Vacrothele pseudohunanica, Tang & Wu & Zhao & Yang, 2022

Tang, Ya-Ni, Wu, Ya-Ying, Zhao, Yu & Yang, Zi-Zhong, 2022, Description of a new genus and two new species of the funnel-web mygalomorph (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Macrothelidae) from China with notes on taxonomic amendments, Zootaxa 5125 (5), pp. 513-535 : 520-523

Vacrothele pseudohunanica sp. nov. Chinese name: (njae南ffiǖA)

Figures 5–7, 15A, 17B, 18B, 19

Type material examined. Holotype male (DUIER-VP11), near ticket gate reservoir dam of Dawei Mountain National Forest Park , Pingbian County, Yunnan Province, China, 22º57′48″N, 103º41′57″E, elevation 1488m, 17 Feb- ruary 2019, coll. by Z. Z. Yang & Y. J. Wang . Paratypes: three males (DUIER-VP12-VP14), nine females [seven juveniles] (DUIER-VP21-VP29), same data as holotype .

Etymology: The specific name is based on the similarity of most morphological characteristics of the new species to those of Vacrothele hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) .

Diagnosis: The new species is similar to V. hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) comb. nov., but can be distinguished by the following characters: male chelicerae with 14 stouter promarginal teeth, basomesally with six smaller teeth, plus 20 tiny teeth ( Fig. 15A), the promarginal teeth of V. hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) comb. nov. are arranged at big and small intervals ( Fig. 16A). Embolus basally more incrassate, basal end is not with rounded genal angles compared with V. hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) comb. nov. ( Fig. 3J–L, 6J–L); the middle part is thicker than in males of V. hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) comb. nov. ( Fig. 6E–G). Palp tibia with seven short stout dorsal spines, almost arranged in row, which is regular than V. hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000) comb. nov. ( Fig. 6J–L). Leg II tibia spines are stronger and longer. Copulatory duct shorter and basomesally 2 smaller ( Fig. 18B).

Description: Holotype male. Total length 11.92 (not including chelicerae and spinnerets): cephalothorax 6.24 long, 5.19 wide; abdomen 5.85 long, 3.62 wide. Carapace black, smooth. Fovea transverse. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row recurved. Eye sizes and inter-distances:AME 0.39, ALE 0.33, PME 0.26, PLE 0.33; ALE–AME 0.08, AME–AME 0.19, ALE–PLE 0.09, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.62. Eye group 0.77 long, 1.47 wide. Chelicerae black, with 14 stout promarginal teeth, basomesally with 6 smaller teeth, plus 20 tiny teeth ( Fig. 15A). Labium, maxillae, light black, ventral with dark brown bristles and triangular patch of cuspules in proximal anterior corner of heel ( Fig. 6C); maxillae area length 1.89, and cuspules area length 1.16. Sternum brownish black, cordate, with 3 pairs of sigilla ( Fig. 6D). Palp: light black, tibia incrassate, 1.97 long, with 7 stout dorsal spines ( Fig. 6J–L); embolus bending, distal end trumpet-shaped, 4.82 long ( Fig. 6E–H). Legs light black, hairy.

Spines. Leg I: tibia 2 prolateral, 3 ventral; metatarsus 1 ventral and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, each group of two spines, respectively; tarsus 5 prolateral, 4 retrolateral. Leg II: femur 1 prolateral 2 near distad, 3 dorsal; patella 2 prolateral; tibia 1 prolateral, and 5 strong ventral ( Fig. 17B); metatarsus 1 dorsal, 5 ventral, two groups ventral spiny plexus near distad, prolateral group of 3, retrolateral group of 2; tarsus 4 prolateral and 4 retrolateral. Leg III: femur 1 dorsal; patella 5 prolateral; tibia 2 prolateral, 3 retrolateral, 1 dorsal and 4 ventral; metatarsus 1 dorsal, 5 ventral, 4 prolateral, and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, prolateral group of 2, retrolateral group of 3 (one especially strong); tarsus 7 prolateral, 9 retrolateral. Leg IV: femur 1 prolateral; patella 2 prolateral; tibia 3 prolateral, 2 retrolateral, 5 ventral; metatarsus 1 dorsal, 4 prolateral, 3 retrolateral, 9 ventral and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, prolateral group of 3, retrolateral group of 4; tarsus 8 prolateral, 9 retrolateral.

Measurement of palp and legs: palp length: 8.48 (2.90, 1.13, 3.11, 1.34); leg I: 15.90 (4.71, 1.82, 3.43, 3.65,

2.29), leg II: 15.18 (4.26, 1.55, 3.33, 3.78, 2.26), leg III: 14.97 (4.04, 1.56, 3.01, 4.00, 2.36), leg IV: 17.94 (4.78,

1.56, 3.77, 5.19, 2.64). Leg formula: 4123. STC with curved row of long teeth; ITC curved, with few fine teeth ( Fig. 6B). Abdomen light black, hairy. Spinnerets: PMS white; PLS slenderness, basal, distal end white ( Fig. 6I). PMS

1.37 long, 0.32 wide; PLS 6.04 long (2.15, 1.61, 2.28); PMS–PMS 1.02.

Female: Total length 15.28 (not including chelicerae and spinnerets), cephalothorax 5.78 long, 4.85 wide; abdomen 9.20 long, 5.71 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.29, ALE 0.41, PME 0.28, PLE 0.36; ALE–AME 0.10, AME–AME 0.19, ALE–PLE 0.11, PLE–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.62. Eye group 0.79 long, 1.48 wide. Chelicerae black, with 14 stout promarginal teeth, basomesally with 16 smaller teeth, plus 11 tiny teeth. Labium, maxillae, brown; ventral with dark brown bristles and ventrally with black bristles and patch of cuspules on anterior 1/2 ( Fig. 7C); maxillae area length 2.07, and cuspule area length 1.31. Sternum cordate, with three pairs of sigilla ( Fig. 7E).

Spines. Leg I: femur 1 prolateral near distad; patella 1 prolateral near distad; tibia 3 ventral distally; metatarsus 6 ventral, and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, each group of 2, respectively; tarsus 5 prolateral, 2 retrolateral. Leg II: femur with 1 prolateral near distad; patella 2 prolateral; tibia 1 prolateral, 3 distoventral and 5 long ventral; metatarsus 1 prolateral, 6 ventral, two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, prolateral group of 2, retrolateral group 3; tarsus 5 prolateral, 3 retrolateral. Leg III: femur 1 prolateral and 1 retrolateral near distad; patella 4 prolateral, 2 retrolateral; tibia 2 prolateral, 2 retrolateral, 1 dorsal, 2 ventral and 5 long; metatarsus 7 ventral, 5 prolateral, and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, prolateral group of 2, retrolateral group of 3 spines (one especially strong); tarsus 6 prolateral, 4 retrolateral. Leg IV: femur 1 prolateral spine; patella 3 prolateral, 4 retrolateral; tibia 1 prolateral, 2 retrolateral, 2 ventral distally; metatarsus 6 prolateral, 4 retrolaterals, 6 ventral, and two groups of ventral spiny plexus near distad, among them, prolateral group of 3, retrolateral group of 4; tarsus 6 prolateral, 5 retrolateral.

Measurement of palp and legs: palp length: 9.34 (3.34, 1.45, 1.97, 2.58); leg I: 14.01 (4.19, 2.01, 3.00, 2.81, 2.00), leg II: 13.63 (4.04, 1.77, 2.99, 2.87, 1.96), leg III: 14.03 (4.16, 1.90, 2.63, 3.59, 2.02), leg IV: 17.39 (4.63, 2.22, 3.47, 4.65, 2.42).

Leg formula: 4312. STC with curved row of long teeth (teeth on ITC was broken, but three basal teeth can be seen) ( Fig. 7B).

Abdomen gray, hairy. Spinnerets: PMS present white; PLS slenderness, basal, distal end present white ( Fig. 7D). PMS 1.39 long, 0.28 wide; PLS 6.65 long (2.12, 2.15, 2.38); PMS–PMS 1.55.

Variation (male): Male (holotype and three male paratypes; N=4): body length: with chelicerae 15.67–19.73 (18.17±2.16); without chelicerae 13.12–16.65 (15.27±1.89). Carapace 5.26–5.91 (5.61±0.33) length, 4.86–5.23 (4.99±0.21) width. Maxillary cuspules 290–306. Labial cuspules 101–116. Variation of palp and leg measurements are shown in suppl. Table S4. No significant difference is evident in their genitalia.

Distribution: China: Yunnan (Xi-chou, Ma-guan, Ping-bian).