Mysmena baoxingensis, Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, Five new minute orb-weaving spiders of the family Mysmenidae from China (Araneae), Zootaxa 3670 (4), pp. 449-481 : 464-470

Mysmena baoxingensis new species

Figs 13–17 , 26

Type material: Holotype: male ( SCUM), the moss above the rocks, Caitanggou Valley (30°41.5842´N, 102°53.6268´E, altitude 2756 m), Fengtongzhai National Nature Reserve, Fengtongzhai Town, Baoxing County, Sichuan, China, 9 May 2011, Y. Lin. Paratypes: 2 males and 98 females ( SCUM), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name comes from the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis. The new species is placed in the genus Mysmena Simon, 1894 based on the following combination of generic features: the cup-shaped male pedipalpal tibia ( Figs 14 C–D), a chisel-shaped cymbial conductor ( Fig. 14 D), an embolus without a switchback or process that forms about one spiral turn guided by membranous tegulum ( Figs 14 E, 16E), and male clasping spine restricted to metatartus I. The epigynum has with a rugose scape ( Figs 15 A–D). The paired sclerotized spermathecae are separated by at least their width ( Figs 17 A–B). Fertilization ducts derive from the posterior side of the spermathecae and curve mesally ( Figs 15 D, 17B). Moreover, Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp. described here has femoral spots on legs I and II in female (also present on leg I in male). The opisthosomal posterior tubercle is absent ( Figs 13 A–F). Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp. is similar to Mysmena changouzi Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 , but can be distinguished by the chisel-shaped cymbial conductor, the course of spermatic duct and the robust embolus ( Figs 14 C–E, 15C–E), and by the short scape, the large, ovateshaped spermatheca ( Figs 16 A–D, 17A–B).

Description. Male: Holotype ( Figs 13 A–C), total length 0.70. Prosoma 0.38 long, 0.37 wide, 0.21 high. Carapace of prosoma round, pale marginally and dark centrally. Cephalic pars slightly raised. Eight eyes in two rows, round. Ocular area black, AME black, others white. In dorsal view, AER slightly recurved, PER straight, AER as wide as PER; AMEs, ALEs and PLEs contiguous. Clypeus 0.12 high, 3.5 x AME diameter, covered with few setae; ALE separated by about 3.0 x its diameter from anterolateral edge of carapace. Chelicerae brown, slightly shorter than endites. Labium and endites dark, labium with serrula, fused to sternum. Sternum 0.27 long, 0.26 wide, triangular, plump, with dark pigmentation. Each segments of legs pale yellow proximally and brown distally. Legs formula: I-II-IV-III. Leg measurements: I 1.29 (0.41, 0.17, 0.27, 0.20, 0.25); II 1.11 (0.34, 0.15, 0.23, 0.17, 0.21); III 0.79 (0.23, 0.12, 0.14, 0.13, 0.17); IV 0.99 (0.30, 0.13, 0.21, 0.16, 0.20). Femur I with a subdistalventral sclerotized spot, a bended clasping spine at distal 1/3 position of metatarsus I prolaterally. Patellae I–IV with only one distal-dorsal seta. Tibiae I–IV with a proximal seta and 3 trichobothria. Metatarsi I–IV with a trichobothrium respectively. Opisthosoma 0.45 long, 0.38 wide, 0.43 high, black, dorsally round and laterally subtriangular, with paired spots dorsally and stripes laterally. Ventral abdomen darker than dorsal.

Pedipalp large. Femur long, about 3.0 x as long as patella. Patella subequal to tibia in length, with a few setae. Tibia cup-shaped, narrow proximally and wide distally, covered with long setae along tibial brim distally ( Figs 14 A–B). Cymbium membranous, translucent, weakly sclerotized rugae posteriorly, and with long setae prolaterally. Cymbial process absent. Cymbial conductor chisel-shaped. Pedipalpal bulb simple. Subtegulum translucent, distinctly rugose. Conductor absent. Spermatic duct thin and long, twice twists medially. Embolus long, sclerotized, attaching to membrane, embolic end curved ( Figs 14 C–E, 15A–E).

Female: Total length 0.89 (one of paratypes) ( Figs 13 D–F). Prosoma 0.42 long, 0.41 wide, 0.20 high. Somatic characters same as in male, but cephalic pars lower. Clypeus 0.20 high, about 2.0 x AME diameter; ALE separated by about 2.2 x its diameter from anterolateral edge of carapace. Chelicerae, endites and labium same as in male. Sternum 0.29 long, 0.27 wide, heart-shaped. Legs color and chaetotary same as in male. Legs formula: I-II-IV-III. Leg measurements: I 1.38 (0.45, 0.17, 0.29, 0.21, 0.25); II 1.22 (0.39, 0.16, 0.25, 0.20, 0.22); III 0.91 (0.27, 0.13, 0.16, 0.16, 0.20); IV 1.14 (0.36, 0.14, 0.23, 0.20, 0.21). Femur I and II with a subdistal-ventral sclerotized spot respectively. Opisthosoma 0.59 long, 0.53 wide, 0.61 high, round dorsally, dark, abdominal cuticle rugose at lateral and rear, modified by dorsal paired large white spots and lateral white stripes.

Epigynum rugose posteriorly, covered with long setae, with a rugose, membranous scape posterior-mesially. Scape blunt, sclerotized distally ( Figs 16 A–B). Vulva simple. Spermathecae large, nephroid, strongly sclerotized, surface wrinkled, separated by approximately their width. Fertilization ducts short, derived from spermathecal base dorsally, and curved distally. Copulatory ducts simple, arising from spermathecal base ventrally, and fused to epigynal posterolateral margin ( Figs 16 C–D, 17A–B).

Variation. The total length ranges from 0.67 to 0.75 in males (n = 3) and from 0.78 to 1.02 in females (n = 98).

Distribution. Known only from the type localities ( Fig. 26 ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp., male holotype (A – C) and female paratype (D – F). A – C. Habitus; D – F. Ditto. A, D dorsal view; B, E ventral view; C, F lateral view.

FIGURE 14. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp., male holotype. A – D. Left pedipalp. A prolateral view; B retrolateral view; C anterior view; D posterior view; E. Pedipalpal bulb and embolus (lactic acid-treated), apical view.

FIGURE 15. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp., female paratype. A – C. epigynum. A, C ventral view; B lateral view; D. Vulva, dorsal view. (C, D lactic acid-treated).

FIGURE 16. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp., male holotype. A – D. Left pedipalp. A prolateral view; B retrolateral view; C anterior view; D posterior view; E. Pedipalpal bulb and embolus (lactic acid-treated), apical view. Abbrs.: CB = cymbium, E = embolus, SD = spermatic duct.

FIGURE 17. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp., female paratype. A. Epigynum, ventral view; B. Vulva (lactic acid-treated), dorsal view. Abbrs.: CD = copulatory duct, FD = fertilization duct, S = spermatheca, Sp = scape.

FIGURE 26. The locality records of five new mysemids from China. 1. Mosu dayan n. sp.; 2. Mosu tanjia n. sp.; 3. Mysmena baoxingensis n. sp.; 4. Mysmenella yinae n. sp.; 5. Trogloneta uncata n. sp..