Gea jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan, 2024

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 jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 7A-D , 8

Type materials.

Holotype: China • ♂; Yunnan Province, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Jingdong Yi Autonomous County, Jinping Township, Yubishan Park; 24°27.01'N, 101°49.53'E; ca 1270 m elev.; 16.VIII.2015; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU- Araneidae -268. Paratypes: 3♀♀; same data as for holotype; TRU- Araneidae -269-271.

Etymology.

The specific name is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles G. spinipes in appearance and genitalia structures, but it can be distinguished as follows: 1) median apophysis not exceeding the conductor in prolateral view and retrolateral view (Fig. 2A, B ) vs exceeding the conductor (Fig. 4A, B ); 2) visible part of embolus curled about 90° in ventral view (Fig. 2C ) vs about 180° (Fig. 4C ); 3) conductor shorter, extending ventrally and not exceeding prolateral margin of pedipalp in ventral view (Fig. 2C ) vs longer, extending ventro-prolaterally and the tip exceeding the prolateral margin of pedipalp (Fig. 4C ); 4) copulatory openings situated on inner edges of the depressions (Fig. 1A ) vs on anterior lateral edges (Fig. 3A ); 5) lateral epigynal plates not covering the anterior rim in lateral view (Fig. 1B ) vs covering the anterior rim (Fig. 3B ); and 6) female carapace lacking dark brown patches (Fig. 1E, G ) vs having dark brown patches (Fig. 3G, I ).

Description.

Male (holotype, Figs 1H-J , 2 , 7A-D ). Total length 3.80. Carapace 2.25 long, 1.90 wide. Abdomen 1.90 long, 1.45 wide. Clypeus 0.05 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.08, PME 0.15, PLE 0.15, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.20, PME-PLE 0.18, MOA length 0.53, anterior width 0.38, posterior width 0.45. Leg measurements: I 8.85 (2.75, 2.65, 2.40, 1.05), II 8.35 (2.60, 2.45, 2.30, 1.00), III 4.55 (1.55, 1.30, 1.10, 0.60), IV 7.05 (2.35, 2.00, 1.90, 0.80). Carapace yellow, with inconspicuous gray patches in thoracic region; base of eyes black. 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 wedge-shaped white patch posteriorly. Legs yellow to yellowish brown, with inconspicuous annuli; femur I with 12 macrosetae; tibia I with 12 macrosetae; tibia II with seven macrosetae; tibia III with seven macrosetae; tibia IV with seven macrosetae. Abdomen shield-shaped, ~1.31 × longer than wide, grayish yellow, dorsal with a pair of dark brown patches anterolaterally and a dark brown folium posteriorly. Venter abdomen yellow with gray patches. Spinnerets yellow with gray tip.

Pedipalp (Fig. 2 ): paracybium fingerlike; median apophysis bifurcated; dorsal ramus weaker than the ventral one; embolus thick at base, twisted and tapered into a fine tip; conductor membranous, curled, about 2 × longer than wide in retrolateral view.

Female (paratype TRU- Araneidae -269, Fig. 1A-G ). Total length 5.05. Carapace 2.35 long, 2.00 wide. Abdomen 3.00 long, 2.35 wide. Clypeus 0.08 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.08, PME 0.18, PLE 0.18, AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.33, PME-PLE 0.35, MOA length 0.58, anterior width 0.43, posterior width 0.65. Leg measurements: I 8.45 (2.45, 2.80, 2.20, 1.00), II 8.35 (2.45, 2.75, 2.15, 1.00), III 5.10 (1.65, 1.60, 1.15, 0.70), IV 8.00 (2.60, 2.55, 2.00, 0.85). Habitus similar to that of male, but abdomen with a pair of low anterolateral humps and sternum with a throughout paler patch.

Epigyne (Fig. 1A-D ): ~1.36 × wider than long in ventral view, with a distinct median septum separating two depressions; copulatory openings situated on inner edges of the depressions; copulatory ducts widest at the beginning part, a bit longer than spermatheca; spermathecae almost S-shaped in dorsal view, not touching.

Variation.

Total length: ♀ 5.05-6.70 (n = 3).

Distribution.

China (Yunnan).

Figures

Figure 1. Gea jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan, sp. nov. A-G female paratype TRU- Araneidae - 269 H-J male holotype A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., lateral view C vulva, posterior view D ibid., dorsal view E, H habitus, dorsal view F, I ibid., ventral view G, J ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D); 1 mm (E-J). Abbreviations: CD copulatory duct, CO copulatory opening, FD fertilization duct, LP lateral plate, Sp spermatheca.

Figure 2. Gea jingdong Mi, Wang & Gan, sp. nov. male holotype A pedipalp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., ventral view D ibid., apical view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: C conductor, E embolus, MA median apophysis.

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.