Auricula aeda, Irfan & Zhang & Peng, 2022

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2022, Survey of Linyphiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) spiders from Yunnan, China, Megataxa 8 (1), pp. 1-292 : 20-23

Auricula aeda sp. nov. (ḔḦĄḋƦ)

Figures 17–19 , 29

Types. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan, Fugong County, Lishadi Township, Shibali , 27.10520°N, 98.77980°E, alt. 2530m, 10 August 2005, Guo Tang leg. (Tang–05–02) . Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype ( Tang –05–02); 2♂, Fugong County, Pihe Township , Yueliangtian Village, 26.56784°N, 98.90884°E, alt. 1520m, 20, 23, 24 August 2005, Guo Tang leg. (Tang –05–08) ; 7♀, Fugong County, Lumadeng Township , Yakou of old Shibali, 27.06430°N, 98.75123°E, alt. 3270m, 13 August 2005, Guo Tang leg. (Tang –05–06) ; 1♀, Tengchong County, Jietou Township , Datang Village , Daheling Ganjiao, 25.42018°N, 98.40946°E, alt. 1878m, 19 May 2006, Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu leg. (Peng 060519) ; 1♀, Tengchong County, Shangyin Township , Dahaoping Village, 25.97492°N, 98.72947°E, alt. 2040m, 4 June 2006, Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu and Ming-wei Yang, Shao-xian He leg. ( YHY26 ) ; 1♀, Longling County, Longjiang Township , Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve, 24.83671°N, 98.76185°E, alt. 2067m, hand collecting in a big log, 28 May 2005, Heng-mei Yan and Guo Ke-ji leg. ( GKJ029 ) .

Etymology. This epithet derives from the Latin noun “ aedis ”, meaning “tomb” and referring to the tomb-shaped cephalic lobe in male.

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from Auricula triangulara sp. nov. by the cephalic lobe tomb-shaped in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 19F ), whereas triangular-shaped in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 28A ). In reterolateral view, reterolateral tibial apophysis, wider than long, leaf-shaped in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 17B ), whereas longer than wide in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 24B ). In ventral view, distal porting of proteglum hook-shaped, protruding just slightly above the apex of cymbium in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 17D ), whereas bar-shaped, protruding distinctly above the apex of cymbium in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 24D ). Embolus much shorter and below the cymbium in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 17A, D ), whereas much longer, distinctly protruding above the apex of cymbium in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Figs 24A–D , 25A–D ). Dorsal plate slightly longer than wide and extending beyond the epigastric furrow in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 18A ), whereas two times wider than long and not beyond the epigastric furrow in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 27A ). Copulatory ducts squeezed, not extending above the spermathecae anteriorly in A. aeda sp. nov. ( Fig. 18C ), whereas copulatory ducts broad, extending above the spermathecae in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 27C ).

Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 19A–C, F ): Total length: 2.24. Carapace 0.92 long, 0.83 wide, tomb-shaped cephalic lobe 0.44 long, located in the middle of the carapace far behind PER; cephalic pits relatively big as compared to the other erigoninae species, present at the base of cephalic lobe; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.29 high. Sternum longer than wide, brown, sparsely covered with microsetae. Labium wider than long. Maxillae long, distal end broad with scopulae. Chelicerae with four promarginal and six retromarginal teeth. Eye region narrow, AER straight, PER procurved slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.08, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.06, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.32, PLE–PLE 0.38, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 3.32 (0.94, 1.06, 0.86, 0.46), II 3.21 (0.92, 1.01, 0.76, 0.52), III 2.49 (0.71, 0.78, 0.61, 0.39), IV 3.22 (0.93, 1.04, 0.76, 0.49). Leg formula I-IV-II-III. Tm I 0.36 and Tm IV 0.31. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 1.32 long, 0.78 wide, oval, gray, dorsally with two longitudinal black bands, covered with fine hairs, ventral side gray.

Palp ( Fig. 17A–D ): Patella long, almost equal to the length of cymbium, dorsally with spines; tibia collectively with reterolateral apophysis almost equal to the length of cymbium, with one reterolateral and one dorsal trichobothria, with long, sclerotized, leaf-shaped reterolateral tibial apophysis, overlapping the basal end of cymbium; paracymbium hook-shaped, distal arm Cshaped with fine plate; tegulum possesses long transparent protegulum, distal end strongly curved around the terminal apophysis, slightly above the apex of cymbium; Embolic division: sclerotized, complex, radix, tailpiece, anterior radical process hidden on unexpanded palp; terminal apophysis J-shaped, sclerotized, protruding above the apex of cymbium; embolus sclerotized, originates from reterolateral margin of the radix, short, slightly curved, below the apex of cymbium.

Female (one of paratypes, Fig. 19D, E ): Total length: 2.17. Carapace 1.08 long, 0.91 wide, brown, mid dorsally slightly elevated; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.24 high. Sternum longer than wide, brown, sparsely covered with microsetae. Labium wider than long. Maxillae long, distal end broad with scopulae. Chelicerae with four promarginal and six retromarginal teeth. Eye region narrow, AER straight, PER procurved slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.10, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.06, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.07, AME–PME 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.36, PLE–PLE 0.41, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 3.56 (1.06, 1.16, 0.79, 0.55), II 3.39 (1, 1.10, 0.77, 0.52), III 2.89 (0.85, 0.92, 0.67, 0.45), IV 3.69 (1.09, 1.24, 0.89, 0.47). Leg formula IV-I-II-III. Tm I 0.41 and Tm IV 0.36. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 1.69 long, 1.35 wide, oval, gray, dorsally with two longitudinal black bands, covered with fine hairs, ventral side gray.

Epigyne ( Fig. 18A–C ): Wider than long, sclerotized ventral plate concave, connected with dorsal plate by septum to form shallow atrium with copulatory openings laterally; dorsal plate sclerotized, longer than wide, extending beyond the epigastric furrow, mid ventrally with shallow depression; copulatory openings narrow. Vulva with short copulatory ducts, forming pairs of small round loop anteriorly; spermathecae globular, present at the apex of dorsal plate, separated by a distance of 2/3 of their diameter.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 29 ).

Remarks. In holotype male, cephalic pits seems blocked with some sort of secretion (a prominent feature of nuptial gift in some erigoninae species Kunz et al. (2013); presented with white arrows, Fig. 19F )

Figures

FIGURE 17. Auricula aeda sp. nov., male palp of holotype. A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 18. Auricula aeda sp. nov., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 19. Auricula aeda sp. nov., male holotype (A–C, F) and female (one of paratypes, D, E). A, D Habitus, dorsal view B Habitus, lateral view C, E Habitus, ventral view F Habitus, frontal view (white arrows indicating the cephalic secretions dried out in the cephalic pits and the area around the base of cephalic lobe).

FIGURE 24. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male palp of holotype. A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 25. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male (one of paratypes). A–D Embolic division.

FIGURE 27. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 28. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male holotype (A–C) and female (one of paratypes, D–F). A, D Habitus, dorsal view B, E Habitus, lateral view C, F Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 29. Distribution of Auricula gen. nov. species.