Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834 )

Huang, Zongguang, Yin, Haiqiang, Cai, Qu & Xu, Xiang, 2023, Two species of hackled-orb web spider genus Hyptiotes (Araneae, Uloboridae) from Guangxi, China, Zootaxa 5311 (1), pp. 65-84 : 73-77

Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834)

Figures 10–17

Material examined. All the following specimens were collected in CHINA, Guangxi Autonomous Region, Nanning City, Wuming County, Damingshan National Reserve by Ailan He, Keke Liu, Jihe Liu, Jinxin Liu, Zongguang Huang and Huijuan Sheng: 1♁ 1♀ ( HNU548–549 ), Daxiagu Valley , 23°36.61'N, 108°22.19'E, 914m, 2 XI, 2018 ; 2♀ ( HNU550–551 ), Xiyan Protection Station , 23°27.72'N, 108°30.22'E, 808m, 8 XI, 2018 ; 1♀ ( HNU552 ), Sanbao Protection Station , 23°31.61'N, 108°22.19'E, 915m, 2 XI, 2018 .

Description. Male: Total length 3.56, carapace 1.86 long, 1.82 wide, abdomen 2.02 long, 1.42 wide. Carapace deep brown, sparsely covered with plumose setae. Eye area elevated. Fovea wide and deep. Eight eyes are present, but ALE degenerated, only with dark marks existed. Posterior eye row recurved. PLE situated on tubercles. Posterior border of MOA about six times anterior border in width. Eye diameters:AME 0.07, PME 0.14, PLE 0.18,AME-AME 0.03, AME-PME 0.41, PME-PME 0.85, PME-PLE 0.27, PLE-PLE 1.56 ( Figs 10A, C ; 11A ). Endites almost as long as wide. Labium triangle. Sternum brown, shield-shaped, with a posterior hump ( Fig. 10B ). Legs brown dorsally and light brown ventrally, bearing many strong bristles. Leg formula 1423 ( Fig. 10A, B ). Leg measurements: I 5.10 (1.70, 0.53, 1.88, 0.6, 0.39); II 3.31 (1.13, 0.54, 0.61, 0.68, 0.35); III 2.95 (1.00, 0.42, 0.50, 0.70, 0.33); IV 3.69 (1.15, 0.54, 0.82, 0.89, 0.29). Abdomen oval, dark color, covered with thick and short setae, and sparse plumose setae. Yellowish-brown patches present both on the dorsum and venter. Anterior spinnerets much larger than others. Cribellum wide, close to spinnerets ( Figs 10 ; 11B ).

Palp ( Figs 12 , 13 ). Terminal apophysis sclerotized, the base strong and the tip bending to prolateral of palp. Median apophysis sclerotized, with the apical end rolled to form a hook. Tegular apophyses sclerotized. TE1 long and thin and TE2 with the apical end divided into two small tips. Conductor consisting of two parts: one part long, with a membranous swelling and a strong sclerotized apical end; the other part membranous, gradually narrowed. Embolus extremely long and longitudinally circling around bulb for about one and a half loops. Cymbium long and narrow, with extremely long setae. Patella with a strong bristle.

Female: Total length 3.97, carapace 1.47 long, 1.62 wide, abdomen 3.24 long, 2.08 wide. Carapace dark brown, with part of the posterior obscured by abdomen extending forward. Eye diameters: AME 0.08, PME 0.18, PLE 0.2, AME-AME 0.05, AME-PME 0.34, PME-PME 0.85, PME-PLE 0.21, PLE-PLE 1.51 ( Figs 14A, C ; 15A ). Leg formula 1423. Leg measurements: 4.20 (1.41, 0.55, 0.86, 0.98, 0.40); II 3.59 (1.18, 0.48, 0.51, 0.79, 0.36); III 2.53 (0.76, 0.35, 0.46, 0.61, 0.35); IV 3.81 (1.26, 0.52, 0.81, 0.85, 0.37). The other features of cephalothorax and legs resemble those of the male ( Figs 14 , 15A ). Abdomen yellowish, dorsally with a pair of large dark brown patches and three pair of small dark brown spots ( Fig. 14 ). Abdomen extends a short distance after the spinnerets. Anterior spinnerets much larger than others. Cribellum isn’t in a normal condition and only its anterior rim is shown. Maybe the reason is that when the specimen was preserved, the muscles attached to cribellum contracted and pulled the cribellum towards the dorsum. ( Fig. 15B ).

Epigynum ( Figs 16 , 17 ): Epigynum posterior face plate lightly sclerotized, with a distinct median ridge (MR). Copulatory opening long and narrow. Copulatory duct sclerotized and twisting. Receptaculum spherical, circled by accessory glands about four loops.

Distribution. China (Guangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Sichuan, Zhejiang) Europe, Turkey, Caucasus ( Fig. 18 ).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), male, habitus. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view. Scale bars: A–C, 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), male. A, clypeus, frontal; B, cribellum and spinnerets, ventral. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 12. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), palp of male. A, prolateral view; B, retrolateral view; C, ventral view. Abbreviations: C, stronger sclerotized part of the conductor; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; O, origin of the embolus; TC, translucent and wide part of the conductor; TA, terminal apophysis; TE1, tegular apophysis 1; TE2, tegular apophysis 2. Scale bars: A–C, 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 13. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), palp of male. A, prolateral view; B, retrolateral view; C, ventral view. Abbreviations: C, stronger sclerotized part of the conductor; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; O, origin of the embolus; TC, translucent and wide part of the conductor; TA, terminal apophysis; TE1, tegular apophysis 1; TE2, tegular apophysis 2. Scale bars: A–C, 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 14. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), female habitus. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view. Scale bars: A–C, 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), female. A, clypeus, frontal view; B, cribellum and spinnerets, ventral view. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 16. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), female.A, epigynum, ventral view; B, vulva, dorsal view; C, vulva, top view.Abbreviations:AG, accessory glands; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory opening; MR, median ridge; R, receptaculum. Scale bars: A–C, 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Hyptiotes paradoxus (C. L. Koch, 1834), female, vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: AG, accessory glands; CD, copulatory duct; R, receptaculum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Localities of Hyptiotes Walckenaer, 1837 from China.