Phycosoma diaoluo, Zhang, Feng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2012

Zhang, Feng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2012, Spiders of the genus Phycosoma O. P. - Cambridge, 1879 (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 3339, pp. 30-43 : 33-34

Phycosoma diaoluo new species

( Figs 6–8 )

Type material. Holotype 3, CHINA, Hainan Island: Diaoluo Mountain (18°45ʹN, 109°45ʹE), 7 June 2009, C. Zhang leg.

Diagnosis. Male can be distinguished from those of other Phycosoma species except P. flavomarginatum and P. mustelinum (Simon, 1888) by the shape of TTA ( Fig. 7 ). Opisthosoma color pattern separates P. diaoluo from these two species ( Fig. 6 ).

Etymology. The species name is taken in apposition from the type locality.

Description. Male holotype total length 1.71: prosoma 0.77 long, 0.63 wide, 0.45 high; opisthosoma 0.99 long, 0.68 wide.

Color. Carapace yellow-brown ( Fig. 6 ), with thin annular brown patch around each seta. Thoracic groove dark brown. Each eye with a black ring. Clypeus yellow-brown, with a darkish stripe from AME to the anterior margin. Chelicerae brown. Endites and labium yellow-brown, distal margin yellowish. Sternum yellow-brown, with three pairs of small darkish patches along the margin. Legs yellow-brown, with darkish stripes on femora, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi. Dorsum of opisthosoma yellow and covered with three pairs of black lateral patches and two black transverse patches; venter yellow, and with a wide black median stripe. Spinnerets yellow-brown.

Prosoma ( Fig. 6 ). Carapace oval, longer than wide, head protruding forward and beyond clypeus, with several short black setae; thoracic groove deep. Both the eye rows recurved in dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.09, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.36, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.39, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA 0.16 long, anterior width 0.22, posterior width 0.18. Clypeus 0.27 high. Fangs thin and long. Endites with gray scopulae. Labium 0.09 long, 0.13 wide. Sternum 0.41 long, 0.41 wide, with scattered black setae.

Legs. Thin, with scattered setae and thin spines. Measurements: leg I 1.99 (0.59, 0.23, 0.45, 0.36, 0.36), II 1.90 (0.54, 0.23, 0.41, 0.36, 0.36), III 1.72 (0.54, 0.18, 0.36, 0.32, 0.32), IV 2.26 (0.63, 0.27, 0.50, 0.45, 0.41). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 6 ). Oval, longer than wide, with scattered gray setae. Male palp ( Figs 7–8 ). Tegulum inflated; embolus small and short; conductor relatively small, thin. Distribution. China (Hainan).

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 8. Phycosoma diaoluo n. sp. 6 – 8, male holotype. 6, body, dorsal; 7, male left palp, ventral; 8, same, prolateral. Scale bars: 6, 0.5 mm; 7 – 8, 0.1 mm.