Tetrablemma menglaensis, Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014, New cave-dwelling armored spiders (Araneae, Tetrablemmidae) from Southwest China, ZooKeys 388, pp. 35-67 : 41-42

Tetrablemma menglaensis sp. n. Figs 10-12, 18 C–D, 21, 22

Material.

Holotype ♂, paratypes 2♀ (SCUM), CHINA, Yunnan: Mengla County, Mengyuan Town, Chengzi Village, Yeniudong Scenery Spot, Yeniu 2# Cave, 21°43.208'N, 101°23.294'E, elevation ca. 760 m, 16 August 2011, Yucheng Lin and Guo Zheng leg.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis.

The male of this new species is similar to Tetrablemma namkhan Lin & Li, 2012 (see Lin and Li 2012: figs 4 A–G, 5 A–C, 6 A–C), Tetrablemma loebli Bourne, 1980 (see Lehtinen 1981: figs 219, 221, 223-224), Tetrablemma marawula Lehtinen, 1981 (see Lehtinen 1981: figs 255, 266), and Tetrablemma brevidens Tong & Li, 2008 (see Tong and Li 2008: figs 5A, C, F–I), but can be distinguished by a forked cephalic tubercle (Figs 10E, G), a crooked cheliceral horn (Figs 10 A–B, E), the swollen palpal tibia (Figs 11 B–C, 18C), the course of sperm duct, and the long-tongue shaped embolus (Figs 11A, 18D). The female is similar to Tetrablemma nandan Lin & Li, 2010 (see Lin and Li 2010: figs 46-49) and Tetrablemma marawula Lehtinen, 1981 (see Lehtinen 1981: figs 256, 283), but can be recognized by the narrow postepigastral scutum (Figs 12 A–B), the long S-shaped inner vulval plate (Figs 12 C–D, 21 A–B), the absence of vulval dorsal plate, and the wide central process (Figs 12D, 21B).

Description.

Male (holotype). Coloration: body reddish-brown; legs yellowish-brown.

Measurements: total length 1.18; carapace 0.54 long, 0.46 wide, 0.36 high; abdomen 0.98 long, 0.63 wide, 0.52 high; clypeus 0.27 high. Sternum 0.31 long, 0.34 wide. Length of legs: I 1.27 (0.38, 0.14, 0.30, 0.21, 0.23); II 1.21 (0.38, 0.13, 0.29, 0.21, 0.22); III 1.11 (0.34, 0.11, 0.25, 0.20, 0.21); IV 1.40 (0.43, 0.11, 0.36, 0.26, 0.25).

Carapace (Figs 10A, E and G) completely reticulate, margin rugose; ocular area with a short, bifurcate tubercle; clypeal area distinctly convex, margin rounded; cheli ceral horn narrow, medially curved in dorsal view; sternum centrally reticulated, marginally sclerotized and rugose. Legs: cuticle sculptured; femur I slightly swollen; all tibiae with 2 trichobothria, and one on metatarsi I–IV; metatarsus I with two small lateral tubercles (Figs 11D, E).

Abdomen (Figs 10 A–B, E): dorsal scutum short, oval, finely granulated; ventral scuta reticulated and striated; lateral scutum I short; postepigastral scutum short, narrower than preanal scutum (Fig. 10B).

Palp (Figs 11 A–C; 18 C–D): femur slightly swollen, ventrally granulated; patella short, approx. as 1/2 long as femur; tibia smooth, swollen, approx. 2 times as wide as patella; bulb pyriform, smooth; embolus long, bent, strongly sclerotized; sperm duct visible through bulbal integument (Figs 11 A–C; 18C, D).

Female (paratype). Coloration and modifications as in male, but cephalic tubercle and cheliceral horn absent.

Measurements: total length 1.27; carapace 0.58 long, 0.45 wide, 0.28 high; clypeus 0.19 high; sternum 0.32 long, 0.34 wide; abdomen 0.91 long, 0.68 wide, 0.50 high. Length of legs: I 1.29 (0.41, 0.13, 0.31, 0.21, 0.23); II 1.21 (0.38, 0.13, 0.29, 0.21, 0.22); III 1.12 (0.34, 0.12, 0.25, 0.20, 0.21); IV 1.47 (0.46, 0.13, 0.38, 0.27, 0.24).

Carapace (Figs 10C, F and H): reticulation as in male; clypeal area nearly vertical anteriorly; cephalic part flat; cheliceral frontal surface with a small basal tubercle; sternum as in male. Legs: chaetotaxy and number of trichobothria as in male.

Abdomen (Figs 10 C–D, F; 12A): lateral scutum I anteriorly short, not extending beyond the posterior rim of operculum; postgenital plate straight, narrower than preanal scutum; preanal scutum wider than long, anterior margin rugose (Fig. 21A), covered with serrated setae (Fig. 12B).

Genitalia (Figs 12 B–D; 21 A–B): epigynal folds laterally narrow, medially wide (Fig. 12B); epigynal pit narrow, indistinct, separated with vulval stem and lateral horns; vulval stem strongly sclerotized (Figs 12C; 21A); spermathecae rugose, membranous; lateral horns wide, strong, supporting the base of vulval ducts of seminal receptacle; inner vulval plate S-shaped, very long, at least 2 times longer than central process (Figs 12D; 21B); central process wide, basally contracted (Fig. 21B); vulval duct narrow, connected with lateral horn and spermathecae.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 22).