Neoscona xishanensis Yin, Wang, Xie et Peng, 1990

Sarkar, I. D., Siliwal, M. & Uniyal, V. P., 2023, First record of Neoscona xishanensis Yin, Wang, Xie et Peng, 1990 (Araneae: Araneidae) from India with description of hitherto unknown male, Far Eastern Entomologist 483, pp. 19-24 : 20-23

Neoscona xishanensis Yin, Wang, Xie et Peng, 1990

Figs 1–3

MATERIAL EXAMINED. India: Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti, Lower Keylong Village , 32°34'14.13"N, 77° 1'34.94"E, 3056m, 03.VIII 2021, 1♀ (WILD-ARA-21-1648), coll. Irina Das Sarkar ; the same locality, 12.VIII 2021, 2♂ (WILD-ARA-21-1652, WILD- ARA-21-1653), coll. Irina Das Sarkar ; Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti, Kwaring Village , 32°34'53.73"N, 77° 7'2.17"E, 3478m, 11.VIII 2021, 2♀, 1♂ (WILD-ARA-21-1649, WILD-ARA-21-1650, WILD-ARA-21-1651), coll. Irina Das Sarkar.

DESCRIPTION. Male (hitherto unknown). Total length 4.82. Cephalothorax length 2.67, width 2.29, red-orange, with slightly darker lateral margins, without any pattern, tapering anteriorly near ocular region. Fovea distinct, deep red, longitudinal, slit-like. Median eyes closer together than to laterals, laterals adjacent. Eye measurements: AME 0.10, ALE 0.07, PME 0.10, PLE 0.06. Inter-eye distances: AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 0.02, PME-PLE 0.14, ALE-PLE adjacent. Sternum length 1.61, width 1.07, brown with darker, wavy, margins, pointed posteriorly. Endites length 0.41, width 0.33. Labium length 0.23, width 0.39. Chelicerae length 0.77, width 0.31, promarginal 4 (1 large, 3 small), and 3 retromarginal teeth. Legs strong, yellow-brown, with numerous spines, darker anteriorly giving banded appearance. Anterior margin of coxa I with sclerotized and hooked projections. Ti II with over 30 spines of varying lengths. Leg measurements (fe, pa, ti, mt, ta, total): I fe 3.18, pa 1.08, ti 2.54, mt 1.99, ta 0.65 (9.44); II fe 2.91, pa 0.93, ti 1.99, mt 1.88, ta 0.77 (8.48); III fe 1.87, pa 0.76, ti 1.22, mt 1.24, ta 0.53 (5.62); IV fe 2.81, pa 0.94, ti 1.90, mt 2.12, ta 0.63 (8.4). Leg formula 1243. Abdomen length 2.82, width 1.69, brown with scattered long white setae, prominent darker folium covering two-third abdomen, four white spots on mid-longitudinal abdominal plane, one big, undivided covering one-third anterior abdomen, two pairs on anterior folium placed close to each other, and one small placed at slight distance from paired spots. Median apophysis club-shaped, bulbous, sclerotized, with sharp spur pointed anteriorly; Conductor hooked, basally heavily sclerotized; Lamella weakly sclerotized, situated at base of lamella; Terminal apophysis weakly sclerotized, apically pointed, overhanging conductor.

Female. Total length 3.71. Cephalothorax length 1.91, width 1.58, yellow-brown with darker lateral margins, without any pattern, tapering anteriorly near ocular region. Fovea small, slit-like, with branching darker bands running in V-shaped pattern anteriorly. Median eyes closer together than to laterals, laterals adjacent. Eye measurements: AME 0.07, ALE 0.06, PME 0.09, PLE 0.06. Inter-eye distances: AME-AME 0.07, AME-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.02, PME-PLE 0.20, ALE-PLE adjacent. Sternum length 0.80, width 0.82, dark brown with slightly wavy margins and faint white discontinuous median band, blunt posteriorly. Endites length 0.32, width 0.27. Labium length 0.21, width 0.40. Chelicerae length 0.65, width 0.35, promarginal teeth 4 on right (1 large, 3 small) and 3 on left (1 large, 2 small), 3 retromarginal teeth. Legs strong, yellow-brown, with numerous spines. Leg measurements (fe, pa, ti, mt, ta, total): I fe 1.17, pa 0.86, ti 1.65, mt 1.68, ta 0.75 (6.11); II fe 1.82, pa 0.81, ti 1.49, mt 1.37, ta 0.70 (6.19); III fe 1.37, pa 0.58, ti 0.75, mt 0.82, ta 0.53 (4.05); IV fe 2.05, pa 0.72, ti 1.42, mt 1.52, ta 0.56 (6.27). Leg formula 4123. Abdomen length 2.34, width 1.62, brown, prominent darker folium covering two-third abdomen, five white spots on mid-longitudinal abdominal plane, one big, undivided covering one-third anterior abdomen, two on anterior folium placed close to each other, rest smaller placed at slight intervals. Epigyne with short, blunt and spoon-shaped scape with constriction at about two-third anterior length; one pair of small lateral lobes protruding just prior to constriction; spermathecae visible in ventral view, located at base of scape in two defined pockets; copulatory ducts run longitudinal till lateral lobes.

Variation of female. There are three distinct variants of abdominal patterns in Indian specimens. The first variant can be differentiated based on the distinct white spots on the mid-longitudinal plane of the abdomen ( Fig. 3A ). The second variant can be identified based on a light brown abdomen with slightly darker folium, which extends anteriorly in faint off-white color, and sometimes hosts expanded bulges anteriorly ( Fig. 3B ). The third variant hosts a distinct white band that runs longitudinal on mid-abdominal plane, with the folium similar to the first (described) variant ( Fig. 3C ); the band is broader anteriorly than posteriorly and is sparsely interspersed with small black hair. Females of first variant were commonly found in anthropogenized landscapes at elevation 3000 m, while females of second and third variants were collected on the fields of peas and potato at elevation 3500 m.

HABITAT. All specimens were collected from agricultural fields of the villages of Lower Keylong and Kwaring, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh with a predominant cultivation of potatoes, cabbage, and peas.

DISTRIBUTION. China, India (new record).

Figures

Fig. 1. Neoscona xishanensis, male. A – habitus, dorsal view; B – abdomen, dorsal view; C– coxa I projections, frontal view; E – same, ventral view; D – Ti I spines; F–H – palp, prolateral, retrolateral, and ventral views respectively. Scale = 0.5mm.

Fig. 2. Neoscona xishanensis, female. A – habitus, dorsal view; B – chelicerae, ventral view; C – epigyne, dorsal view; D – the same, ventral view; E, F – the same, lateral view. Scale = 0.5mm.

Fig. 3. Variation in abdominal patterns of Neoscona xishanensis from India. Scale = 0.5mm.