Gea spinipes C.L. Koch, 1843

Mi, Xiaoqi, Liu, Feng, Wang, Cheng, Gan, Jiahui & Wu, Yibei, 2024, Revision of the orb-weaver spider genus Gea C. L. Koch, 1843 (Araneae, Araneidae) from China, ZooKeys 1191, pp. 75-88 : 75

Gea spinipes C.L. Koch, 1843

Figs 3 , 4 , 7E-H , 8

Gea spinipes C.L. Koch 1843: 101, fig. 823; Yin et al. 1989: 67, fig. 7A-C; Chang and Chang 1997: 83, figs 1-4; Yin et al. 1997: 90, fig. 21a-f; Song et al. 1999: 282, fig. 169B-D. (type material not examined).

Materials examined.

China - Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region • 1♂; Beihai City, Yinhai District, Yajishan Forestry Station ; 21°35.37'N, 109°18.41'E; ca 30 m elev.; 12.VIII.2017; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -272 • 1♂; Fangchenggang City, Shangsi County, Shiwandashan National Forestry Park ; 21°53.87'N, 107°54.26'E; ca 370 m elev.; 14.VIII.2017; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -273 • 1♂; Beihai City, Tieshangang District, Xinggang Township , Xiaomatou Village , Caobiaotang ; 21°33.11'N, 109°29.22'E; ca 10 m elev.; 4.XII.2018, X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -275 • 2♀♀; Chongzuo City, Jiangzhou District, Zuozhou Township , Guanghe Village ; 22°34.72'N, 107°24.94'E; ca 160 m elev.; 4.VII.2019; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -276-277 . - Guangdong Province • 1♀; Maoming City, Xinyi City, Dawuling Natural Reseve ; 22°17.05'N, 111°10.87'E; ca 700 m elev.; 2.XII.2018, X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -274 . - Hainan Province • 1♀; Wuzhishan City , A’tuoling; 18°50.17'N, 109°30.61'E; ca 790 m elev.; 9.VIII.2020 X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -278 • 1♀; Wuzhishan City, Shuiman Township, around Yataiyulin Hotel ; 18°54.37'N, 109°40.70'E; ca 750 m elev.; 11.VIII.2020; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -279 • 1♀; Dongfang City, Gancheng Township, Tuotou Village ; 18°50.57'N, 108°50.87'E; ca 110 m elev.; 29.VII.2023; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -280 • 1♂; Dongfang City, Gancheng Township, Tuotou Village , Shi’anlao; 18°50.56′N, 108°50.72′E; ca 110 m elev.; 30.VII.2023; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -281 • 1♂ 1♀; Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Diaoluoshan National Nature Reserve, Popular Science Base ; 18°40.25'N, 109°53.66'E; ca 490 m elev.; 26.VII.2023; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -282-283 • 1♂; Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Diaoluoshan National Nature Reserve, Shidai Village , Heliuling ; 18°47.55'N, 109°44.03'E; ca 610 m elev.; 27.VII.2023; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -284 • 1♂; Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Diaoluoshan National Nature Reserve, Houshan ; 18°43.57'N, 109°52.04'E; ca 930 m elev.; 28.VII.2023; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -285 • 1♂; Changjiang Li Autonomous County, Qicha Township, Bawangling National Nature Reserve , Dongyi Forest Station ; 19°7.23'N, 109°7.64'E; ca 490 m elev.; 3.VIII.2023; X.Q. Mi et al. Leg; TRU- Araneidae -286 • 1♀; Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, Maogan Township, X 124 roadside; 18°39.32'N, 109°32.45'E; ca 530 m elev.; 4.VIII.2023; C. Wang et al. leg; TRU- Araneidae -287 .

Diagnosis.

See the Diagnosis of G. jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan, sp. nov.

Description.

Male (Figs 3J-L , 4 , 7E-H ). Total length 3.25. Carapace 1.95 long, 1.70 wide. Abdomen 1.85 long, 1.20 wide. Clypeus 0.05 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.13, PLE 0.13, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.20, PME-PLE 0.23, MOA length 0.53, anterior width 0.38, posterior width 0.43. Leg measurements: I 8.55 (2.50, 2.60, 2.40, 1.05), II 7.90 (2.35, 2.30, 2.25, 1.00), III 4.65 (1.55, 1.30, 1.15, 0.65), IV 7.20 (2.35, 2.00, 2.00, 0.85). Carapace yellow, with inconspicuous, radial, dark patches; eyes with dark base. Cervical groove inconspicuous; fovea longitudinal. Chelicerae yellow, with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites wider than long, yellow, with very narrow, dark anterior edges. Labium triangular, yellow. Sternum cordiform, yellow, with a white, wedge-shaped patch. Legs yellow to yellowish brown; legs III and IV with dark annuli; femur I with 11 macrosetae; tibia I with 13 macrosetae; tibia II with 13 macrosetae; tibia III with seven macrosetae; tibia IV with 11 macrosetae. Abdomen shield-shaped, ~1.54 × longer than wide; dorsum dark, with two white spots anteriorly. Venter abdomen yellow, with white patches. Spinnerets yellow with gray tip.

Pedipalp (Fig. 4 ): paracybium fingerlike; median apophysis bifurcated, dorsal ramus weaker, ventral ramus extremely long, exceeding length of conductor in prolateral and retrolateral view; embolus stout at base, twisted approximately 360° and tapering into a fine tip; conductor prominent, curled bilaterally.

Female (Fig. 3A-I ). Total length 3.65. Carapace 2.05 long, 1.60 wide. Abdomen 2.40 long, 1.75 wide. Clypeus 0.05 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.08, PME 0.18, PLE 0.18, AME-AME 0.10, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.25, PME-PLE 0.35, MOA length 0.65, anterior width 0.38, posterior width 0.55. Leg measurements: I 6.60 (2.00, 2.05, 1.75, 0.80), II 6.50 (2.05, 2.00, 1.70, 0.75), III 4.05 (1.30, 1.25, 0.95, 0.55), IV 6.30 (2.10, 2.00, 1.60, 0.60). Habitus similar to that of male but with darker patches on thoracic region.

Epigyne (Fig. 4A-F ): ~1.3 × wider than long in ventral view, with a distinct median septum separating two depressions in ventral view; copulatory openings situated on anterolateral edges of depressions; copulatory ducts twisted, a bit longer than spermatheca; spermathecae elongate kidney-shaped, touching or nearly touching at midline.

Variation.

Total length: ♂ 3.25-4.00 (n = 8); ♀ 3.65-6.90 (n = 8). Tip of embolus always broken.

Distribution.

China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan), Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Singapore.

Comment.

Gea spinipes is widely distributed from Pakistan to Indonesia, and shows some differences in epigynal structure of specimens collected from different sites ( Levi 1983: figs 362-370) and that may indicate they are not conspecific. So, further taxonomic study about this species is necessary, especially getting more male specimens from different sites. G. zaragosa described by Barrion and Litsinger (1995) is similar to G. spinipes both in habitus and genitalia structures, but no detailed diagnosis was provided. Judging from the illustrations, G. zaragosa Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 is probably synonymized with the former.

Figures

Figure 3. Gea spinipes C. L. Koch, 1843 A-E, G-I TRU- Araneidae - 274 F TRU- Araneidae - 276 J-L TRU- Araneidae - 272 A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., lateral view C ibid., anterior view D vulva, posterior view E ibid., dorsal view F ibid., dorsal view G, J habitus, dorsal view H, K ibid., ventral view I, L ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-F); 1 mm (G-L). Abbreviations: CD copulatory duct, CO copulatory opening, FD fertilization duct, LP lateral plate, Sp spermatheca.

Figure 4. Gea spinipes C. L. Koch, 1843 A-D TRU- Araneidae - 272 E TRU- Araneidae - 279 A pedipalp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., ventral view D ibid., apical view E part of pedipalp (show the unbroken tip of embolus), prolateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: C conductor, E embolus, MA median apophysis.

Figure 7. Legs of Gea spp., prolateral view (some macroseta fell out from the original positions) A-D Gea jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan, sp. nov. holotype E-H Gea spinipes C. L. Koch, 1843 TRU- Araneidae - 272 I-L Gea subarmata Thorell, 1890 TRU- Araneidae - 288 A, E, I legs I B, F, J legs II C, G, K legs III D, H, L legs IV. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 8. Distribution in China of the examined specimens.