Speocera asymmetrica, Tong & Li, 2007

Tong, Yanfeng & Li, Shuqiang, 2007, First Records Of The Family Ochyroceratidae (Arachnida: Araneae) From China, With Descriptions Of A New Genus And Eight New Species, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55 (1), pp. 63-76 : 69

Speocera asymmetrica , new species

( Figs. 6A–H , 10 )

Material examined. – Holotype: male ( IZCAS), a cave (unnamed) in mango farm (19 ° 05'N 109 ° 03'E), Baoyou Village , Qicha Town, Changjiang County, Hainan Island, China, coll. Y. Song, X. Han, G. Deng, and Y. Tong, 3 Apr.2005.

Paratypes: 3 males and 13 females ( IZCAS), same data as holotype ; 1 male ( IZCAS), Bawangling National Natural Reserve (19 ° 04'N 109 ° 08'E), Changjiang County, Hainan Island, China, coll. Y. Song, X. Han, G. Deng, and Y. Tong, 22 Mar.2005 .

Diagnosis. – The new species is similar to S. krikkeni Brignoli, 1977 , but can be distinguished by the modified chelicerae, the relatively slender palpal tibia, the different shapes of bulb, the spineless legs, and the distinctly longer chitinous ducts.

Description. – Males: Total length 1.12. Carapace 0.52–0.54 long, 0.41–0.42 wide; abdomen 0.54–0.60 long, 0.40–0.44 wide. Pattern of carapace as the female, but paler. Borders of sternum and abdomen pale violet. Chelicerae laterally excavated. Legs spineless, metatarsus IV distal part straight, with 3 pairs of setae ventrally. Legs measurements: I 1.98 (0.62, 0.13, 0.60, 0.38, 0.25); II 1.75 (0.52, 0.13, 0.51, 0.35, 0.24); III 1.44 (0.44, 0.13, 0.37, 0.32, 0.18); IV 2.07 (0.60, 0.15, 0.58, 0.45, 0.29). Leg formula: 4 1 2 3. Palp measurements: 0.85 (0.32, 0.11, 0.23, 0.19), bulb 0.12 long, 0.17 wide. Palpal tibia slightly incrassate, longer than tarsus, the latter obtuse. Bulb asymmetrical, with short appendage.

Females: Total length 1.02–1.12. Carapace 0.52–0.54 long, 0.43–0.44 wide; abdomen 0.62–0.56 long, 0.33–0.42 wide. Pattern of carapace more distinct than the male. Sternum and abdomen brown violet. Some specimens with streaks on posterior and lateral area of abdomen. Chelicerae unmodified. Leg measurements: I 1.76 (0.52, 0.16, 0.50, 0.34, 0.24); II 1.63 (0.49, 0.16, 0.43, 0.31, 0.24); III 1.40 (0.43, 0.12, 0.33, 0.30, 0.22); IV 1.94 (0.55, 0.16, 0.55, 0.42, 0.26). Leg formula: 4 1 2 3. Palp measurements: 0.50 (0.16, 0.08, 0.12, 0.14). Chitinous ducts very long, nearly converged on abdominal dorsal surface.

Etymology. – The specific name is from the Greece “ symmetricus ”, and combined with the prefix “ a ”, refers to the asymmetrical bulb of male.

Figures

Fig. 6. Speocera asymmetrica, new species: A, carapace of female, dorsal view; B, abdomen of female, ventral view; C, chelicerae of male, anterior view; D, vulva, dorsal view; E, abdomen of female, lateral view; F, bulb, ventral view; G, left palp, prolateral view; H, left palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A–B = 0.2 mm, C–H = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 10. Collection localities of Chinese Ochyroceratidae.