Bifurcia luding sp. nov.

Figs 7, 8, 9, 16 C, F

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (IZCAS - Ar 44930) and paratype 1 ♀ (IZCAS - Ar 44931), Luding County (29 ° 51.60 ' N, 102 ° 2.83 ' E, 2936 m elev.), Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China, 20 / 07 / 2004, Lihong Tu leg.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species can be easily distinguished from other congeners by having embolus apex (AX) that is curved and distally pointed (Fig. 16 C vs. angular, column-shaped, distally blunt, Fig. 16 A, B, G, H, Saaristo et al. 2006: figs 4, 12), by embolus thumb (TH) membranous (Figs 7 C, 16 C vs. sclerotized, Figs 2 C, 5 C, 13 C, 16 A, B, G, H), by lamellar extension of pseudolamella (LE) with flower-shaped distal end (Figs 7 C, 16 C vs. lacking LE or LE ribbon-shaped, Figs 2 C, 5 C, 10 C, 13 C, 16 A, B, G, H, Saaristo et al. 2006: figs 4, 12), and by basal part of scape (BS) shield-shaped (Fig. 8 A vs. T-shaped, Figs 3 A, 11 A, 14 A, Saaristo et al. 2006: figs 6, 14).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length: 2.23, carapace 1.10 long, 0.90 wide, abdomen 1.12 long, 0.74 wide. Eye inter-distances and diameters: AME 0.06, AME-AME 0.02, ALE 0.07, AME-ALE 0.06, PME 0.08, PME-PME 0.05, PLE 0.07, and PME-PLE 0.06. Sternum 0.50 long, 0.48 wide. Clypeus 0.11 high. Chelicerae promargin with 4 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth. Length of legs: I 7.57 (1.98, 0.33, 1.96, 2.00, 1.30), II 6.78 (1.90, 0.32, 1.70, 1.74, 1.12), III 4.78 (1.38, 0.30, 1.10, 1.24, 0.76), IV 6.28 (1.84, 0.32, 1.58, 1.62, 0.92). Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. TmI 0.16, TmIV absent. Tibial spine formula: 2-2 - 2 - 2. Carapace yellowish. Sternum dark brown. Abdomen with greenish gray dorsal spots (Fig. 9 A, B).

Palp (Fig. 7). Patella with long dorsal bristle. Tibia unmodified. Cymbium with hook-shaped proximal apophysis (PCA) pointing retrolaterally. Paracymbium (P) bifurcate with three branches: S-shaped branch, finger-shaped branch and lower branch. Pit hook (PH) on stout distal part of suprategulum (SPT) extremely reduced to small outgrowth. Embolic division (Fig. 16 C, F): anterior part of radix (APR) hook-shaped; sperm duct inside the radix (R) inconspicuous with Fickert’s gland (FG); pseudolamella (PL) strongly sclerotized; and lamellar extension (LE) slightly sclerotized with flower-shaped distal end. Anterior terminal apophysis (ATA) longer than wide; median terminal apophysis (MTA) membranous with serrated margin; posterior terminal apophysis (PTA) small and semicircle. Embolus (E) with conical embolus proper (EP), indistinct thumb (TH), and hooked apex (AX). Median membrane (MM) fan-shaped and small chitinized basal part of median membrane (CPM).

Female (paratype). Total length: 2.53, carapace 0.96 long, 0.84 wide, abdomen 1.66 long, 1.16 wide. Eye inter-distances and diameters: AME 0.06, AME-AME 0.02, ALE 0.09, AME-ALE 0.06, PME 0.09, PME-PME 0.06, PLE 0.07, and PME-PLE 0.06. Sternum 0.66 long, 0.56 wide. Clypeus 0.09 high. Chelicerae promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 5 teeth. Length of legs: I 7.01 (1.82, 0.36, 1.92, 1.80, 1.11), II 6.27 (1.74, 0.32, 1.63, 1.56, 1.02), III 4.62 (1.42, 0.28, 1.14, 1.10, 0.68), IV 5.90 (1.78, 0.30, 1.50, 1.46, 0.86). Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. TmI 0.16, TmIV absent. Tibial spine formula: 2-2 - 2 - 2. Coloration generally as in male (Fig. 9 C, D).

Epigyne (Fig. 8). Basal part of scape (BS) shield-shaped. Both sides of posterior median plate (PMP) developed well. Distal part of scape (DPS) forming an incomplete circle with basal part of scape. Spermathecae (S) nearly elliptic.

Distribution.

China (Sichuan, type locality; Fig. 1).