Synaphosus leiheng, Lin & Li, 2023

Lin, YeJie & Li, Shuqiang, 2023, On nine ground spiders from Xishuangbanna, China (Araneae, Gnaphosidae), including two new genera and seven new species, ZooKeys 1174, pp. 141-174 : 141

Synaphosus leiheng sp. nov.

Figs 16A-C , 17A, B , 20A, B

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (IZCAS-Ar44458), China, Yunnan: Menglun Town: Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, 21.9611°N, 101.1982°E, ca 790 m, 16-24.2006, Guo Zheng leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44459), same data as holotype; 11♀ (IZCAS-Ar44460-Ar44470), China, Yunnan: Menglun Town: Xishuangbanna Botanical Garden, 21.8970°N, 101.2845°E, ca 613 m, 1-15.II.2007, Guo Zheng leg.

Diagnosis.

The new species similar to S. evertsi Ovtsharenko, Levy & Platnick, 1994 by the male with a retrolateral tibial hood (Fig. 16B ) and lake of retrolateral tibial apophysis (Fig. 16B ) and females by the deep, separated, anterior copulatory opening (Fig. 17A ). However, the new species can be distinguished by the hook-shaped conductor (Fig. 16B ) [vs conductor long and slender (see Marusik and Omelko 2018: fig. 42)], an apophysis at the base of embolus (Fig. 16A ) (vs absent) and only one apophysis on conductor (Fig. 16B ) [vs two apophyses (see Marusik and Omelko 2018: fig. 42)]. The female can be distinguished by the absence of anterior pockets (Fig. 17A ) [vs present (see Ovtsharenko et al. 1994: fig. 51)] and the copulatory ducts connected directly to the anterior part of spermatheca (Fig. 17B ) [vs copulatory ducts wrap around spermatheca and then connect to the middle of spermatheca (see Ovtsharenko et al. 1994: fig. 52)].

Description.

Male holotype (Fig. 20A ). Total length 3.13; carapace 1.38 long, 1.05 wide, opisthosoma 1.67 long, 0.92 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PME 0.03, PLE 0.04, AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0, PME-PME 0.01, PME-PLE 0.01, AME-PME 0.03, ALE-PLE 0.02. Anterior eye row slightly recurved, posterior eye row straight. Chelicerae with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Legs with long brown hair. Leg measurements: I 4.51 (1.20, 1.83, 0.83, 0.65), II 3.20 (0.90, 1.19, 0.62, 0.49), III 3.53 (1.05, 1.19, 0.62, 0.49), IV 3.21 (0.71, 0.83, 1.11, 0.56). Opisthosoma oval, venter brown with long hair, dorsal scutum absent. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Palp (Fig. 16A-C ). Femur and patellar without apophysis. Tibia almost as long as patella. Retrolateral tibial hood (RTH) almost 2 × wider than long, terminal part slightly curved. Cymbium almost 1.5 × longer than wide. Subtegulum (ST) indistinct, hidden between cymbium and tegulum. Tegulum round. Conductor (C) tip strongly curved, without serration, basal with an apophysis, triangle shaped. Embolus (E) whip-like, basal part with an apophysis, originates at 6 o’clock position.

Female paratype (IZCAS-Ar44460) (Fig. 20B ). Total length 2.75; carapace 1.26 long, 0.88 wide, opisthosoma 1.54 long, 0.97 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PME 0.05, PLE 0.04, AME-AME 0.01, AME-ALE 0.01, PME-PME 0.02, PME-PLE 0.01, AME-PME 0.03, ALE-PLE 0.01. Anterior eye row almost straight, posterior eye row recurved. Chelicerae as in male. Leg measurements: I 2.71 (0.83, 1.02, 0.46, 0.40), II 2.33 (0.71, 0.82, 0.44, 0.36), III 2.03 (0.65, 0.61, 0.42, 0.35), IV 3.07 (0.85, 1.11, 0.69, 0.42). Opisthosoma oval, venter yellow-brown with long brown hair. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Epigyne (Fig. 17A, B ). Epigynal plate almost as long as wide. Copulatory openings (CO) located anteriorly, separated by median septum (MS). Copulatory duct (CD) short, connected to anterior part of spermatheca. Glandular appendage (GA) distinct, anteriorly. Spermathecae (S) kidney-shaped, almost 2 × wider than long. Fertilization ducts (FD) directed at 2 o’clock position from spermathecae.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Etymology.

The species is named after Lei Heng, one of the 108 outlaws in the classical Chinese novel 'Outlaws of the Marsh’; noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 16. Synaphosus leiheng sp. nov., holotype male A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor, E = embolus, RTH = retrolateral tibial hood, SD = sperm duct. Red arrow shows the apophysis at the base of embolus.

Figure 17. Synaphosus leiheng sp. nov., paratype female A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory duct, CO = copulatory opening, FD = fertilization duct, GA = glandular appendage, MS = median septum, S spermatheca.

Figure 20. Synaphosus leiheng sp. nov. (A, B) and S. lijun sp. nov., habitus (C, D), dorsal view A male holotype B female paratype C male holotype D female paratype.