Nesticella potala, Lin, Yucheng, Ballarin, Francesco & Li, Shuqiang, 2016

Lin, Yucheng, Ballarin, Francesco & Li, Shuqiang, 2016, A survey of the spider family Nesticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Asia and Madagascar, with the description of forty-three new species, ZooKeys 627, pp. 1-168 : 46-47

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Nesticidae

Nesticella potala sp. n. Figs 57, 83

Type material.

Holotype ♀ (IZCAS), CHINA: Tibet Autonomous Region, Gyirong County, Zongga Town, Zalong Village (28.38108°N, 85.35263°E, 2715 m), 31.VII.2014, X. Li & Y. Li leg.

Etymology.

The specific name derives from the Potala Palace, one of the most famous Buddhist holy land in the world, which is located near the type locality of the species; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species is closely related to Nesticella tibetana sp. n. (see Fig. 60 C–G), Nesticella nepalensis (see Fig. 56 C–G) and Nesticella connectens (see Fig. 51 C–G). It can be distinguished by the triangular spermathecae (S), the 45° angle made by the copulatory ducts (Cd) (approx. 90° in the other species), the short fertilization ducts lacking coils, and the lack of a clear abdominal pattern (Fig. 57 A–F). All these charaters have no similarities to all the other species of the nepalensis -group.

Description.

Habitus as in Fig. 57 A–C. Carapace yellow, with short setae near the clypeus and the thoracic area, long setae near the cephalic midline and cervical groove. Cervical groove distinct, fovea shallow. Mouthparts brown-yellowish. Sternum flat, faintly reticulated in the center, with both long and short setae at its margins. Legs and female palps yellowish, distally darker in metatarsi and tarsi. Opisthosoma greyish and faintly pigmented with darkish spots. Spinnerets yellow, colulus yellowish.

Epigyne (Fig. 57 D–F): wrinkled and translucent (Fig. 57D). Scape short and rectangular, approximately two times wider than long (Fig. 57 E–F). Spermathecae triangular, separated by about their length. Fertilization ducts thin, without complicated coils and only one loop before reaching the spermathecae (Fig. 57F). Copulatory ducts thick and straight, laterally bent in the middle (Fig. 57 E–F).

Female (holotype). Total length 3.20. Carapace 1.37 long, 1.20 wide. Opisthosoma 2.13 long, 2.18 wide. Clypeus height 0.25. Sternum 0.84 long, 0.83 wide. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Male. Unknown.

Habitat.

Forest leaf litter.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 83).