Althepus nophaseudi, Li, FENGYUAN, LI, SHUQIANG & Jäger, Peter, 2014

Li, FENGYUAN, LI, SHUQIANG & Jäger, Peter, 2014, Six new species of the spider family Ochyroceratidae Fage 1912 (Arachnida: Araneae) from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 3768, pp. 119-138 : 125

Althepus nophaseudi spec. nov.

Figs 18-28, 47

Type material. Holotype: Male, LAOS: Bolikhamsay Province, Nam Kading National Protected Area , 18°21 ’34.4’’ N, 104°09 ’15.5” E, 219 m altitude, Peter Jäger and Liphone Nophaseud leg. 24.III.2011, primary forest, stream bed, rock boulders, gravel, by hand, at day ( SMF). Paratypes: 1 male, 2 females, with same data as for holotype ( SMF) .

Etymology. The species is named after the collector Mr. Liphone Nophaseud; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Males of this new species are similar to those of A. lehi Deeleman-Reinhold 1985 in having conductor and embolus proximad, but can be distinguished by the straight and short distal part of the conductor (Fig. 19), the cone-shaped tegular base of the embolus (Fig. 19) and the presence of more than one distal cymbial spine (Figs 18-21, 26-27; conductor tip widened, embolus without such tegular base and one long distal spine in A. lehi ). Females can be distinguished from those of A. lehi by the laterad spermathecae and narrow bursae (Figs 22-28; mediad spermathecae and wide bursae in A. lehi ). Moreover, the dorsal prosoma exhibiting only a triangular dark patch posterior to the eye region (Figs 23-24; margins and entire median line coloured in A. lehi ).

Description. Male (holotype). Prosoma 1.65 long, 1.32 wide; opisthosoma missing (Fig. 23). Dorsal prosoma sub-circular, pale yellow, with triangular brown patch behind ocular area (Fig. 23). Anterior margin of thoracic region distinctly elevated. Clypeus without any band. Cheliceral lamina reduced, promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two small teeth, the posterior surface of fang with 18 small denticles. Labium pale yellow. Sternum pale yellow. Legs yellow. Leg measurements: I missing, II missing, III 13.47 (4.18, 0.44, 3.55, 4.52, 0.78), IV 18.29 (5.35, 0.47, 5.08, 5.75, 1.64); palp 1.68 (0.62, 0.25, 0.40, 0.41), bulb 0.31 long 0.24 wide. Male palp (Figs 18-21, 26-27): tarsus with three slightly curved, serrated bristles at the top and one spine strongly bent with tip retrolaterad; bulb bright yellow, ovate, conductor (Fig. 19) arising proximally from bulb, observably sigmoid, proximad; embolus (Fig. 19) arising retrolatero-distally from bulb, observably sigmoid, proximad; embolus and conductor widely separated (the distance is less than diameter of bulb).

Female (one paratype). Similar to male in colouration and general features (Figs 24-25). Internal genitalia with a pair of transparent copulatory ducts and spermathecae (Figs 22, 28). Measurements: Total length 3.55, prosoma 1.58 long, 1.17 wide; opisthosoma 2.12 long, - wide. Leg measurements: I missing, II 27.11(7.18, 0.61, 7.15, 9.82, 2.35), III 18.62 (5.55, 061, 4.95, 5.87, 1.64), IV missing; palp 1.30 (0.50, 0.19, 0.25, 0.36).

Variation. Prosoma: males 1.89 long, 1.70 wide; females 1.51 long, 1.34 wide (leg I lost in other specimen).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 47).