Mekonglema kaorao Zhao & Li, 2020

Zhao, Huifeng, Li, Shuqiang & Zhang, Aibing, 2020, Taxonomic revision of Telemidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from East and Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 933, pp. 15-93 : 15

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.933.38653

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AE87B5CF-9728-466B-AB05-6BFFFED802D4

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F2C24399-518A-4CDB-B1DF-3EEF3EEC1E99

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:F2C24399-518A-4CDB-B1DF-3EEF3EEC1E99

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Mekonglema kaorao Zhao & Li
status

sp. nov.

Mekonglema kaorao Zhao & Li sp. nov. Figures 14 View Figure 14 , 15 View Figure 15 , 33 View Figure 33

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (SMF), Laos, Luang Prabang Province, Vieng Phoukha town, Ban Nam Eng, Kao Rao Cave, 20.7251N, 101.1541E, elevation ca. 729 m, P. Jäger leg. Paratype: 1♀ (SMF), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The species name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

This species resembles M. walayaku sp. nov. but can be distinguished by the following characters: the bulb is nearly globular (Fig. 14C, D View Figure 14 ) (vs. ellipsoidal), the tip of the embolus is not sclerotized (Fig. 14B View Figure 14 ) (vs. well sclerotized). The tip of receptacle is 1.50 times wider than the neck (Fig. 15A View Figure 15 ) (vs. three times).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 1.13. Carapace 0.49 long, 0.44 wide. Abdomen 0.58 long, 0.45 wide. Carapace brown (Fig. 14A View Figure 14 ). Six vestigial eyes (Fig. 14A View Figure 14 ). Chelicerae, legs, labium, and endites light brown. Sternum bright brown with sparse setae. Leg measurements: I 3.06 (0.80, 0.18, 0.98, 0.62, 0.48); II 2.84 (0.85, 0.17, 0.84, 0.53, 0.45); III 2.06 (0.63, 0.15, 0.56, 0.37, 0.35); IV 2.73 (0.81, 0.15, 0.81, 0.56, 0.40). Abdomen light brown (Fig. 14A View Figure 14 ).

Palp. Tibia 2.71 times longer than patella, cymbium 1.65 times longer than tibia, length of cymbial apophysis as wide as cymbial base (Fig. 14C View Figure 14 ); bulb nearly globular (Fig. 14C, D View Figure 14 ); embolus 2/3 as long as cymbium, directed dorsally (Fig. 14C, D View Figure 14 ).

Female. Total length 1.18. Carapace 0.46 long, 0.45 wide. Abdomen 0.65 long, 0.52 wide. Eyes vestigial (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ). Coloration as in male (Fig. 15B, C View Figure 15 ). Leg measurements: I 2.95 (0.88, 0.18, 0.88, 0.56, 0.45); II 2.62 (0.79, 0.17, 0.75, 0.50, 0.41); III 1.92 (0.59, 0.14, 0.53, 0.34, 0.32); IV 2.62 (0.79, 0.15, 0.75, 0.53, 0.40). Abdomen grey. Receptacle membranous, without tubes inside, neck 1.50 times thinner than tip (Fig. 15A View Figure 15 ).

Distribution.

Laos (Luang Prabang, site 3 in Fig. 33 View Figure 33 ), known only from the type locality.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Order

Araneae

Family

Telemidae

Genus

Mekonglema