Mekonglema yan Zhao & Li sp. nov. Figures 18, 19, 33

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (IZCAS), China, Yunnan Province, Baoshan Prefecture, Tengchong County, Diantan Town, Lianzu Village, Yan Cave, 25.5501N, 98.4452E, elevation ca. 1867 m, 27.XI.2013, Y. Li and J. Liu leg. Paratypes: 2♂ and 4♀ (IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The species refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Mekonglema yan sp. nov. resembles M. bailang sp. nov. but can be distinguished by the following characters: an abdominal scuta is absent in the male (vs. present); the tip of the embolus is unsclerotized (Fig. 18B-D) (vs. sclerotized), the bulbal length/width ratio is approximately 1.7 (Fig. 18C, D) (vs. 1.2); the receptacle is long and U-shaped (Fig. 19A) (vs. short and nearly straight).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 1.48. Carapace 0.69 long, 0.57 wide. Abdomen 0.77 long, 0.63 wide. Carapace brown (Fig. 18A). Four vestigial eyes (Fig. 18A). Chelicerae, labium, and endites brown, legs yellow. Sternum bright brown with sparse setae. Leg measurements: I 4.86 (1.44, 0.23, 1.52, 1.00, 0.67); II 4.33 (1.34, 0.23, 1.25, 0.91, 0.60); III 3.20 (1.00, 0.21, 0.88, 0.61, 0.50); IV 4.04 (1.25, 0.20, 1.16, 0.87, 0.56). Abdomen light brown (Fig. 18A).

Palp: Tibia 2.05 times longer than patella, cymbium 1.73 times longer than tibia, length of cymbial apophysis as wide as cymbial base (Fig. 18C); bulb shaped as in Fig. 18C, D; bulbal apophysis sclerotized and looped about 270° (Fig. 18B-D); embolus membranous and finger-like (Fig. 18C, D).

Female: Total length 1.70. Carapace 0.71 long, 0.61 wide. Abdomen 0.97 long, 0.90 wide. Coloration lighter than in male (Fig. 19B, C). Leg measurements: I 4.72 (1.44, 0.23, 1.45, 0.95, 0.65); II 4.24 (1.30, 0.23, 1.25, 0.85, 0.61); III 3.49 (1.33, 0.20, 0.89, 0.59, 0.48); IV 4.05 (1.25, 0.20, 1.19, 0.85, 0.56). Abdomen grey. Receptacle membranous, U-shaped, neck as wide as distal part (Fig. 19A).

Distribution.

China (Yunnan, Baoshan, site 6 in Fig. 33), known only from the type locality.