Nesticus navicellatus, Liu, Jie & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Liu, Jie & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New cave-dwelling spiders of the family Nesticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from China, Zootaxa 3613 (6), pp. 501-547 : 542-546

Nesticus navicellatus new species

Figs 35–39

Type material: Holotype male, 2 female paratypes, CHINA: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dahua County, Qibailong Town, Qiaoxu Village, Qiaoxu Cave (24º4.564´N, 107º40.238´E, Altitude: 550 m, Air Temperature: 18 ºC, Air Humidity: 90%), 9 March 2007, Yucheng Lin & Jie Liu leg.

Etymology: The species name is taken from the Latin adjective navicellatus and refers to the small navicular conductor dorsal apophysis of male pedipalp.

Diagnosis: The new species is similar to Nesticus libo Chen & Zhu, 2005 in having six eyes without AME, a pestle-shaped median apophysis, a complex conductor and distinct copulatory openings, but can be distinguished from the latter by the developed paracymbium with four branches (with proximal branch of ventral process almost rectangular and distal branch of dorsal process tooth-shaped), the distinct navicular CDA (dorsal conductor apophysis) and the small spherical spermathecae ( Figs 35–37 , 38 C–E).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.84. Prosoma length 1.28, width 1.28; Opisthosoma length 1.56, width 1.36. Eye measurements: AME absent; ALE 0.08; PME 0.06; PLE 0.08; AME-AME -; AME-ALE -; ALE- PLE 0.01; PME-PME 0.1; PME-PLE 0.07. Clypeus height 0.25. Leg formula: I, IV, II, III; leg measurements: I: 15.12 (4.4, 0.68, 4.24, 4.28, 1.52); II: 10.8 (3.16, 0.48, 3, 3.12, 1.04); III: 7.56 (2.24, 0.44, 1.84, 2.16, 0.88); IV: 10.72 (3.6, 0.56, 2.72, 2.76, 1.08). Somatic characters see Fig. 38 B. Tibia of pedipalp long; paracymbium developed, with four branches, proximal branch of VP (ventral process of paracymbium) almost rectangular, distal branch of VP large and wide, distal branch of DP (dorsal process of paracymbium) tooth-shaped and curved inward, proximal branch of DP large; conductor complex, with a distinct navicular CDA (dorsal conductor apophysis); median apophysis large, pestle-shaped; tegular projection absent; embolus posteriorly in origin, long ( Figs 35 , 36 A–B, 37).

Female (paratype): Total length 3.04. Prosoma length 1.28, width 1.2; Opisthosoma length 1.76, width 1.76. Eye measurements: AME absent; ALE 0.08; PME 0.07; PLE 0.09; AME-AME -; AME-ALE -; ALE-PLE 0.01; PME-PME 0.1; PME-PLE 0.05. Clypeus height 0.24. Leg formula: I, IV, II, III; leg measurements: I: 11.72 (3.48, 0.48, 3.36, 3.04, 1.36); II: 8.76 (2.76, 0.52, 2.28, 2.16, 1.04); III: 5.8 (2.08, 0.32, 1.24, 1.48, 0.68); IV: 8.4 (2.88, 0.4, 2.32, 1.96, 0.84). Somatic characters see Fig. 38 A. Epigynum simple, lacking scape; median septum small; copulatory openings large; copulatory ducts developed, slightly separated from each other; spermathecae small, global, situated medially and laterally, widely separated from each other ( Figs 36 C–D, 38 C–E).

Distribution: Known only from type locality ( Fig. 39 ).

Figures

FIGURE 35. Nesticus navicellatus n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, prolateral; B. Same, dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 36. Nesticus navicellatus n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, prolateral; B. Same, retrolateral; C. Vulva, dorsal; D. Epigynum, ventral. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 37. Nesticus navicellatus n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, prolateral; B. Same, retrolateral; C. Same, ventral; D. Same, dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 38. Nesticus navicellatus n. sp. A. Female body, dorsal; B. Male body, dorsal; C. Epigynum, ventral; D. Vulva, dorsal; E. Epigynum, abdominal cuticle removed, ventral. Scale bars: A – B = 0.5 mm, C – E = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 39. Collection localities in China of the nesticid species described in this paper.