Allomicythus suochao, Lin & Li, 2023

Lin, YeJie & Li, Shuqiang, 2023, On nine ground spiders from Xishuangbanna, China (Araneae, Gnaphosidae), including two new genera and seven new species, ZooKeys 1174, pp. 141-174 : 141

Allomicythus suochao sp. nov.

Figs 2A-C , 3A, B , 4B, C

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (IZCAS-Ar44431), China, Yunnan: Menglun Town: Xishuangbanna, Tropical Botanical Garden, 21.9033°N, 101.2820° E, ca 608 m, 16-30.IV.2007, Paramichelia baillonii plantation, pitfall traps, Guo Zheng leg. Paratypes: 2♂3♀ (IZCAS-Ar44432-Ar44436), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis.

The male can be distinguished from Allomicythus kamurai Ono, 2009 by the presence of tegular apophysis and conductor (Fig. 2B, C ) [vs absent (Fig. 1B, C )]. The female can be distinguished from A. kamurai by the presence of a pair of lateral pockets of epigyne and spermatheca twice as long as the diameter of the bursa (Fig. 3 ) [vs lateral pocket absent and spermatheca almost as long as the diameter of bursa (see Ono 2009: figs 18, 19)].

Description.

Male holotype (Fig. 4B ). Total length 2.58; carapace 1.19 long, 0.97 wide, opisthosoma 1.32 long, 0.94 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06, AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0, PME-PME 0.04, PME-PLE 0.02, AME-PME 0.06, ALE-PLE 0.01. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row procurved. Chelicerae with three promarginal and one retromarginal teeth. Tarsus and metatarsus in leg I and II with scopula ventrally. Leg measurements: I 2.54 (0.81, 0.97, 0.39, 0.37), II 2.55 (0.79, 0.93, 0.46, 0.37), III 2.23 (0.63, 0.76, 0.49, 0.35), IV 3.22 (0.90, 1.12, 0.74, 0.46). Opisthosoma oval, with dorsal scutum 1/2 the length of the opisthosoma, venter brown. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Palp (Fig. 2A-C ). Tibia almost as long as patella, with a triangular apophysis anteriorly, obtuse, dorsal part lighter in color. Retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) long, slightly curved, almost as long as tibia, terminal folded. Cymbium almost 2 × longer than wide. Subtegulum (ST) almost oval in prolateral view and unobvious in ventral view. Tegulum teardrop-shaped. Sperm duct (SD) with S-shaped turn in retrolateral view. Tegular apophysis (TA) membranous. Conductor (C) almost spherical. Embolus (E) helically twisted, coiled almost 2.5 turns.

Female paratype (IZCAS-Ar44436) (Fig. 4C ). Total length 3.04; carapace 1.30 long, 1.06 wide, opisthosoma 1.51 long, 1.02 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.10, PME 0.09, PLE 0.10, AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.02, AME-PME 0.08, ALE-PLE 0.01. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row procurved Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth. Tarsus and metatarsus in Leg I and II with scopula. Leg measurements: I 2.80 (0.85, 1.07, 0.49, 0.39), II 2.91 (0.94, 1.06, 0.53, 0.38), III 2.51 (0.74, 0.89, 0.47, 0.41), IV 3.36 (0.91, 1.19, 0.76, 0.50). Opisthosoma oval, venter yellow-brown, without scutum. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Epigyne (Fig. 3A, B ). Epigynal plate as long as wide, with pair of lateral pockets (P) medially, the lateral pocket almost triangle shaped. Copulatory openings (CO) obvious, strongly sclerotized. Beginning of copulatory duct with bursa (B), strongly sclerotized, oval, then becoming elongated, coiled twice around the copulatory openings and connect the middle of spermatheca. Spermathecae (S) transversally oval (ratio 1:2). Fertilization ducts (FD) directed at 11 o’clock position from spermathecae.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Etymology.

The species is named after Suo Chao, one of the 108 outlaws in the classical Chinese novel 'Outlaws of the Marsh’; noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 1. Allomicythus kamurai, male A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus, RPO = retro-proximal cymbial outgrowth, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, SD = sperm duct, ST = subtegulum.

Figure 2. Allomicythus suochao sp. nov., holotype male A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor, E = embolus, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, SD = sperm duct, ST = subtegulum, TA = tegular apophysis.

Figure 3. Allomicythus suochao sp. nov., paratype female A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: B = bursa, CD = copulatory duct, CO = copulatory opening, FD = fertilization duct, P = pocket, S = spermatheca.

Figure 4. Allomicythus kamurai (A) and A. suochao sp. nov., habitus (B, C), dorsal view. A male B male holotype C female paratype.