Nesticella lisu, 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 : 23

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Nesticidae

Nesticella lisu sp. n. Figs 19, 20, 82

Type material.

Holotype ♂ and paratype 1♀ (IZCAS), CHINA: Yunnan Province, Yongde County, Qingquan Cave (23.86933°N, 98.20697°E, 1841 m), 3.VIII.2010, C. Wang, Q. Zhao & L. Lin leg.

Etymology.

The species is named after the Lisu people, an ethnic minority living in Yunnan Province; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males of Nesticella lisu sp. n. can be easily distinguished from those of the other species belonging to the brevipes -group by the squared, dorso-ventrally flat distal process of the paracymbium (Dp) with serrated margin (Fig. 19 A–B, D). Females are recognized by the thick and strongly coiled fertilization ducts (Fd) and the piriform spermathecae (S) (Fig. 20 F–G). Furthermore, females can be separated from those of the closely related species Nesticella jingpo sp. n. (see Fig. 18 E–F) by the weakly sclerotized vulva, the piriform spermathecae (S), the less compact but more coiled fertilization ducts (Fd) and the smaller copulatory openings (Co) (Fig. 20 F–G vs. Fig. 18 E–F).

Description.

Habitus as in Fig. 20 A–D. Carapace pale yellow and faintly pigmented near the cervical groove, the midline and the margins. Cervical groove and fovea distinct. Mouthparts yellow. Sternum with sparse long setae. Legs and female palps yellowish, distally darker in the metatarsi and tarsi. Opisthosoma light yellow with paired dorsal dark marks, the anterior pair extended to the sides as a large, round spot. Ventral side dark near the hypogastric area.

Male palp (Fig. 19 A–D): paracymbium with seven dorsal setae (Fig. 19D), dorsal apophysis triangular, translucent, (Fig. 19B), ventral processes flat, Va-I wide and triangular, Va-II shorter and more pointed (Fig. 19A, D). Distal process strongly sclerotized, dorso-ventrally flattened, with a serration on the margin and lacking any ramifications. (Fig. 19 A–B). Terminal apophysis fingerlike with a wrinkled surface. Tegular apophysis strongly sclerotized, small and triangular, with a textured surface (Fig. 19A, C). Conductor ending with a short process (Fig. 19A, C–D).

Epigyne (Fig. 20 E–G): weakly sclerotized, covered with sparse long setae (Fig. 20E). Scape short and translucent, about three times wider than long (Fig. 20 F–G). Copulatory openings small and translucent (Fig. 20G). Spermathecae piriform, dorsally pointed and separated from each other by nearly 0.8 their width (Fig. 20G). Fertilization ducts long and thick, basally constricted, reaching the spermathecae with at least four coils (Fig. 20 F–G). Copulatory ducts short and translucent, distally swollen (Fig. 20G).

Male (holotype). Total length 2.14. Carapace 1.08 long, 0.97 wide. Opisthosoma 1.08 long, 1.00 wide. Clypeus height 0.18. Sternum 0.68 long, 0.62 wide. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Female (one of the paratypes). Total length 3.03. Carapace 1.16 long, 1.00 wide. Opisthosoma 2.09 long, 1.43 wide. Clypeus height 0.21. Sternum 0.73 long, 0.68 wide. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Habitat.

Cave.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 82).