Artoria weiweii, Wang & Zhang & Peng, 2019

Wang, Lu-Yu, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2019, First record of Artoria Thorell, 1877 (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Malaysia, with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4657 (2), pp. 392-396 : 392-393

Artoria weiweii sp. nov. ( Figs 1–2 , 4 )

Type material. Male holotype (SWUC-T-LY04-01), MALAYSIA: Sabah, 33 Miles Jalan Tambunan, Penampang , 05°48.739′ N, 116°20.522′ E, elev. 1583 m, 16 October 2015, L.Y. Wang, G.Q. Huang & Z.Z. Gao leg. Paratypes: 5 females (SWUC-T-LY04-02 ~ 06), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific epithet honors Mr. Weiwei Zhang, a Chinese entomologist and photographer, who was of tremendous assistance in the field.

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be easily distinguished from other Artoria species by the long and bifurcate median apophysis ( Figs 1 A–B, 2C–E). The female of this species is similar to A. impedita ( Simon, 1909) ( Framenau 2005: 283, figs 9D–F) from Western Australia, in having partly elevated median apophysis, but differs from the latter by the small epigynal atrium, the large spermathecae and the narrow distance between copulatory ducts ( Figs 1 C–D, 2F–G).

Description. Male holotype ( Fig. 2A ) total length 3.23. Prosoma 1.84 long, 1.21 wide; opisthosoma 1.39 long, 0.97 wide. Carapace grey-brown, medially lighter. Fovea longitudinal. Cervical groove indistinct. Radial furrows distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.06, PME 0.20, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.19. Clypeus height 0.06. Chelicerae brown, with three teeth on each the pro- and retromargin. Labium yellow-brown, with dark base, longer than wide. Endites yellow-brown, longer than wide. Sternum yellow-brown and scutellate, with sparse brown setae. Legs yellow-brown, with brown pigmentation. Leg measurements: I 4.55 (1.22, 1.59, 1.04, 0.70); II 4.05 (1.10, 1.39, 0.93, 0.63); III 3.52 (0.97, 1.11, 0.94, 0.50); IV 5.30 (1.39, 1.64, 1.51, 0.76). Leg formula: 4123. Opisthosoma oval, brown, with an indistinct cardiac mark anteriorly and reddish longitudinal grain posteriorly; with some white setae near anal tubercle. Venter yellow-brown, with small, yellow-brown spinnerets.

Male pedipalp ( Figs 1 A–B, 2C–E). Median apophysis two-lobed with thin prolateral and broad retrolateral lobes. Embolus largely hidden beneath the tegular margin and the strong, long and slightly rotated tegular apophysis. The basoembolic apophysis is large.

Female (SWUC-T-LY04-02, Fig. 2B ) total length: 3.54. Prosoma 1.75 long, 1.13 wide; opisthosoma 1.74 long, 1.24 wide. Coloration as in the male. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.06, PME 0.21, PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.17, PME–PLE 0.19. Clypeus height 0.08. Leg measurements: I 3.91 (1.12, 1.35, 0.86, 0.58); II 3.36 (0.96, 1.15, 0.74, 0.51); III 2.96 (0.86, 0.95, 0.73, 0.42); IV 4.87 (1.39, 1.47, 1.32, 0.69). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne ( Figs 1 C–D, 2F–G). Septum somewhat like the tail of a rattlesnake, inflated and with transversal furrows. Copulatory openings small, arch-like, beneath the lateral margin of septum. Stalk of spermatheca posteriorly located, twisty and close to each other. Head of spermatheca anteriorly located, large and ball-like. Fertilization ducts small, connected with the posterior margin of spermathecal head.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Sabah, East Malaysia ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Artoria weiweii sp. nov., holotype male (A–B) and paratype female (C–D). A. Left male pedipalp, ventral view; B. Same, retrolateral view; C. Epigyne, ventral view; D. Female internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Artoria weiweii sp. nov., holotype male (A, C–E) and paratype female (B, F–G).A. Male habitus, dorsal view; B. Female habitus, dorsal view; C. Left male pedipalp, prolateral view; D. Same, ventral view; E. Same, retrolateral view; F. Epigyne, ventral view; G. Female internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Distribution records of Artoria in Malaysia.