Pholcus sublaksao, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New and little known pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Laos, Zootaxa 3709 (1), pp. 1-51 : 43

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3709.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:496843C1-1D75-4B55-BFF2-370ECBAC11BB
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6158995
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FE87D2-FF97-FFD0-FF27-FE8C13010ADF
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Pholcus sublaksao
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pholcus sublaksao View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 35–37 View FIGURE 35 View FIGURE 36 View FIGURE 37 , 41 View FIGURE 41

Type material. Holotype: Male ( IZCAS), near the entrance of Hospital Cave [18°13.433′N, 104°44.902′E, alt. 428 m], 23.86 km west of Ban Laksao Town, Khamkeut District, Bolikhamxay, Laos, 28 November 2012, leg. Z. Yao (Yao-LA 072–073). Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females ( IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name refers to its similarity to P. l a k s a o Huber, 2011; adjective.

Diagnosis. The species resembles P. l a k s a o ( Huber 2011: 430, figs 2058–2061), but can be distinguished by presence of a sclerotized distal apophysis on procursus prolaterally ( Figs 35 View FIGURE 35 A, C and 37A) and M-shaped anterior arch of vulva ( Figs 36 View FIGURE 36 B and 37E).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 6.15 (6.32 with clypeus), prosoma 1.47 long, 1.63 wide, opisthosoma 4.68 long, 1.34 wide. Legs I and III lost, leg II: 37.25 (9.94 + 0.77 + 9.29 + 15.71 + 1.54), leg IV: 34.88 (10.13 + 0.65 + 8.21 + 14.42 + 1.47). Habitus as in Fig. 36 View FIGURE 36 C. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, with large brown marks including ocular area posteriorly; sternum yellowish, with brown marks posteriorly. Legs II and IV yellowish, but dark brown on patellae and proximal parts of tibiae and metatarsi, with slightly darker rings on femora (subdistally) and tibiae (subdistally). Opisthosoma yellowish, with spots dorsally and laterally. Distance PME-PME 0.48, diameter PME 0.19, distance PME-ALE 0.04, distance AME-AME 0.06, diameter AME 0.08. Ocular area elevated, with long hairs; each eye triad on top of a relatively longer eye-stalk directed towards laterally. Thoracic furrow absent. Sternum wider than long (1.00/0.88). Chelicerae as in Fig. 37 View FIGURE 37 C, with a pair of black distal apophyses provided with two modified hairs each and a pair of small proximolateral apophyses, without frontal apophyses. Pedipalpi as in Figs 35 View FIGURE 35 A–B and 37A–B; trochanter with a long, pointed ventral apophysis; femur with a dorsal apophysis retrolaterally; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two prolatero-dorsal spines; uncus large, with a scaly edge; appendix weakly sclerotized proximally and sharply bent distally; embolus weakly sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally. Legs II and IV with short vertical hairs on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, without spines and curved hairs.

Variation: Total length in another male: 6.20 (6.35 with clypeus); leg I lost.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 36 View FIGURE 36 D–E. Tibia I (leg I lost in another specimen): 10.26. One of the specimens measured: Total length 5.74 (5.85 with clypeus), prosoma 1.42 long, 1.40 wide, opisthosoma 4.32 long, 1.72 wide. Distance PME-PME 0.23; diameter PME 0.17; distance PME-ALE 0.04; distance AME-AME 0.03; diameter AME 0.07. Dorsal shield of prosoma with a pair of small marks. Ocular area without brown marks and eye-stalks. Epigynum ( Figs 36 View FIGURE 36 A and 37D) brown, with distinct patterns and a knob-shaped outgrowth. Vulva ( Figs 36 View FIGURE 36 B and 37E) with an M-shaped, sclerotized arch anteriorly, a pair of oval pore plates, and some sclerites.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 41 View FIGURE 41 ).