Althepus xuae 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 : 39-41

Althepus xuae Li & Li sp. n. Figs 16, 17, 20, 21

Types.

Holotype: ♂, China, Yunnan Province, Nujiang of the Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Lushui County, Nouth of Pianma Town, 26°01.513'N, 98°37.313'E, 2125 m a.s.l., 27.VI.2016, M. Xu and Y. Li. Paratypes: 1♂2♀, same data as holotype.

Other material examined.

1♂, China, Yunnan Province, Nujiang of the Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Lushui County, Pianma Town, Fengxue Yakou 25°59.628'N, 98° 39.697'E, 2337 m a.s.l., 29.VI.2016, M. Xu and Y. Li.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Mingjie Xu who collected the types; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis.

Althepus xuae Li & Li, sp. n. resembles A. chengmenensis Li & Li, sp. n. in having a sigmoid conductor in the males, and curved, elongate spermathecae in the females. Males can be distinguished from the latter species by the smooth margin and blunt distal part of the conductor (Figure 16B); females can be distinguished by the two shorter spermathecae on each side (versus longer in A. chengmenensis Li & Li, sp. n.) (Figs 2A, 17A), can be distinguished from all the other known species of the genus by the lateral spermathecae having a longer stalk than medial spermathecae (Figure 17A).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 3.64; carapace 1.34 length, 1.40 width; abdomen 2.05 length, 1.24 width. Carapace round, yellow, with brown lateral margins and one wide, brown median band, the middle one wider than others. Anterior margin of cephalic region distinctly elevated (Figure 17C). Clypeus brown. Cheliceral promargin with two teeth, followed by a lamina, retromargin with two small teeth (Figure 20I), posterior surface of fang with 27 small denticles. Labium brown. Sternum yellow, with two longitudinal brown bands. Abdomen elongate, with complex patterns dorsally and ventrally (Figure 17C). Legs brown, femur and tibia with white annulations. Leg measurements: I missing, II 20.05 (5.32, 0.60, 5.13, 7.05, 1.75), III 12.82 (3.52, 0.59, 3.40, 4.00, 1.31), IV missing. Male palp (Figure 16 A–D): tarsus with one retrolateral spine and one hooked spine with tip directed distally (Figure 16D); bristles at the top of cymbial protrusion (Figure 16A) as in A. hongguangi Li & Li, sp. n.; bulb yellow, ovate; embolus arising prolatero-proximally from bulb, slightly sigmoid; conductor arising retrolatero-distally from bulb, sigmoid; embolus and conductor widely separated (distance less than diameter of bulb).

Female (one of the paratypes). Total length 3.40; carapace 1.30 length, 1.20 width; abdomen 2.48 length, 1.85 width. Similar to male in colour and general features (Figure 17 D–E), but smaller. Internal genitalia with two round spermathecae on long, slender stalks on each side and pores plate at the base (Figure 17A). Leg measurements: I missing, II missing, III 9.39 (2.64, 0.46, 2.40, 2.80, 1.09), IV 13.14 (3.80, 0.50, 3.52, 3.92, 1.40).

Variation.

Males: carapace 1.33-1.34 length, 1.40-1.44 width, leg I lost (the number of specimens = 2). Females: carapace 1.03-1.30 length, 1.20-1.25 width, leg I lost (the number of specimens = 2).

Distribution.

China. Yunnan Province (Figure 21).

Natural history.

Collected by sieving leaf litter in dark and moist environments.