Simonia youyiensis (Zhao & Li, 2012) Zhang & Yu & Lin, 2023

Zhang, Jianshuang, Yu, Hao & Lin, Yucheng, 2023, Simonia gen. nov., a new spider genus (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae) from Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 1185, pp. 277-294 : 277

Simonia youyiensis (Zhao & Li, 2012) comb. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7

Baalzebub youyiensis Zhao & Li, 2012: 17, figs 9A-E, 10A, B (♀); Zhang and Lin 2016: 222, figs 1-17 (♂♀).

Type material.

Holotype ♀ and paratypes 3♀ (IZCAS), China: Guangxi, Pingxiang City, Youyi Town, Bantou Vill., Niuyan Cave, 22°05.666'N, 106°45.439'E, 251 m, 18.I.2011, Z. Chen and Z. Zha leg. Examined.

Other material examined.

China: 1♂ 12♀ (IZCAS), Guangxi Prov., Baise City, Pingguo Co., Liming Vill. , Ganmoyan Cave , 23°48.330'N, 107°31.526'E, 22.IX.2015, J. Wu and Z. Chen leg. ; 1♂ 7♀ (NHMSU), Guangxi Prov., Hechi City, Donglan Co., Sanshi Town , Gongping Vill. , a nameless cave, 24°21.347'N, 107°23.190'E, 368 m, 9.II.2015, Y. Li and Z. Chen leg. Laos: 3♂ 17♀ (NHMSU), Bolikhamsai Prov., Lak Sao City, Transiten, Lang Cave , 18°23.318'N, 104°32.675'E, 318 m, VIII.2012, P. Jäger leg. Vietnam: 1♂ 3♀ (IZCAS), Phú Tho Prov., Thanh Son Dist., Xuan Son Commune, Xuan Son National Park , Lang Cave , 21°06.600'N, 104°57.600'E, 375 m, 26.X.2012, H. Zhao and Z. Chen leg.

Diagnosis.

Females of S. youyiensis are most similar to those of S. sumatra sp. nov. by having similar habitus and general shape of the vulva. Simonia youyiensis differs from S. sumatra sp. nov. in 1) anterior margin of the epigynal plate slightly concaved (c. 140°) (vs concaved c. 120°) (cf. Fig. 4E, F and Fig. 6C, D ), 2) spermathecae comma-shaped (vs spermathecae shaped like the whole hind leg of a frog) (cf. Fig. 4G and Fig. 6E ), and 3) bursae spherical (vs egg-shaped) (cf. Fig. 4G and Fig. 6E ).

Description.

Male (Fig. 4A, B ): Carapace brown, slightly darker in ocular region, without distinct pattern; cervical groove and radial grooves indistinct. AER distinctly recurved, PER slightly procurved. Sternum yellowish brown. Mouthparts reddish brown. Legs uniformly yellowish. Abdomen round, dorsum basically light brown, with 3 pairs of black diagonal bands on sides, forming 3 V-shaped stripes; venter centrally with black trapezoidal speckle, marginally with several discontinuous streaks. Measurements: Total length 1.62. Carapace 0.83 long, 0.81 wide. Clypeus 0.21 high. Sternum 0.52 long, 0.49 wide. Abdomen 1.14 long, 1.08 wide. Length of legs: I 3.32 (1.01, 0.39, 0.88, 0.63, 0.41); II 2.51 (0.81, 0.32, 0.58, 0.51, 0.29); III 1.84 (0.52, 0.21, 0.38, 0.41, 0.32); IV 2.22 (0.49, 0.32, 0.52, 0.58, 0.31).

Palp (Figs 1 - 3 ): Femur unmodified. Patella round and small, nearly as long as tibia, dorsally bears strong and long macroseta slightly longer than tibia. Tibia cup-shaped, about 1/6-1/5 length of cymbium, with several sparse setae. Cymbium (Cy) broad, navicular, c. 2.1 × longer than wide, dorsally clothed with dense setae, basolaterally with lobe (CL) and row of longitudinally arranged setae (SCy) along suture between cymbium and lobe. Cymbial lobe represented by small and semi-transparent sheet, just like outline of thumb. Paracymbium (Pc) L-shaped, about 1/5-1/4 length of cymbium, with sharp and spine-like tip. Tegulum (Te) capacious and inflated, c. 1.5 × longer than wide, surface with countless delicate texture; sperm duct (SD) indistinct and sinuate. Subtegulum (ST) located prolaterally to tegulum, represented by large and surface smooth tubercle, slightly longer than 1/2 length of tegulum. Median apophysis (MA) small, about 2/5 length of tegulum, shaped like tadpole, consisting of relatively wide head (distal part) and narrow tail (proximal part); distal process blunt, apex round and rough, with many tiny and scale-like tooth; proximal process triangular, gradually narrowing toward its apex, apex sharp. Conductor (Co) large and axe-shaped, aligned transversely on anterior part of bulb; almost all of conductor hyaline and with vein-shaped grains, except membranous distal margin. Embolic division nearly as long as conductor, hidden behind conductor, consisting of broad embolic lobe (EL), embolic terminal (ET), and at least 3 apophyses (EA); embolic terminal short, less than 1/2 length of embolic lobe, shaped like a torch, with cylindric stalk and multiramose apex; all embolic apophyses bristle-like and slender, slightly longer than embolic terminal; some apexes of embolic terminal and embolic apophyses overpass distal margin of conductor.

Female. Somatic features as in Fig. 4C, D and coloration distinctly lighter than in male. Measurements: Total length 2.40. Carapace 0.91 long, 0.90 wide. Clypeus 0.20 high. Sternum 0.53 long, 0.51 wide. Abdomen 1.56 long, 1.27 wide. Length of legs: I 3.81 (1.31, 0.42, 0.78, 0.89, 0.41); II 3.17 (0.87, 0.43, 0.81, 0.68, 0.38); III 2.03 (0.63, 0.28, 0.37, 0.44, 0.31); IV 2.32 (0.62, 0.31, 0.49, 0.57, 0.33).

Epigyne (Fig. 4E-G ). Epigynal plate large, c. 1.4 × wider than long, anteriorly slightly concaved by c. 140°, arrangement of various parts of vulva indistinctly visible through tegument. Scape (Sc) T-shaped, small, about 1/5 length of epigynal plate. Spermathecae (Sp) comma-shaped, with bean-shaped head (SH) and slightly curved stalk (SS); anterior surface of spermathecal heads touching anterior margin of epigynal plate; spermathecal stalks extending obliquely, separated by about 2-3 × diameters of stalks. Copulatory bursae (CB) spherical.

Distribution.

China (Guangxi), Laos, Vietnam (Fig. 7 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Male palp of Simonia youyiensis A prolateral B retrolateral C dorsal D ventral. Abbreviations: Co = conductor; CL = cymbial lobe; Cy = cymbium; ED = embolic division; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paracymbium; SCy = cymbial setae; St = subtegulum; Te = tegulum. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A-D).

Figure 2. Bulb (A) and male palp (B-D) of Simonia youyiensis, cited from Zhang and Lin (2016) A apical B ventral C prolateral D retrolateral. Abbreviations: Co = conductor; CL = cymbial lobe; Cy = cymbium; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paracymbium; SCy = cymbial setae; SD = sperm duct; St = subtegulum; Te = tegulum. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A-D).

Figure 3. Male palpal sclerites of Simonia youyiensis, cited from Zhang and Lin (2016) A bulb, prolateral B embolic division, ventral C conductor, ventral D cymbium, retrolateral. Abbreviations: Co = conductor; CL = cymbial lobe; EA = embolic apophysis; ED = embolic division; EL = embolic lobe; ET = embolic terminal; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paracymbium; SCy = cymbial setae; St = subtegulum; Te = tegulum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D).

Figure 4. Simonia youyiensis, male habitus (A, B), female habitus (C, D) and epigyne (E-G) A dorsal B ventral C dorsal D ventral E intact, ventral F cleared, ventral (blue dashed line showing the anterior margin of the epigynal plate) G cleared, dorsal (green dashed line showing schematic course of copulatory duct). Abbreviations: CB = copulatory bursa; CD = copulatory duct; FD = fertilization duct; Sc = scape; SH = spermathecal head; SS = spermathecal stalk; Sp = spermatheca; TF = transverse fold of epigynal plate. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A-D); 0.2 mm (E-G).

Figure 6. Holotype female of Simonia sumatra sp. nov., habitus (A, B) and epigyne (C-E) A dorsal B ventral C intact, ventral D cleared, ventral (blue dashed line showing the anterior margin of the epigynal plate) E cleared, dorsal (green dashed line showing schematic course of copulatory duct). Abbreviations: CB = copulatory bursa; CD = copulatory duct; FD = fertilization duct; SB = spermathecal base; Sc = scape; SH = spermathecal head; SS = spermathecal stalk; Sp = spermatheca; TF = transverse fold of epigynal plate. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C-E).

Figure 7. Distribution records of Simonia gen. nov. species.