Phintella pygmaea (Wesołowska, 1981)

Figs 24–25, 59

Euophrys pygmaea Wesołowska, 1981: 49, figs 11–14 (D ♀, female holotype, not examined).

Phintella pygmaea – Peng 2020: 306, fig. 219a–b (D ♀). For full reference list see World Spider Catalog (2023).

Diagnosis

The male of Phintella pygmaea (Wesołowska, 1981) resembles that of P. arcuata Huang, Wang & Peng, 2015 in having a similar habitus and palp, but it can be distinguished by: (1) the lamellar process being longer than wide (Fig. 24A), whereas wider than long in P. arcuata (Huang et al. 2015: figs 1c, 3a); (2) the embolus being straight in ventral view (Fig. 24A), whereas slightly curved medially in P. arcuata (Huang et al. 2015: figs 1c, 3a). The female also resembles that of P. arcuata, but it can be easily distinguished by the proximal half of the copulatory ducts being horizontally extended (Fig. 25A–B), whereas diagonally extended in P. arcuata (Huang et al. 2015: figs 4b, 5a).

Material examined

CHINA • 4 ♀♀, 5 ♂♂; Guangdong, Guangzhou City, Baiyun District, Baiyun Mountain; 23°11.95′ N, 113°17.58′ E; 29 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 2019; W.H. Wang leg.; TRU-JS 0254–0262 • 1 ♀; Guizhou, Yanhe County, Ketian Township, Hongxi Village; 28°50.64′ N, 108°11.20′ E; 538 m a.s.l.; 23 Jun. 2013; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0263 • 1 ♀; Libo County, Dongtang Township, Yaosuo Village, Maolan National Nature Reserve; 25°16.37′ N, 108°02.97′ E; 550 m a.s.l.; 7–8 Aug. 2013; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0264 • 1 ♂; Hainan, Ledong County, Jianfeng Township, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Yulingu; 18°44.79′ N, 108°55.76′ E; 634 m a.s.l.; 15 Apr. 2019; C. Wang and Y.F. Yang leg.; TRU-JS 0265 .

Description

Male (TRU-JS 0258)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.01. Carapace 2.03 long, 1.67 wide. Abdomen 1.97 long, 1.33 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.24, PLE 0.22, AERW 1.33, PERW 1.29, EFL 0.89. Legs: I 5.94 (1.66, 0.93, 1.55, 1.24, 0.56), II 4.92 (1.46, 0.70, 1.25, 1.05, 0.46), III 5.21 (1.59, 0.63, 1.23, 1.27, 0.49), IV 5.47 (1.66, 0.65, 1.33, 1.34, 0.49).

HABITUS. Carapace dark brown, sub-oval, covered with white and dark scale-like setae on anterior margin, lateral sides, and area between ALEs and PLEs, with yellow area medially on thorax, and bearing white scale-like setae (Fig. 25C, F). Chelicerae with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth, and distal flange of fang (Fig. 25G). Legs pale to dark brown. Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum dark brown, with three transverse bands formed by setae medially and arc-shaped yellow band posteriorly; venter slightly paler than dorsum (Fig. 25C–D).

PALP. Tibia longer than wide; RTA tapered, curved towards bulb distally and pointed apically in ventral view; bulb elongated; posterior lobe beak-shaped, with blunt terminus; tegular bump lamellar, medio-retrolaterally located; lamellar process almost semicircular; embolus straight, short (Fig. 24).

Female (TRU-JS 0254)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.23. Carapace 1.65 long, 1.25 wide. Abdomen 2.27 long, 1.56 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.38, ALE 0.22, PLE 0.21, AERW 1.21, PERW 1.19, EFL 0.83. Legs: I 3.14 (0.95, 0.53, 0.68, 0.60, 0.38), II 2.96 (0.93, 0.50, 0.60, 0.58, 0.35), III 3.59 (1.13, 0.50, 0.75, 0.83, 0.38), IV 3.92 (1.23, 0.53, 0.83, 0.93, 0.40).

HABITUS. Similar to that of male except paler in color and having square carapace (Fig. 25E).

EPIGYNE. Almost oval, with bow-shaped basal plate; copulatory openings anterolaterally located; copulatory ducts horizontally extended at proximal half and then descending posteriorly to connect to dorsum of posterior edges of spherical spermathecae; fertilization ducts lamellar (Fig. 25A–B).

Distribution

China (Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan) (Fig. 59).