Eriovixia sticta new species

Figs 17–24, 36

Heurodes pseudocentrodes Yaginuma & Archer, 1959: 36 (male misidentified)

Araneus pseudocentrodes Yaginuma, 1986: 99, fig. 53.1p; Chikuni, 1989: 68, figs 213, 21p; Tanikawa, 1999: 43, figs. 4, 9–10 (male misidentified)

Eriovixia cavaleriei Yin et al., 1997: 295, fig. 203f, h; Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 288, fig. 167 D (male misidentified)

Eriovixia cavalerier Song, Zhu & Chen, 2001: 202, fig. 121F, H (male misidentified)

Eriovixia pseudocentrodes Tanikawa, 1999: 43, figs 4, 9–10; Tanikawa, 2007: 90, figs 285, 750; Tanikawa, 2009: 461, fig. 321 (male misidentified)

Types: Holotype: male, China, Yunnan Province, Tengchong County, Houqiao Township, 25.35391°N, 98.25488°E, 1785 m, 28 May 2006, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu (HNU-Wang 060528 (1)). Paratypes: China, Yunnan Province: 1 male, Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Zhoujiapo Village, 25.55844°N, 98.66619°E, 1660 m, 16 May 2006, Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu and Ming-wei Yang (CAS-YHY03); 2 males, Tengchong County, Mingguang Township, Zizhi Village, Cizhuhe, 25.76661°N, 98.61739°E, 2120 m, 21 May 2006, Chang-min Yin and Jia-fang Hu (HNU-YHY09); 1 female, Tengchong County, Mingguang Township, Zizhi Village, 25.78277°N, 98.61633°E, 2200 m, 21 May 2006, Ming-wei Yang (HNU-YHY10); 2 males, Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village Daheling Ganjiao, 25.42018°N, 98.40946°E, 1878 m, 19 May 2006, Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu (CAS-PWH 060519). Additional material examed: 1 male, CHINA, Hunan Province, Shimen County, Hupingshan National Nature Reserve, Pingdong village, 29.96270ºN, 110.79791ºE, 343 m, 19–25 June 2008, Guo Tang and Xiao-qi Mi (HNU- TM0806).

Etymology. The specific name comes from Latin word sticta, meaning spotted and referring to the dorsal spots of the abdomen.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to E. pseudocentrodes in genitalic structures, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by having: 1) The female spinnerets situated in the posterior third of the abdomen (anterior third in E. pseudocentrodes); 2) The two dorsal spurs on median apophysis widely separated (close to each other in E. pseudocentrodes); 3) Terminal apophysis fused with embolus at the base (not fused in E. pseudocentrodes).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.60. Prosoma 1.35 long, 1.15 wide; ophisthosoma 1.30 long, 1.15 wide. Carapace piriform, longer than wide, narrow in eye region, covered with white setae, yellowish brown in cephalic region and yellow in thoracic region, cephalic region slightly elevated, fovea deep (Fig. 18). Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.08, PLE 0.08, AME 0.09, PME 0.10; AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.19, PME-PME 0.13, PME-PLE 0.24, MOA 0.26 long with front width 0.28 and back width 0.28. Sternum cordate, yellowish brown; chelicerae yellowish brow, with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth; gnathocoxae and labium yellowish brown. Legs yellow with grayish brown annuli, leg measurements: I 4.65 (1.60, 1.65, 1.00, 0.40), II 3.75 (1.25, 1.30, 0.85, 0.35), III 2.35 (0.80, 0.80, 0.40, 0.35), IV 3.20 (1.05, 1.05, 0.75, 0.35), leg formula: I, II, IV, III. Ophisthosoma subtriangular, pointed posteriorly, dorsum grayish brown with pairs of white spots (Fig. 18). Venter grayish brown with a pair of white arc stripes. Pedipalpal with small paracymbium (Fig. 23); median apophysis large, with two widely separated dorsal spurs (Figs. 22–24); conductor broad and thick (Figs 22–23); embolus fused with terminal apophysis at the base (Fig. 22).

Female (based on HNU-YHY10): Total length 3.25. Prosoma 1.50 long, 1.25 wide; ophisthosoma 2.10 long, 1.65 wide. Coloration as in male (Fig. 17). Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.09, PLE 0.09, AME 0.10, PME 0.11; AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.23, PME-PME 0.13, PME-PLE 0.25, MOA 0.31 long with front width 0.33 and back width 0.34. Clypeus height 0.10. Leg measurements: I 5.65 (2.00, 2.05, 1.10, 0.50), II 4.60 (1.55, 1.65, 0.95, 0.45), III 2.60 (0.90, 0.90, 0.45, 0.35), IV 3.85 (1.30, 1.30, 0.85, 0.40), leg formula: I, II, IV, III. Epigynum triangular, scape rimmed (Figs 19–20); copulatory ducts short and curved (Fig. 21); spermathecae kidney-shaped (Figs 19–21).

Variation. Total length of males 2.60–2.90.

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Hunan) and Japan.