Althepus xianxi Li et Li, 2017

Liu, Chang, Li, Fengyuan, Wongprom, Prasit, Zheng, Guo & Li, Shuqiang, 2017, Eleven new species of the spider genus Althepus Thorell, 1898 (Araneae, Ochyroceratidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 4350 (3), pp. 469-499 : 494

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4350.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C5A2FCC7-904B-456B-BD8F-5C9FD3D5FB9F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6049541
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5326CD46-FFE7-FFEA-A096-A4EDFF75FA0A
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Althepus xianxi Li et Li
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Althepus xianxi Li et Li sp. nov.

Figs 19–22 View FIGURE 19 View FIGURE 20 View FIGURE 21 View FIGURE 22

Type material. Holotype: Male ( IZCAS) Thailand, Yala Province, Betong District, Ban Bo Nam Ron Village . 05°49.960'N, 101°04.080'E, altitude 384m, 24 October 2015 GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 2 females and 2 males, same data as holotype ( IZCAS) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin 'xiān xì', which means 'slender', referring to the slender spermathecae; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The species resembles A. jiandan sp. nov. ( Figs 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 ) with the male palp, but can be distinguished by the small conductor ( Figs 19A–D View FIGURE 19 ) as well as by the loosely twisted spermathecae ( Fig. 20E View FIGURE 20 ).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 3.22; carapace 1.09 length, 1.41 width; abdomen 1.83 length, 0.88 width. Carapace rounded ( Fig. 20G View FIGURE 20 ), yellow, with narrow marginal bands and one wide median band. Anterior margin of thoracic region distinctly elevated. Clypeus brown. Cheliceral promargin with two teeth, followed by a lamina, retromargin with two small teeth ( Fig. 21K View FIGURE 21 ). Labium black-brown. Sternum brown. Abdomen elongate, with complex patterns of white and dark-brown dorsally and ventrally. Legs brown, femur and tibia annulated with white. Leg measurements: I missing, II 21.27 (5.77 0.50, 5.64, 8.01, 1.35), III 13.16 (3.85, 0.50, 3.59, 4.49, 1.03), IV 20.82 (5.83, 0.50, 5.71, 7.50, 1.28). Male palp ( Figs 19A–D View FIGURE 19 ): tarsus with three slightly curved, serrated bristles at the top of cymbial protrusion ( Fig. 19D View FIGURE 19 ), one spine slightly bent with tip directed towards proximally ( Fig. 19A View FIGURE 19 ); one strong spine and one bristle arising from tubercles; bulb dark yellow, ovate; embolus arising retrolatero-distally from bulb, curved and extremely long proximally; conductor arising prolatero-proximally from bulb, with forked structures on the distal part; embolus and conductor widely separated (the distance is almost equal to diameter of bulb).

Female (paratype). Similar to male in coloration and general features ( Figs 20H–I View FIGURE 20 ), but with a smaller body size. Internal genitalia with a pair of loosely twisted transparent spermathecae ( Fig. 20E View FIGURE 20 ). Measurements: total length 3.00; carapace 0.88 length, 1.06 width; abdomen 1.75 length, 1.00 width. Legs I 22.89 (5.45, 0.38, 6.03, 8.72, 2.31), legs II missing, III 9.99 (2.88, 0.38, 2.56, 3.21, 2.37), IV 13.97 (3.97, 0.38, 3.85, 4.49, 1.28).

Variation. Carapace 1.00–1.09 length, 1.19–1.41 width, tibia I 5.38–8.72 (leg I lost in male holotype) in males; Carapace 0.88–0.94 length, 1.06–1.09 width, tibia I 6.03 (leg I lost in other specimen) in females.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 ).