Araneus conexus, Liu, Ping, Irfan, Muhammad, Yang, Su-Fang & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2019

Liu, Ping, Irfan, Muhammad, Yang, Su-Fang & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2019, Two new species of Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) and first description of A. wulongensis male from China, ZooKeys 886, pp. 61-77 : 61

Araneus conexus sp. nov. Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 12

Type material.

Holotype, ♂, China, Yunnan Province: Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village: Longtang River, papaya orchard, 25.75720N, 98.69459E, 2078 m, 16.05.2006, X. J. Peng, X.P. Wang and P. Hu leg. (Peng060516). Paratypes: 1♂ 2♀, same data as holotype (Peng060516); 4♂ 3♀, Dahe Ridge, 25.42018N, 98.40946E, 1878 m, 19.05.2006, X.J. Peng, X.P. Wang and P. Hu leg. (Peng060519); 1♂ 2♀, Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve, 24.82886N, 98.75917E, 2010 m, 26.05.2005, H.M. Yan leg. (GKJ026); 2♀, Longyang District, Bawan Village, Nankang Valley, 24.82587N, 98.76832E, 2148 m, 26.05.2005, K.J. Guo leg. (GKJ027).

Etymology.

The specific name from Latin adjective conexus (joined together), referring to the abdominal humps joined together in female.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles A. stella (Karsch, 1879) ( Tanikawa 2009: figs 218, 219; Kim and Lee 2012: fig. 18), but can be distinguished by: 1) median apophysis with a spur and 4-6 teeth in A. conexus sp. nov. vs with 2 large teeth in A. stella ; 2) subterminal apophysis longer than wide, with blunt tip in A. conexus sp. nov. vs almost as long as wide, with pointed tip in A. stella ; 3) terminal apophysis almost parallel to the embolus and subterminal apophysis in prolateral view in A. conexus sp. nov. vs almost perpendicular, tip overlapping the conductor in A. stella ; 4) distal part of embolus hook-shaped in A. conexus sp. nov. vs straight in A. stella ; 5) scape almost as long as epigyne in A. conexus sp. nov. vs about 2 times longer than epigyne in A. stella ; 6) abdomen with a pair of humps at the anterior part, almost merged with each other in A. conexus sp. nov. vs humps not merged and located at the lateral sides in A. stella . The female of new species resembles A. bicavus Zhu & Wang, 1994 ( Yin et al. 1997: fig. 77), but can be distinguished by: 1) the abdomen with a pair of large humps at the anterior part, almost merged with each other in A. conexus sp. nov. vs small humps not merged and located at the lateral sides in A. bicavus ; 2) the epigyne with a depression positioned vertically on each side of the scape in A. conexus sp. nov. vs with a circular depression in A. bicavus . The female also resembles A. boesenbergi (Fox, 1938) ( Yin et al. 1997: fig. 79), but can be distinguished by: furrow of epigynal plate semicircular in A. conexus sp. nov. vs almost circular in A. boesenbergi .

Description.

Male (holotype) ( Fig. 1 A–C ): total length 3.04. Carapace 1.62 long, 1.30 wide, yellow; fovea, cervical, and radial grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08; ALE 0.09; PME 0.10; PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.06; AME–ALE 0.23; PME–PME 0.14; PME–PLE 0.24; MOL 0.24; MOA 0.23; MOP 0.27. Sternum yellowish brown, with transverse light band anteriorly. Chelicerae yellow. Endites yellow, distal end pale. Labium brown, distal part pale yellow. Legs yellow, with dark-brown annuli. Tibia I slightly curved, with several strong spines: 3d, 1v, 7p, 1r; tibia II spines: 3d, 3v, 6p, 1r. Leg lengths: I, 6.54 (1.86, 2.25, 1.51, 0.92); II, 5.21 (1.56, 1.77, 1.28, 0.60); III, 3.04 (1.03, 1.02, 0.60, 0.39); IV, 4.22 (1.33, 1.44, 0.98, 0.47). Abdomen 2.63 long, 1.30 wide, oval, dorsum grayish yellow, anterior part dark and slightly bulged in the middle, posterior part with 4 dark transverse bands, 4 pairs of sigillae; ventral side with a longitudinal brown band, lateral sides grayish yellow. Spinnerets yellowish brown.

Palp ( Figs 2 , 3 ). Patella with 2 macrosetae. Tibia wider than long, ventral side bulging in prolateral view. Tegulum slightly grooved ventrally. Median apophysis with a prolateral spur, with 1 large and 3-5 small retrolateral teeth. Conductor membranous, gear lever-shaped, with swollen tip ( Fig. 3A, B ). Subterminal apophysis sclerotized, longer than wide, terminal margin with several teeth. Terminal apophysis sword-shaped, with pointed tip. Embolus longer than wide, tip hooked, directed anti-clockwise; embolic lamella membranous, finger-shaped in ventral view, distally grooved ( Fig. 3 ).

Female (allotype) ( Fig. 1 C–F ): total length 4.42. Carapace 1.79 long, 1.65 wide, yellowish brown; cervical and radial groves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.07; ALE, 0.08; PME, 0.10; PLE, 0.07; AME–AME, 0.12; AME–ALE, 0.35; PME–PME, 0.12; PME–PLE, 0.29; MOL, 0.26; MOA, 0.26; MOP, 0.30. Sternum dark brown with transverse light band anteriorly. Chelicerae dark brown. Endites brown, distal end pale. Labium brown, distal third part pale yellow. Legs yellow, annuli indistinct. Tibia I straight with few spines: 2d, 2p, 1r; tibia II: 2d, 2r. Leg lengths: I, 5.45 (1.68, 1.99, 1.20, 0.58); II, 4.70 (1.50, 1.65, 1.02, 0.53); III, 2.89 (0.92, 0.98, 0.59, 0.40); IV, 4.26 (1.33, 1.45, 1.00, 0.48). Abdomen 3.70 long, 2.67 wide, with 2 anterior humps, almost merged with each other, paler and all other morphological pattern similar to the male.

Epigyne ( Fig. 4 ). Epigyne wider than long; scape almost straight, tip slightly curved ventrally; lateral plates longer than wide, expanded laterally in ventral view; median plate longer than wide, tongue-shaped, grooved posteriorly; basal lamellae absent. Copulatory openings facing ventrally, in the slit between median and lateral plates. Copulatory ducts inconspicuous. Spermathecae oval.

Variation (paratype male and female from GKJ026) ( Fig. 5 ): abdomen with a pair of large dark lateral spots, and pair of herringbones spots in the middle area of dorsum. The structure of copulatory organs as in holotype and paratypes of Peng060516.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 1. Araneus conexus sp. nov., male (holotype, A-C); female (paratype collected together with the holotype, D-G). A, D habitus, dorsal view B, F habitus, ventral view E habitus, lateral view C, G leg I and II, prolateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 2. Araneus conexus sp. nov., male holotype palp A, D prolateral view B, E ventral view C, F median apophysis. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; STA = subterminal apophysis; TA = terminal apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 3. Araneus conexus sp. nov., male (paratype palp expanded A, B; endaparatus C-E) A-C prolateral view D lateral view E ventral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; EL = embolic lamella; MA = median apophysis; STA = subterminal apophysis; TA = terminal apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 4. Araneus conexus sp. nov., female (epigyne, A-D) A, B ventral view C, D posterior view. Abbreviations: CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; LP = lateral plate; MP = median plate; S = scape; SP = spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 5. Araneus conexus sp. nov., male (paratype, A, C GKJ 026); female (paratype, B, D GKJ 026) A, B habitus, dorsal view C palp, prolaterior view D epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C, D).

Figure 12. Collection localities for Araneus conexus sp. nov., Araneus digitatus sp. nov., and Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992 in China.