Systaria lannops, Jäger, 2018

Jäger, Peter, 2018, On the genus Systaria (Araneae: Clubionidae) in Southeast Asia: new species from caves and forests, Zootaxa 4504 (4), pp. 524-544 : 525-527

Systaria lannops spec. nov.

Figs 1–5 , 45–46

Type material: THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province: Holotype: female, near Si Dong Yen, Tham Tap Tao , 19°39'46.20''N, 99°6'58.34''E, 633 m elevation, in cave, P. Jäger & E. Grall leg. by hand, 29.6.2014 ( SMF) . Paratypes (2 females). 1 female, 15 km S of Dong Yen, Tham Pha Daeng , 19°30'9.37''N, 99°8'48.47''E, 700 m elevation, in cave, P. Jäger & E. Grall leg. by hand, 27.6.2014 ( SMF) . 1 female, Doi Chiang Dao, Tham Doi Chiang Dao , 19°23'39''N, 98°55'40''E, 470 m elevation, in cave, P. Jäger, S. Li & E. Grall leg. by hand, 24.6.2014 ( IOZ) .

Additional material examined: 3 subadult males, 4 juveniles, Doi Chiang Dao, Tham Doi Chiang Dao, 19°23'39''N, 98°55'40''E, 470 m elevation, in cave, P. Jäger, S. Li & E. Grall leg. by hand, 24.6.2014 ( IOZ) .

Etymology. The species name is a combined name from the species Systaria lanna Dankittipakul & Singtripop 2011 and the Greek nomen “ops”, meaning “appearance” and referring to the similarity of the copulatory organs of the two species; term in apposition.

Diagnosis. Medium sized spiders with body length of females: 10.3–11.0. Females are very similar to those of S. lanna in having a similar conformation of the epigyne including course and position of atrial rims, position of copulatory openings and the course and shape of the internal duct system ( Figs 1–5 ), but may be distinguished by the wider distance between the copulatory openings (widest distance between lateral atrial rims/distance copulatory openings = 1.21–1.37; 1.93 in S. lanna ), the wider median septum posteriorly (septum narrow in S. lanna ), the almost straight median atrial rims (strongly arched in S. lanna ), the round spermathecae separated distinctly from each other (oval spermathecae touching each other in S. lanna ), spherical loops of the copulatory ducts partially covered by bursae (freely visible in dorsal view in S. lanna ) and the stouter bursae (more elongated in S. lanna ).

Note. The female paratypes of S. lanna from Chiang Dao district should be checked whether they might be conspecific with the present new species.

Description. Female (holotype): prosoma length 5.0, prosoma width 3.7, anterior width of prosoma 2.4, opisthosoma length 6.0, opisthosoma width 3.5. Eyes: AME 0.26, ALE 0.25, PME 0.20, PLE 0.25, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.30, PME–PLE 0.28, AME–PME 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.04. Cheliceral furrow with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Spination: Palp: femur d012, patella p10, tibia p21, d11, metatarsus p21, r11, v022; legs: femur I p011(0111), d111, r111, II p111, d111, r011, III p1111, d111(011), r1111, IV p1111, d111, r0011; patella I–IV 000; tibia I v220(120), II v110, III p11, d10, r11, v222, IV p11, d10, r11, v222(212); metatarsus I–II v220, III p122, r112, v222, IV p122, r122, v222. Leg formula: 4123. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 5.3 (1.8, 0.9, 1.1, -, 1.5), I 14.4 (4.1, 2.0, 3.7, 3.0, 1.6), II 13.3 (3.7, 1.9, 3.4, 2.8, 1.5), III 12.2 (3.5, 1.6, 2.9, 2.9, 1.3), IV 16.8 (4.6, 2.0, 4.3, 4.3, 1.6). Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 1–5 ). Epigynal field slightly wider than long, with 2 pairs of slit sensilla, with narrow anterior bands antero-laterally, separated from field. Anterior margin of atrium discontinuous, lateral atrial rims semi-circular. Sclerotised spheres (~20) tiny to medium-sized, visible through cuticle in ventral view. Copulatory openings located postero-laterally. Internal duct system with moderately large stout oval bursae, obliquely oriented, copulatory ducts partly hidden behind bursae in dorsal view. Connecting duct narrow, spermathecae separated by less than one of their diameter, fertilisation ducts short, i.e. shorter than spermathecae diameter. Colouration. Yellowish-reddish brown without pattern, sternum, labium, gnathocoxae, eye region, fovea and distal parts of appendages darker.

Male: unknown.

Variation. Females (n=2) with prosoma length 4.5–4.7, opisthosoma length 5.6–6.1. Epigynal field may be as wide as long and anterior bands may be fused. Anterior atrial rim may be almost continuous. Median septum may be more distinct posteriorly. Bursae of internal duct system may be smaller and may exhibit more distinctly glandular pores.

Distribution. Known from the type locality and two other caves in Chiang Mai Province ( Figs 45–46 ).

Natural history. Spiders have been recorded from the dark parts of the caves. The following organisms have been recorded together with the new species: Tham Tap Tao: Heteropoda sp., Theridiidae , Pholcidae , Uloboridae, Blattodea, Dermaptera ; Tham Pha Daeng ( Chiroptera , guano): Heteropoda sp., Sinopoda sp., Theridiidae , Diptera , Lepidoptera , Heteroptera, Blattodea, Isopoda ; Tham Doi Chiang Dao: Sinopoda sp., Heteropoda sp., Nesticidae , Theridiidae, Schizomida, Opiliones (Laniatores) .

Figures

FIGURE 45. Records of Systaria spp. in SE Asia described in this paper. Triangles—species recorded from caves, circlesspecies recorded from forest.

FIGURE 46. All known records of the genus Systaria (World Spider Catalog 2018) including undescribed species mentioned in Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) according to habitats. Triangles—species recorded from caves, circles—species recorded from forest. See discussion.

FIGURES 1–5. Systaria lannops spec. nov. from N Thailand (1–2 holotype female from Tham Tap Tao, 3–4 female paratype from Tham Pha Daeng, 5 female paratype from Tham Doi Chiang Dao). 1, 3, 5 Epigyne, ventral (5 not dissected). 2, 4 Vulva, dorsal (in 4 left bursa omitted). Abbreviations: A—Atrium, AB—Anterior bands, B—Bursa, CD—Copulatory duct, CO— Copulatory opening, CT—Connecting tube, EF—Epigynal field, FD—Fertilisation duct, LR—Lateral rims of atrium, MRmedian rims of atrium, PF—Posterior furrow, ScS—Sclerotised spheres, SP—Spermathecae, SS—Slit sensillum.