Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, 2024

Lin, Yejie, Li, Shuqiang, Mo, Haolin & Wang, Xihao, 2024, Thirty-eight spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from China, Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam, Zoological Systematics 49 (1), pp. 4-98 : 33-37

Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li , sp. nov. ( Figs 26–29 )

Etymology. The species is named after the short form of Sichuan Cave Exploration Team (SiCET); noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of the new species is similar to that of S. hei Yu & Lin, 2023 by the ventrally directed terminal apophysis and the presence of an embolic base outgrowth, but it can be distinguished by the having only 1 process of conductor (vs. 3), and the distal process of paracymbium 1 is as long as the distal process of paracymbium 2 (vs. shorter).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 2.70, carapace 1.10 long, 0.98 wide, opisthosoma 1.64 long, 1.13 wide. Eyes absent. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 10.40 (2.96, 3.24, 2.92, 1.28), II 8.44 (2.52, 2.72, 2.08, 1.12), III 6.68 (2.04, 2.08, 1.72, 0.84), IV 8.52 (2.64, 2.68, 2.10, 1.10).

Coloration ( Fig. 28A ). Carapace white, with sparse setae. Chelicerae yellow. Endites and labium white. Sternum white. Legs white with black setae. Opisthosoma oval, gray, covered black setae, without any pattern. Spinnerets white.

Palp ( Fig. 26 ). Paracymbium long, with 3 apophyses. Ventral apophysis shorter than distal process 1, triangular. Distal processes heavily sclerotized, distal process 1 slender, almost as long as distal process 2. Distal process 2 tip triangular. Conductor complex, with a heavily sclerotized basal apophysis. Terminal apophysis protruding ventrally. Embolic base outgrowth greatly expanded, directed ventrally. Embolus filiform, arising on retrolateral flank (approximately 3:00-o’clock-position), surrounding base of bulb, terminating at approximately 11:00-o’clock-position.

Female (paratype Ar44822). Total length 2.33, carapace 1.23 long, 0.97 wide, opisthosoma 1.82 long, 1.12 wide. Eye absent. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 9.73 (2.97, 3.16, 2.45, 1.15), II 7.68 (2.30, 2.42, 1.94, 0.98), III 5.81 (1.94, 1.71, 1.42, 0.74), IV 7.29 (2.28, 2.47, 1.70, 0.84) .

Coloration ( Fig. 28B ). Habitus similar to that of male except darker.

Epigyne ( Fig. 27 ). Epigynal plate simple, disc shaped, scape indistinct; lateral and posterior margins indistinct. Median plate short, slightly protruding, hexagonal. Copulatory openings indistinct, slit like, located on the anterior margin of cleft situated on posterior margin of epigynal plate. Middle of copulatory ducts round, expanded, separated from each other by half of their diameter. Spermathecae oval, separated by twice their length.

Material examined. Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar44821), China: Sichuan, Chengdu City, Pengzhou City , Bailu Town , Lianhua Cave (31.1828°N, 103.9357°E, elev. 1079 m), 1.X.2023, Yejie Lin and Jincheng Liu leg. Paratype. 1♀ (IZCASAr44822), same data as holotype .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 26. Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, sp. nov., holotype male. A. Left palp, ventral view; B. Same, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C—conductor; CP—processes of the conductor; Dp—distal processes of the paracymbium; E—embolus; EB—embolic base; EO— embolic base outgrowth; P—paracymbium; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TmA—terminal apophysis; VA—ventral apophysis of the paracymbium. Scale bars=0.2mm.

Figure 27. Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, sp. nov., paratype female. A. Epigyne, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Same, posterior view. Abbreviations: CD—copulatory duct; CO—copulatory opening; MP—median plate; S—spermatheca. Scale bars=0.1mm.

Figure 28. Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, sp. nov., dorsal view, habitus.A. Holotype male; B. Paratype female. Scale bars=0.3mm.

Figure 29. Speleoticus sicet Lin & Li, sp. nov., female, alive. Photo by Li He.