Pholcus zhuolu, Zhang & Zhu, 2009

Zhang, Feng & Zhu, Ming-Sheng, 2009, A review of the genus Pholcus (Araneae: Pholcidae) from China, Zootaxa 2037 (1), pp. 1-114 : 108-112

Pholcus zhuolu sp. nov.

( Figs. 64–65 )

Types. Male holotype, 36♂, 80♀ paratypes, CHINA: Hebei Province, Zhuolu County [40°18’N, 115°12’E], Yangjiaping Village , July 6, 2004, leg. F. Zhang ( MHBU) .

Diagnosis. Among its close Pholcus relatives (see the remark of P. alloctospilus ), this species is very similar to P. phoenixus sp. nov. in the shape of the palpal bulb and epigynum, both lacking the appendix ( Fig. 64H ), and with a knob-shaped epigynal apophysis ( Fig. 64A ). It can be distinguished from P. phoenixus sp.

nov. by the shape of the tip of the procursus (Figs. G–I), by the helmet-shaped bulb uncus ( Figs. 64H ), and by the shape of the sclerotized arch of the epigynum in dorsal view ( Fig. 64B ).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition, taken from the type locality.

Description. Male (holotype): total body length 3.5: cephalothorax 1.3 long, 1.3 wide; abdomen 2.3 long, 1.2 wide. Leg I: 26.8 (6.7+0.8+6.2+11.0+2.1), tibia II: 4.8, tibia III: 3.3, tibia IV: 4.3; tibia I L/D: 47. Prosoma shape as in Fig. 64C . Carapace short, broad and almost circular, ochre, with brown marks broadly connecting to ocular area. Cephalic region raised, with brown longitudinal marks and pair of brown dots centrally, ocular area dark yellow. Clypeus 0.41, dark ochre, with yellow marks. Distance AME–AME 0.03. Diameter AME 0.09, ALE 0.13, PME 0.11, PLE 0.12. Chelicerae as in Fig. 64E , with pair of black apophyses distally, pair of unsclerotized biforked apophyses proximolaterally and pair of unsclerotized rounded apophyses proximocentrally ( Figs. 65I and 65L ). Labium light yellow. Endites gray. Sternum almost slightly yellow, with irregular brown marginal marks as in Fig. 64F . Femora, patellae and tibiae ochre, with dark rings, metatarsi and tarsi light brown. Tarsus with several pseudosegmentations as in Fig. 65E . Abdomen cylindrical, pale ochre, dorsum with many small brown patterns as in Fig. 64C . Venter pale brown. Male gonopore with four epiandrous spigots. Palps as in Figs. 64H–I , bulb with a helmet-shaped uncus, without appendix. Procursus as in Figs. 64G and 65J–K . Palpal tarsal organ capsulate as in Fig. 65G–H .

Variation. Tibia I in 30 male paratypes 5.8–6.4 (mean 6.0). Body length in 36 male paratypes: 3.4–3.8.

Female: in general very similar to male. Total length of bodies 3.1–4.2. A specimen measured, total length 4.0: cephalothorax 1.2 long, 1.4 wide; abdomen 2.8 long, 1.36 wide. Tibia I: 5.9. Distance AME–AME 0.13. Diameter AME 0.08, ALE 0.13, PME 0.12, PLE 0.13. Tarsus with several pseudosegmentations as in Fig. 65D . Epigynum roughly rectangular as in Figs. 64A and 65A , with a small knob-shaped apophysis. Dorsal view as in Fig. 64B , with a dome-shaped sclerotized arch anteriorly and a pair of oval pore plates posteriorly.

Distribution. Known from type locality only.

Figures

FIGURE 64. Pholcus zhuolu sp. nov. A. epigynum, ventral view. B. same, dorsal view. C. male body, dorsal view. D. trochanter of male left palp, dorsal view. E. male left chelicera, frontal view. F. male sternum, ventral view. G. left procursus, dorsal view. H. left palp, prolateral view. I. same, retrolateral view. Scale lines: 1.0mm (C), 0.5mm (A, B, E–I), 0.2mm (D).

FIGURE 65. Pholcus zhuolu sp. nov. A. epigynum, ventral view. B. male gonopore, showing four epiandrous spigots. C. edge of bulb uncus, showing numerous small teeth. D. pseudosegmentation on female tarsus 1. E. pseudosegmentation on male tarsus 1. F. tip of bulb embolus. G. male palpal tarsal organ, retrolateral view. H. male palpal tarsal organ, dorsal view. I. male distal cheliceral apophysis. J. tip of male right procursus, retrolateral view. K. tip of right procursus, prolateral view. L. cheliceral apophyses proximolaterally and proximocentrally, front view.