Xysticus courti, Marusik, Yuri M. & Omelko, Mikhail M., 2014

Marusik, Yuri M. & Omelko, Mikhail M., 2014, Reconsideration of Xysticus species described by Ehrenfried Schenkel from Mongolia and China in 1963 (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3861 (3), pp. 275-289 : 283-285

Xysticus courti sp.n.

Figs 1 , 30–35

X. sibiricus Kulczyński. Schenkel 1963: 236 , fig. 132 (♂).

Type material. Holotype ♂, originally identified as X. sibiricus , with vial label “Potanin No57”, left palp missing. Text label “Berge zwischen Dschiutschen und dem Tao ho, 29. V 85 ”. Data in introduction corresponding to the number in vial (57) is “10/ 11.IV.86 Zwischen Kloster Gulebu-mom und Donkyr. Kansu”. Both localities are in Kansu (Gansu).

The former locality is about 35°10’ N 103°E and the second locality is about 36°40’N 101°16’E. Derivatio nominis. The specific name is a patronym in honour of our colleague David J. Court ( Singapore). Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the X. sibiricus -subgroup of the X. labradorensis -group sensu Marusik (1989). It is most similar to X. gobiensis from which it can be distinguished by having a much smaller and less coiled embolus (cf. Figs 32–33, 35 and 36–38 ). The two species also differ by the relative size of the “pars pendula” (membranous part of embolus), which is much larger in X. gobiensis (cf. Figs 32, 36 ).

Description. Measurements. Carapace 1.93 long, 1.7 wide. Abdomen 2.23 long, 1.75 wide. Clypeus 0.2 long. Chelicera 0.6 long. Carapace brown with yellowish median band and plenty of irregular-shaped yellow spots. Ocular region yellow. Fovea indistinct. Sternum, maxillae, labium and chelicerae light yellow with small brown dots. Spinnerets yellow. Abdomen dorsally yellowish with three pairs of descending lines and plenty of irregular grey spots. All leg segments covered with brown and yellow spots. Spination of leg I. Femora 3d, 3p; patellae 0; tibiae 2d, 3p, 3r, 2- 2v and 2 apical, metatarsi 1p, 1r, 2- 2v, 2 apical. Palp as in Figs 32–35 , tibia with two apophyses: retrolateral and ventral, ventral apophysis with two arms subequal in size; retrolateral apophysis blunt; tegular apophysis absent; tegular ridge (Tr) almost undeveloped; terminal part of embolus flat and coiled (coil = 360°), tip of embolus slightly widened; “pars pendula” (Pp) relatively small.

Leg measurements.

Note. This species is known from the type locality only. First we suggested that this species may be the conspecific male of X. laticeps , a species belonging to the same species group and described on the basis of the holotype female. Then we recognised that the type localities of the two species lie almost 1000 km apart and are separated by the Qilian Shan (=Nan Shan) mountains.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Type localities of 16 Xysticus species described by Schenkel in 1963 and of X. courti sp. n. Numbers in squares for X. bonneti refer to numbers in square brackets in the list of localities.

FIGURES 26 – 31. Bassaniana decorata (26 – 27, holotype ♀ of Xysticus pichoni), holotypes of X. gobiensis (28 – 29, ♀) and X. courti sp. n. (30 – 31, ♂). 26, 28 — epigyne, ventral; 27, 30 — habitus, dorsal; 29 — epigyne, dorsal; 31 — prosoma, frontal. Scale = 0.2 mm [26, 28, 31], 1 mm [27, 30].

FIGURES 32 – 39. Male palp of Xysticus courti sp. n. (32 – 35), X. gobiensis (36 – 38) and X. sibiricus (39). 32, 36 — ventral; 33, 37 — retrolateral; 34 — prolateral; 35 — bulbus, retrolateral; 38 – 39 embolus, retrolateral. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Pp pars pendula; Tr tegular ridge.