Araneus liami, Mi & Li & Pham, 2023

Mi, Xiaoqi, Li, Shuqiang & Pham, Dinh-Sac, 2023, On five new species of the genera Araneus and Hypsosinga (Araneae, Araneidae) from Vietnam, ZooKeys 1161, pp. 69-87 : 69

Araneus liami sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5 , 9I-L

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar44135), Vietnam: Ninh Binh Province, Cuc Phuong National Park, disturbed forest (20°21.44'N, 105°34.21'E, ca 410 m), 5.II.2008, Dinh-Sac Pham leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44136), same locality and collector as holotype (20°20.23'N, 105°36.28'E, ca 390 m), 2.IV.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44137), same locality and collector as holotype (20°20.23'N, 105°36.28'E, ca 390 m), 7.V.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44138), same locality and collector as holotype (20°21.22'N, 105°37.03'E, ca 440 m), 5.VI.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44139), same locality and collector as holotype, 5.IX.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44140), same locality and collector as holotype (20°21.22'N, 105°37.03'E, ca 440 m), 5.IX.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44141), same locality and collector as holotype (20°20.23'N, 105°36.28'E, ca 390 m), 3.XII.2007; 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar44142), same locality and collector as holotype (20°20.57'N, 105°36.02'E, ca 410 m), 5.II.2008; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44143), Vinh Phuc Province, Tam Dao National Park (21°29.23'N, 105°37.20'E, ca 870 m), 16.V.2007, Dinh-Sac Pham leg.; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44144), same locality and collector as IZCAS-Ar44143 (21°29.06'N, 105°37.42'E, ca 1060 m), 16.V.2007; 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar44145), same locality and collector as IZCAS-Ar44143 (21°31.57'N, 105°33.15'E, ca 1010 m), 18.IX.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44146), same locality and collector as IZCAS-Ar44143 (21°31.57'N, 105°33.15'E, ca 1010 m), 14.I.2008; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44147), same locality and collector as IZCAS-Ar44143 (21°31.50'N, 105°33.43'E, ca 1060 m), 14.I.2008.

Etymology.

The species name is a boy’s name from Vietnam; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles A. bidentatus Mi & Li, 2022 in appearance, but can be distinguished from it in having: 1) the copulatory openings situated on the anterior surface of the epigyne (Fig. 4B, C ) vs at the lateral ends of the scape groove ( Mi and Li 2022: fig. 3A, B); 2) the scape not grooved (Fig. 4A-D ) vs grooved ( Mi and Li 2022: fig. 3A, B); 3) the tibia of the male palp with three heavily sclerotized, denticulate protuberances (see arrows in Fig. 5A, E ) vs with two protuberances ( Mi and Li 2022: fig. 4A, B, E); 4) the median apophysis curved about 90° (Fig. 5A-D ) vs curved about 20° ( Mi and Li 2022: fig. 4A); and 5) the sternum paler in the middle (Fig. 4F ) vs unicolor ( Mi and Li 2022: fig. 3H).

Description.

Male (holotype, Figs 4G, H , 5 , 9I-L ). Total length 2.80. Carapace 1.55 long, 1.20 wide. Abdomen 1.45 long, 1.10 wide. Clypeus 0.10 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.10, PME-PME 0.10, PME-PLE 0.18, MOA length 0.33, anterior width 0.38, posterior width 0.33. Leg measurements: I 5.30 (1.60, 1.90, 1.15, 0.65), II 4.30 (1.40, 1.45, 0.90, 0.55), III 2.90 (0.95, 0.95, 0.55, 0.45), IV 4.00 (1.30, 1.35, 0.85, 0.50). Carapace dark brown, with yellow median patches anterior to and around fovea and on lateral edges of thoracic region; cervical groove inconspicuous. Chelicerae yellowish brown, with five promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium yellowish brown, paler distally. Sternum dark brown with wide yellow band. Legs brown with grayish-brown annuli; tibia I with 13 macrosetae; tibia II with 10 macrosetae; tibia III with six macrosetae; tibia IV with nine macrosetae. Abdomen elliptical, ~1.3 × longer than wide, covered with dark setae; dorsum yellow with grayish brown patches; venter yellow with irregular grayish brown markings. Spinnerets yellowish brown.

Palp (Fig. 5 ): with two patellar bristles; tibia ~3.0 × wider than long in retrolateral view, with three heavily sclerotized, denticulate protuberances and a short ventral projection; paracymbium finger-like; tegulum smoothly rounded in retrolateral view; median apophysis longer than wide, with pointed tip bent about 90°, distal end pointed toward the tip of cymbium in prolateral view; embolus thread-like; conductor curled, covering most of embolus in prolateral view; terminal apophysis about as long as bulb diameter, bifurcated distally.

Female (paratype IZCAS-Ar44147, Fig. 4A-F ). Total length 3.10. Carapace 1.50 long, 1.10 wide. Abdomen 1.90 long, 1.50 wide. Clypeus 0.05 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.13, PLE 0.10, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.13, PME-PME 0.13, PME-PLE 0.23, MOA length 0.38, anterior width 0.35, posterior width 0.35. Leg measurements: I 4.40 (1.30, 1.60, 0.95, 0.55), II 3.75 (1.15, 1.30, 0.80, 0.50), III 2.75 (0.90, 0.90, 0.50, 0.45), IV 3.90 (1.30, 1.30, 0.80, 0.50). Habitus similar to that of male, but a bit paler, yellow patches on carapace larger, and cervical groove more obvious.

Epigyne (Fig. 4A-D ): ~2.0 × wider than long in ventral view; scape short, triangular, directed anteriorly, ~2.5 × wider than long in anterior view; copulatory openings hole-shaped, located on anterior surface; copulatory ducts longer than spermatheca diameter; spermathecae globular, touching each other.

Variation.

Total length: ♂♂ 2.70-2.90; ♀♀ 2.90-3.45.

Distribution.

Vietnam (Ninh Binh and Vinh Phuc provinces).

Figures

Figure 4. Araneus liami sp. nov. A-F female paratype IZCAS-Ar 44147 G, H male holotype A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., anterior view C vulva, anterior view D ibid., posterior view E habitus, dorsal view F ibid., ventral view G ibid., dorsal view H ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D); 1 mm (E-H).

Figure 5. Araneus liami sp. nov., male holotype A left palp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., ventral view D ibid., apical view E tibia of left palp, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 9. Legs of the new species, holotypes, prolateral view A-D Araneus eugenei sp. nov. E-H Araneus ethani sp. nov. I-L Araneus liami sp. nov. A, E, I legs I B, F, J legs II C, G, K legs III D, H, L legs IV. Scale bars: 1 mm.