Clubiona tongi, Yu & Li, 2019

Yu, Hao & Li, Shuqiang, 2019, On further species of the spider genus Clubiona Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Clubionidae) from Xishuangbanna Rainforest, southwestern China, Zootaxa 4679 (2), pp. 201-230 : 212-215

Clubiona tongi sp. nov.

Figs 9–10

Type material. Holotype: ♂ ( IZCAS Ar 34705), CHINA: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town , Menglun Nature Reserve , Garbage dump, Secondary tropical forest (N21º54.380', E101º16.815', 627 m), 23 November 2009, leg. G. Tang and Z.Y. Yao (Tang-Yao_No.21) . Paratypes: CHINA: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town , Menglun Nature Reserve , 1 ♂, 2♀ ( IZCAS Ar 34706–34708), G213 roadside, Bamboo plantation (N21º53.622', E101º16.955', 581 m), 26 November 2009, leg. G. Tang and Z.Y. Yao (Tang- Yao_No.27) .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronymic in honor of Dr. Tong, Yanfeng for his contribution on the taxonomy of Chinese spiders; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Clubiona tongi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from other members of the C. hystrix-group , with the exception of C. theoblicki Yu & Li, 2019 ( Yu & Li 2019a: 161, figs 7A–E; 8A–H; Yu & Li 2019b: 40) by the distinctly long embolus, the retrolateral tibial apophysis with a spine-like tip, and the distinctly long and convoluted copulatory ducts. It differs from C. theoblicki by: (1) the tegular hump with a blunt and semicircular tip, resembling a wave crest in ventral view ( Fig. 9D ) (tegular hump nearly quadrate in C. theoblicki ); (2) the more or less lengthwise epigynal ridges ( Figs 10 A–B) (vs. the diagonal ridges in C. theoblicki ); (3) the anterior part of the copulatory ducts represented by two transversal loops ( Figs 10 C–D) (forming two longitudinal loops in C. theoblicki ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 3.18; prosoma 1.60 long, 1.02 wide; opisthosoma 1.60 long, 0.98 wide. Prosoma ( Figs 10 E–F), oval, pars cephalica slightly narrowed, widest between coxae II and III, in profile slightly higher just behind ocular region, gradually sloping posteriorly; integument smooth, clothed with short fine hairs. Carapace light orange, without distinct color pattern; longitudinal fovea reddish. Chelicerae coloured as carapace, with six promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Labium and endites light orange, longer than wide. Sternum yellowish. Eyes: both anterior and posterior eye rows slightly recurved in dorsal view; AME dark, other eyes light; with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.12, ALE 0.10, PME 0.12, PLE 0.11, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.07, MOQL 0.13, MOQA 0.13, MOQP 0.25. Legs yellowish, without distinct color marking. Leg formula: IV, II, I, III; leg measurements: I 3.15 (0.91, 1.30, 0.56, 0.38), II 3.35 (0.98, 1.32, 0.63, 0.42), III 3.03 (0.92, 0.97, 0.79, 0.35), IV 4.68 (1.40, 1.54, 1.25, 0.50). Opisthosoma ( Figs 10 E–F) elongate-oval, dorsally yellowish-white with a pair of muscular depressions; with conspicuous anterior hair tufts; venter and spinnerets light yellow. Palp ( Figs 9 A–E): tibia short, only with retrolateral apophysis, RTA small, with a rhomboid base and a spine-like tip; genital bulb elongated, with relatively flat tegulum, sperm duct distinctive, Vshaped; tegulum distinctly longer than wide, apex with a semicircular tegular hump, base with a papilliform flange; embolus distinctly long, slender, basal portion wide, inserted prolaterally (approximately ten o’clock relative of tegulum), aligned clockwise along the tegular distal margin, apex filiform, terminated at approximately five o’clock position relative to tegulum.

Female (paratype IZCAS Ar 34707): Total length 3.43; prosoma 1.51 long, 1.04 wide; opisthosoma 1.80 long, 0.96 wide. Not strikingly different from males but darker in color ( Figs 10 G–H). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.10, PME 0.10, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.08, MOQL 0.15, MOQA 0.14, MOQP 0.27. Legs yellowish, without distinct color marking. Leg formula: IV, II, I, III; leg measurements: I 2.57 (0.78, 1.03, 0.52, 0.25), II 2.64 (0.78, 1.05, 0.47, 0.35), III 2.41 (0.77, 0.80, 0.55, 0.30), IV 4.18 (1.41, 1.33, 1.05, 0.39). Epigyne ( Figs 10 A–D): Epigynal plate slightly longer than wide, through which spermathecae and copulatory ducts well visible, posterior margin not rebordered; atrium absent; two copulatory openings small, contiguous, situated at medial portion of epigynal plate posterior margin, hidden in two lengthwise ridges in ventral view; copulatory ducts strongly entwined, ascending dorsally and expanding laterally two times, respectively, forming two horizontal loops and then connected to lateral spermathecae; both spermathecae and bursae globular, the former anteriad and smaller than the latter; bursae translucent with smooth surface; fertilization ducts acicular, membranous, located on dorsal-basal surface of spermathecae.

Distribution. Presently known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Clubiona tongi sp. nov., male holotype: A–B, left palp (A prolateral view; B retrolateral view); C–E, left palpal bulb (C prolateral view; D ventral view; E retrolateral view). Abbreviatures: E, embolus; EB, embolic base; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; TH, tegular hump. Scale bars: 0.10 mm (A–B, C–E in the same scale).

FIGURE 10. Clubiona tongi sp. nov., male holotype (E–F) and female paratype (A–D, G–H): A–B, epigyne, ventral view (A uncleared; B cleared); C–D, vulva, dorsal view (C cleared; D cleared and embedded in Arabic gum); E–H, habitus (E, G dorsal view; F lateral view; H ventral view). Abbreviatures: BS, bursa; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory opening; FD, fertilization duct; R, epigynal ridge; SP, spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.10 mm (A–D in the same scale); 1 mm (E–F, G–H in the same scale).