Milonia gemella sp. nov.

Figs 18, 19, 21D

Type material

. Holotype. ♂ (IZCAS-Ar42562), China: Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Menglun Nature Reserve, G213 roadside, secondary forest (21°54.46'N, 101°16.76'E, ca 640 m), 20.XI.2009, G. Tang leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar42563), primary tropical seasonal rainforest (21°57.53'N, 101°12.38'E, ca 899 m), 4-11.V.2007, G. Zheng leg.; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar42564), secondary tropical forest, around garbage dump (21°54.17'N, 101°16.87'E, ca 609 m), 31.VII.2018, Z. Bai leg.; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar42565), Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, site 1 around the dump (21°54.28'N, 101°16.75'E, ca 630 m), 25.IV.2019, Z. Bai leg.

Etymology

. The specific name is from the Latin word “gemella”, meaning "twin born", referring to the two white spots on the abdomen ventrally; adjective.

Diagnosis

. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following combination of characters: 1) dorsal abdomen with two pairs of small grayish brown spots medially and a large dark brown spot posteriorly; 2) triangular scape; and 3) prominent and bifurcated terminal apophysis.

Description

. Male (holotype, Figs 18, 19D, E, 21D). Total length 6.30. Carapace 2.90 long, 1.80 wide. Abdomen 3.40 long, 2.10 wide. Clypeus 0.13 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.10, AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 0.28, PME-PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.38, MOA length 0.38, anterior width 0.40, posterior width 0.28. Leg measurements: I 7.30 (2.10, 2.75, 1.55, 0.90), II 6.75 (1.90, 2.40, 1.60, 0.85), III 4.00 (1.25, 1.40, 0.75, 0.60), IV 5.30 (1.65, 2.00, 1.05, 0.60). Carapace elliptical, brown, with pale setae, cervical groove obvious. Chelicerae brown, four promarginal teeth, three retromarginal teeth. Endites brown, paler distally, labium triangular, brown, paler distally. Sternum pentagonal, dark brown with pale setae. Legs brown, without annulations. Abdomen elliptical, about 1.6 times longer than wide, covered with dark setae, dorsum yellow with two pairs of grayish brown spots medially, big black spot posteriorly; venter yellowish brown with pair of white spots. Spinnerets yellowish brown, at posterior 1/3 of the abdomen.

Palp (Figs 18, 21D): with two patellar bristles; median apophysis stout at base, with a slender, curved spur; embolus broad at base, abruptly tapered to a fine tip; conductor broad at base, tapering to a narrow tip; terminal apophysis extremely large, strongly sclerotized, bifurcated distally, one long, narrow branch, one shorter, wider branch (see arrows in Fig. 21D).

Female (paratype IZCAS-Ar42564, Fig. 19A-C, F, G). Total length 9.40. Carapace 3.60 long, 2.40 wide. Abdomen 6.10 long, 3.10 wide. Clypeus 0.23 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.10, AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.45, PME-PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.63, MOA length 0.45, anterior width 0.45, posterior width 0.28. Leg measurements: I 8.45 (2.40, 3.05, 2.05, 0.95), II 7.55 (2.10, 2.85, 1.75, 0.85), III 4.20 (1.00, 1.75, 0.85, 0.60), IV 6.40 (1.95, 2.50, 1.25, 0.70). Habitus similar to that of male but abdomen about two times longer than wide.

Epigyne (Fig. 19A-C) about two times wider than long; short, triangular scape, flanked by round copulatory openings; copulatory ducts shorter than a spermatheca diameter; spermathecae globular, touching each other.

Variation

. Total length: ♀♀ 9.20-9.40.

Distribution

. China (Yunnan).