Hongkongia Song et Zhu, 1998

Zhang, Feng, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Tso, I-Min, 2009, Review of the genus Hongkongia (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from China, Zootaxa 2164, pp. 61-68 : 62-63

Hongkongia Song et Zhu, 1998

Hongkongia Song et Zhu, 1998: 104 ; Deeleman-Reinhold 2001: 517. Type species: H. wuae Song et Zhu, 1998 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Species of Hongkongia are distinct from species of other genera in the Echemus group by the structure of the epigyne and palpal organs. Palpal tibia with a retrolateral apophysis and a strong dorsal spine; tegulum semicircular, usually with three distinctive outgrowths: the long ribbon-shaped embolus originating from the tegulum basally, encircling along the tegulum prolaterally, then tip extending into the conductor or free; the conductor projecting conspicuously sideways, with a single coil or with a spinous process near the apex; the tegular apophysis small thorn-shaped or short thumb-shaped (only a blunt, small apophysis in H. songi ), sometimes concealed behind the middle part of embolus ( H. wuae ). Epigyne with anterior hood, copulatory openings centrally; vulva with sclerotized ducts, spermathecae posteriorly placed and thin-walled, ball-shaped, nearly touching at midline.

This genus is similar to Megamyrmaekion Wider, 1834 in the shape of body and the length of spinnerets, but distingished by: (1) distance PME–PME wider than PME–PLE, while in the latter distance PME–PME about the same as PME–PLE; (2) chelicerae usually with three promarginal teeth, and one small retromarginal tooth, while in the latter promargin with two teeth and retromargin without teeth; (3) labium about as long as wide, and half length of the endite, while in the latter labium longer than wide, and extending beyond half length of the endite; (4) anterior spinnerets with 6 or 7 pirifirm spigots, forming circle, while in the latter with 6 pirifirm spigots, forming semicircle; (5) without dorsal scutum in the male abdomen; (6) conductor larger and longer, often reaching the apex of alveolus.

Description. Total length 4.00–7.00. Carapace yellow orange; elongate oval in dorsal view, anterior margin narrowed and truncated, posterior margin somewhat concave, widest at coxae II and III, with some erect, slender, black setae. Cervical groove indistinct, radial striae dark gray; fovea deep, longitudinal, dark line-shaped. From above, AER nearly straight, PER strongly procurved and almost as wide as AER; from front, both eye rows procurved; AME circular, dark, PME diagonally rectangular, light, usually largest, ALE and PLE oval, light. AME separated from each other by roughly their diameter or less, from ALE by less than half their width; PME separated from each other by roughly their diameter, from PLE by roughly their radius or less; MOA usually slightly longer than wide, wider in front than in back. Clypeal height almost equal to AME diameter. Chelicerae usually with three promarginal teeth and a cluster of long, curved hairs; retromargin with one small tooth. Endites light brown, longer than wide, rectangular, obliquely depressed, anterior edge with clearly visible serrula and median scopula. Labium as long as wide, anteriorly truncated even sometimes with a median shallow concavity and several macrosetae. Sternum faintly yellow, heartshaped, with strongly rebordered, sinuous margins, truncate at front, posterior margin not extending between coxae IV. Legs light brown, trochanters III and IV with shallow notch, metatarsi III and IV with apical ventral brush, tarsal claw tufts thin. Typical leg spination pattern (only surfaces bearing spines listed): femora: I, II d1-1-0, p0-0-1; III, IV d1-1-1, p0-1-1, r0-1-1; patellae: III, IV p0-1-0, r0-1-0; tibiae: I, II v1-2 -0, III d1-0-0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-2 -2; IV d1-0-1, p1-1-1, r 1-1-1, v2-2 -2; metatarsi: I, II v2-2 -0; III, IV d2-2-2, p0-1-1, r 0-1- 1, v2-2 -2. Leg formula: 4123. Abdomen light gray, cluster of curved setae at anterior end, central part with two or three pairs of muscle impressions. Anterior spinnerets elongated, about 1/4 of abdomen length, separated at base by their width.

Male palp: tibia short, about as long as wide, with a retrolateral apophysis, a strong dorsal spine (in type species also with a small tapering dorsal apophysis). Tegulum semicircular, usually with three distinctive outgrowths: the long ribbon-shaped embolus originating from the tegulum basally, encircling along the semicircular tegulum prolaterally, then S-shaped with single tip, or tip extending into the conductor, or embolus becoming two-tipped; the conductor hinged with tegulum, projecting conspicuously sideways, with a single coil or with a spinous process near the apex; the tegular apophysis small thorn-shaped or short thumbshaped (only a blunt, small apophysis in H. songi ), sometimes concealed by the middle part of embolus, for example in H. wuae . Epigyne with rectangular convex hairy plate, anterior hood arch-shaped or slightly Mshaped, the very small copulatory openings centrally; vulva with heavily sclerotized ducts, and spermathecae posteriorly placed, thin-walled, ball-shaped, nearly touching at midline; fertilization ducts arising from the inner margin of the spermathecae.

Composition. Four species (including the new species reported here), all distributed in Southeast Asia and China (Yunnan, Taiwan and Hongkong).