Dicristatus modaoxiensis, Muhammad & Wang & Zhang, 2023

Muhammad, Irfan, Wang, Lu-Yu & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2023, One new genus and nine new species of Linyphiidae spiders from Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Chongqing of China, Zootaxa 5257 (1), pp. 82-114 : 90-92

Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. n. (QHffl¿ȒĦ)

Figures 7–10

Type material. Holotype male: CHINA: Chongqing, Wuxi County, YNR, Guanshan Forest Farm, Modaoxi , 31°31′0.4097″N, 109°44′33.7624″E, elev. 1958 m, 22.IX.2022, L.Y. Wang et al. leg. (SWUC-T-LIN-27-01) . Paratypes (9 males and 7 females): 8 males and 3 females, same data as holotype (SWUC-T-LIN-36-02~12) ; 1 male, YNR, Baiguo Forest Farm, Hongqi Management and Protection Station, 31°31′22.19″N, 109°49′36.80″E, elev. 1194 m, 10.IV.2022, Z.S. Zhang et al. leg. (SWUC-T-LIN-27-13) ; 1 female, YNR, Guanshan Forest Farm, Tianchiba, 31°31′12.31″N, 109°47′5.39″E, elev. 1692 m, 10.IV.2022, Z.S. Zhang et al. leg. (SWUC-T-LIN-27-14) ; 1 female, YNR, Daguan Mountain , Pianyanwu Cave, 31°29′43.32″N, 109°44′13.41″E, elev. 2292 m, 02.IX.2020, Z.S. Zhang et al. leg. (SWUC-T-LIN-27-15) ; 1 female, YNR, Baiguo Forest Farm, Hongqi Management and Protection Station, Qinglongtan, 31°30′49.88″N, 109°49′23.60″E, elev. 1155 m, 02.IX.2020, Z.S. Zhang et al. leg. (SWUC-T-LIN-27-16~17) .

Etymology. This epithet derives from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. n. resembles D. minutus Irfan, Wang & Zhang in having the similar morphology of male palp and epigyne ( Figs 7 A−D, 9A−F; Irfan et al. 2023, figs 9A−D, 10A−E), but can be distinguished by the lower comb-shaped process of dorsal tibial apophysis with six teeth in D. modaoxiensis sp. n. ( Fig. 7B ), vs., with seven teeth in D. minutus ( Irfan et al. 2023, fig. 9B); the upper comb-shaped process of dorsal tibial apophysis with five teeth in D. modaoxiensis sp. n. ( Fig. 7B ), vs., with seven teeth in D. minutus ( Irfan et al. 2023 fig. 9B); anterior radical process oval in retrolateral view in D. modaoxiensis sp. n. ( Fig. 7B ), vs., comma-shaped in D. minutus ( Irfan et al. 2023, fig. 9B). In epigyne, the anterior margin of dorsal plate round in D. modaoxiensis sp. n. ( Fig. 9E ), vs., V-shaped in D. minutus ( Irfan et al. 2023 fig. 10E).

Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 10A ): Total length: 1.65. Carapace 0.77 long, 0.58 wide, yellow, posteriorly lateral margin with grey strip on each side, cephalic region slightly elevated; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct, cephalic lobe and pits absent. Clypeus 0.11 high. Chelicerae with 6 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth. AER straight, PER slightly recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.06, PME 0.07, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.03, AME–PME 0.05, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.24, PLE– PLE 0.27, ALE–PLE 0.01. Length of legs: I 2.41 (0.69, 0.81, 0.53, 0.38), II 2.13 (0.61, 0.72, 0.45, 0.35), III 1.83 (0.52, 0.61, 0.41, 0.29), IV 2.35 (0.68, 0.82, 0.53, 0.32). TmI 0.28. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 1.01 long, 0.59 wide, oval, light grey, mid-dorsally with black patch, ventral side light grey.

Palp (holotype, Figs 7 A−D, 8A, B): Patella short, medially grooved. Tibia with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothrium, retrolateral tibial apophysis absent; dorsal tibial apophysis large, longer than tibia, tongue-shaped in ventral view, retrolateral margin with a row of comb macrosetae, ventrally with a pair of comb-shaped process; lower process with six teeth and upper process with five teeth; cymbial retrobasal process with a small projection, extending retrolaterally, covering basal part of paracymbium, retrolaterally with small triangular projection; paracymbium J-shaped, distal arm tip with an indent; protegulum small; suprategulum with a sharp median tooth on distal suprategular apophysis; distal suprategular apophysis robust, distally bifurcated, completely covering the embolus. Embolic division: tailpiece horse hoof-shaped; anterior radical process oval in retrolateral view, strongly sclerotized, outer surface serrated; embolic membrane reduced, curved with pointed end; embolus black, strongly sclerotized, minute with pointed end, hardly visible on undissected palp.

Female ( Fig. 10B ): Total length: 1.47. Carapace 0.69 long, 0.47 wide, yellow, posteriorly lateral margin with grey strip on each side, cephalic region slightly elevated; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.10 high. Chelicerae with six promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. AER straight, PER slightly recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.05, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.01, PME–PME 0.03, AME–PME 0.06, AME–ALE, 0.02, PME–PLE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.21, PLE–PLE 0.23, ALE–PLE 0.01. Length of legs: I 2 (0.58, 0.66, 0.41, 0.35), II 1.73 (0.49, 0.57, 0.38, 0.29), III 1.53 (0.45, 0.48, 0.33, 0.27), IV 1.98 (0.58, 0.68, 0.44, 0.30). TmI 0.21. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 0.85 long, 0.53 wide, oval, light grey, ventral side light grey.

Epigyne ( Fig. 9 A−F): Epigynal plate wider than long; ventral plate extending posteriorly covering the copulatory ducts, forming broad loop, extending above the epigastric furrow; copulatory openings situated mid-ventrally in inner margin loop of copulatory ducts; dorsal plate heart-shaped, longer than wide, anterior margin round, posterior margin round, with a deep depression at center. Vulva: spermathecae round, antero-laterally positioned, pointing away from each other. Fertilization ducts antero-mesally oriented.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. nov., male holotype, left palp (). A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. nov., male (one of paratypes left palp). A, B Embolic division.

FIGURE 9. Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. nov., female (one of paratypes): A, C, D Epigyne, ventral view, B Epigyne, lateral view, E Vulva, dorsal view F Vulva, anterior view.

FIGURE 10. Dicristatus modaoxiensis sp. nov., male holotype (A), female paratype (SWUC-T-LIN-36-03, B). A, B habitus, dorsal view.