Acanoides beijingensis, Sun, Ning, Marusik, Yuri M. & Tu, Lihong, 2014

Sun, Ning, Marusik, Yuri M. & Tu, Lihong, 2014, Acanoides gen. n., a new spider genus from China with a note on the taxonomic status of Acanthoneta Eskov & Marusik, 1992 (Araneae, Linyphiidae, Micronetinae), ZooKeys 375, pp. 75-99 : 82-84

Acanoides beijingensis sp. n. Figs 1 A–C, 2, 4

Type-locality.

China, Beijing: Mt. Yangtaishan, 39°20.15'N, 115°34.52'E, alt. ca 320m, 15 Oct. 2007, L. Tu leg.

Type-specimens.

Holotype, ♂ (CNU), China, Beijing, Mt. Yangtaishan, 39°20.15'N, 115°34.52'E, alt. ca 320 m, 15 Oct. 2007, L. Tu leg. Paratypes, 2 ♂♂ and 3 ♀♀ (CNU), same data as holotype.

Additional material examined.

1 ♂ and 2 ♀♀ (CNU), China, Hebei Province, Mt. Wulingshan, 40°33.61'N, 117°29.69'E, alt. ca 1100 m, 12 Aug. 2009, L. Tu leg.

Diagnosis.

The male of Acanoides beijingensis sp. n. can be distinguished from Acanoides hengshanensis by the spine-shaped lamella characteristica (Figs 2D, 4C), ribbon-like in the latter (Figs 3D, 5C); by the hook-shaped terminal apophysis (Fig. 4C), straight in the latter (Fig. 5D); and by the presence of a distal suprategular apophysis (Fig. 4A), absent in the latter. The female is distinct by having the epigynum two times longer than wide (Fig. 2F), shorter than wide in Acanoides hengshanensis (Fig. 3F); and by the presence of a remnant epigynal cavity (Fig. 2G), totally absent in Acanoides hengshanensis (Fig. 3G).

Description.

Male holotype (Fig. 1A, C): Total length 2.69. Carapace 1.22 long, 1.01 wide. Abdomen 1.39 long, 0.88 wide. Lengths of legs: I 3.88 (1.05 + 1.18 + 0.99 + 0.66); II 3.02 (1.03 + 0.73 + 0.69 + 0.57); III 2.66 (0.87 + 0.88 + 0.51 + 0.40); IV 3.78 (1.12 + 1.09 + 0.93 + 0.64). Female (Fig. 1B): Total length 2.12. Carapace 0.93 long, 0.78 wide. Abdomen 1.25 long, 0.83 wide. Lengths of legs: I 6.10 (1.68 + 2.04 + 1.43 + 0.95); II 5.43 (1.56 + 1.74 + 1.24 + 0.89); III 4.39 (1.24 + 1.13 + 1.10 + 0.75); IV 5.88 (1.79 + 1.78 + 1.46 + 0.83). Tm I: 0.20. For other somatic features see description of the genus.

Male palp (Figs 2 A–C, 4 A–B). Cymbium with proximal apophysis. Paracymbium narrow, half rounded lateral tooth strongly sclerotized. Distal suprategular apophysis blunt, not modified as pit hook. Embolic division: radix long and narrow; Fickert’s gland located in the membranous area connecting radix and embolus; embolus main body short and wide, strongly sclerotized, with serrated area on ventral surface; embolus proper sharp with pointed thumb and tail-like apex at each side; unbranched lamella characteristica long and slender, with sharp and strongly sclerotized apex; terminal apophysis hook-shaped with distal membrane.

Epigynum (Figs 2 F–H, 4 G–H). Two times longer than wide, wrinkled basal part extensible and ventrally folded in constricted state. Median plate and epigynal cavity present, without scape and stretcher. Copulatory openings opened dorsally.

Etymology.

The species name refers to the type locality.

Variation.

Males (n = 3). Total length 2.61-2.73. Carapace: 1.13-1.27 long, 0.95-1.05 wide. Abdomen 1.34-1.45 long, 0.71-0.99 wide.

Females (n = 3). Total length 2.10-2.23. Carapace: 0.90-0.96 long, 0.74-0.78 wide. Abdomen: 1.10-1.38 long, 0.79-0.88 wide.

Distribution.

China (Beijing, Hebei) (Fig. 7).

Remarks.

Although Acanoides beijingensis sp. n. looks quite different from Acanoides hengshanensis in the shape of the male paracymbium and in terms of female epigynal morphology, the strongly sclerotized embolus main body and the sharp embolus proper, the location of Fickert’s gland, the presence of a ventrally folded extensive area of the epigynal basal part and the absence of a scape and stretcher, shared by the two species suggest they are closely related. A close relationship between the two species is additionally supported by the phylogenetic analysis (Appendix - Fig. S1).