A. karschi , but with narrower fovea. Eyes set on elevated black tubercle, eye region occupying nearly one­third of width of pars cephalica. Anterior eye row slightly recurved, posterior eye row distinctly recurved, both eye rows almost equal in width. Eye diameters: AME 0.25, ALE 0.20, PME 0.18, PLE 0.18. Distances AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.63, PME– PLE 0.03. MOA 0.45 long, front width 0.70, back width 0.88. Fovea transverse and narrow, occupying about 1/10 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae red brown, with 13 teeth on promargin and granular texture on pro­ and retrolateral faces. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa red brown, inner­margin with row of nine cuspules. Labium and sternum red brown, with black border, 2.79 long and 3.15 wide. Second and third pair of sigilla small.

Abdomen oval and dark brown, anterior half with four pale yellow brown cambered bands dorsally, dorsal scutum red brown. ALS 0.40 long, PMS 0.63 long, PLS 2.11 long (basal joint 0.53, median 0.40, subapical 0.50, apical 0.48).

Palpal femur with furrow. Legs thin, covered with short and thin hairs and few spines. Legs III, IV, tarsi and metatarsi of legs I, II yellow brown. Femora, patellae and Tibiae of legs I, II red brown. Femur I with granular texture, femur II lacking this texture. Metatarsus IV with five dorsal spines. Leg formula: 4123.

Male palp ( Figs 95–98 ): conductor longer and far away from tegular process in retrolateral view, upper corner rounded and upper margin almost straight in prolateral view.

Female. Total length (including chelicerae) 17.10. Carapace 5.58 long, 5.22 wide; abdomen 7.56 long, 5.13 wide. Carapace similar to that of male in shape, coloration and pattern. Eye tubercle lower in male. Eye region occupying nearly one­third of width of pars cephalica. Eye diameters: AME 0.27, ALE 0.24, PME 0.20, PLE 0.20. Distances AME–AME 0.20, AME–ALE 0.14, PME–PME 0.71, PME–PLE 0.03. MOA 0.55 long, front width 0.71, back width 1.12. Fovea transverse, occupying about 1/10 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae red brown, with 13 teeth on promargin, lacking granular texture. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa similar to that of male, but with more cuspules. Sternum darker than that of male, wider than long. Sigilla as in male.

Abdomen oval, dark yellow brown, with small and pale orange dorsal tergite. ALS 0.61 long, PMS 1.16 long, PLS 4.12 long (basal joint 0.75, median 1.02, subapical 1.12, apical 1.05).

Legs red brown, shorter and thicker than those of male, with relatively longer hairs and few short and thin spines. Metatarsus IV with 3–4 dorsal spines. Leg formula: 1423.

Vulva ( Figs 90–92 ): atrium relatively long, with oval lateral patches of pores; all four receptacula pyriform and almost equal in size, lacking obvious basal stalks.

Variation. Size range of mature females: carapace length 5.58–5.76, width 5.22–5.40, total length 17.10–17.64, n=25; size range of mature males: carapace length 4.05–4.06, width 3.78–3.96, total length 11.07–12.69, n=4.

Habitat. Found abundantly in pursewebs attached to the bases of the China firs and rocks. The total length of tubes of mature females is 27.0–28.0 mm (n = 2), and the aerial portion is 22.5–23.0 mm.

Distribution. China: Hunan, Zhejiang.

Remarks. This species was originally described by Zhang (1985) from specimens collected in Suining County, Hunan Province, China. Unfortunately he did not provide more valuable characters than vulva structure and narrower conductor. By examining the specimens collected from the type locality, we redescribe this species and provide more relevant illustrations for identification.

Figures

FIGURES 87–98. Atypus suiningensis Zhang 1985. 87–92, females. 87, carapace, dorsal view; 88, left chelicera, inner­lateral view; 89, labium and sternum, ventral view; 90–92, vulvae, dorsal view (90, 91, from Suining, Hunan; 92, from Tiantong, Zhejiang). 93–98, male. 93, left chelicera, innerlateral view; 94, labium and sternum, ventral view; 95, left palp, prolateral view (from Suining, Hunan); 96, left palpal bulb, prolateral view; 97, same, retrolateral view; 98, same, dorsal view. Scale bars: 87–89, 93–94, 1.0mm; 90–92, 95–98, 0.2mm.