Qiongthela qiongzhong, Yu & Liu & Zhang & Wang & Li & Xu, 2020

Yu, Li, Liu, Fengxiang, Zhang, Zengtao, Wang, Yan, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2020, Four new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Qiongthela from Hainan Island, China (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae), ZooKeys 911, pp. 51-66 : 51

Qiongthela qiongzhong sp. nov. Figure 3

Type material.

Holotype: CHINA · 1 ♂; Hainan Province, Qiongzhong County, Yinggen Town, Chaocan Village; 19.08°N, 109.74°E; alt. 440 m; 15 August 2017; D. Li, F.X. Liu and X. Xu leg.; XUX-2017-156 (matured on 6 November 2017 at HNU). Paratypes: CHINA · 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2017-159, 161 (♂ matured on 6 November 2017 at HNU), XUX-2017-163 (♀ matured on 3 June 2018 at HNU), XUX-2017-158 · 6 ♂♂; Hainan Province, Qiongzhong County, Yinggen Town, Nabai Village; 19.03°N, 109.76°E; alt. 320 m; 14 August 2017; D. Li, F.X. Liu and X. Xu leg.; XUX-2017-148, 151, 154 (matured on 6 November 2017 at HNU), XUX-2017-149, 155 (matured on 10 November 2017 at HNU), XUX-2017-150 (matured on 14 January 2018 at HNU) · 1 ♀; Hainan Province, Qiongzhong County, Hongmao Town, Caohui Village; 19.03°N, 109.65°E; alt. 345 m; 14 August 2017; D. Li, F.X. Liu and X. Xu leg.; XUX-2017-144 · 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same locality as for holotype; 19.08°N, 109.74°E; alt. 420 m; 17 August 2019; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu and L. Yu leg.; XUX-2019-111 (♂, matured on 16 October 2019 at HNU), XUX-2019-112 (♂, matured on 23 October 2019 at HNU), XUX-2019-108, 109.

Diagnosis.

Males of Q. qiongzhong sp. nov. resemble those of Q. yinggezui sp. nov., but can be distinguished from those of the latter by the marginal apophysis of the tegulum with a blunt apex (Fig. 3A, D ); from Q. baoting sp. nov. by the tegulum marginal apophysis with a non-translucent apex (Fig. 3A, D ), by the contrategulum with two edges distally (Fig. 3A, D ), and by the cymbial projection long and thin (Fig. 3G ); from Q. australis by the conductor with a slightly bent apex (Fig. 3C, E, G ), and by the contrategulum lacking beak-like extension (Fig. 3F ); from Q. jianfeng by the terminal apophysis of the tegulum abruptly narrowed distally (Fig. 3A-C ); from Q. nui , Q. sanya sp. nov., and Q. wuzhi by the marginal apophysis of the tegulum with a blunt apex (Fig. 3A, D ). Females of Q. qiongzhong sp. nov. can be distinguished from those of Q. bawang and Q. jianfeng by the receptacular clusters with indistinct genital stalks (Fig. 3H, J ); from those of Q. baishensis , Q. baoting sp. nov., Q. nui , Q. yini , and Q. wuzhi by the similar-sized receptacular clusters or the laterals slightly larger than the inners (Fig. 3H-M ).

Description.

Male (holotype). In alcohol carapace light reddish brown; opisthosoma light brown, with brown 12 tergites, close to each other, the first 2-7 larger than others, and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, nearly twice as long as wide; a few fine pointed hairs running over the ocular area; chelicerae with promargin of cheliceral groove containing 10 denticles of variable size; legs with firm hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 13.34, CL 6.13, CW 5.61, OL 7.17, OW 5.50; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 16.64 (4.88 + 1.54 + 4.04 + 4.03 + 2.15), leg II 16.25 (4.62 + 1.32 + 3.60 + 4.51 + 2.20), leg III 17.39 (4.57 + 1.34 + 3.48 + 5.32 + 2.68), leg IV 22.50 (6.06 + 1.49 + 5.11 + 6.81 + 3.04).

Palp. Cymbium with a long, thin projection dorsally (Fig. 3G ); paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised prolaterally, with numerous setae at the tip (Fig. 3A, B ). Contrategulum with a proximally irregular dentate edge and two distal edges: the inner one irregularly dentate, and the outer one sharp, semi-translucent (Fig. 3A, D-F ). The marginal apophysis of tegulum with a blunt, slightly dentate apex distally, a proximally directed terminal apophysis of tegulum with several denticles and an abruptly narrowed and slightly hooked apex (Fig. 3A-E ). Conductor situated ventro-proximally on embolus, the basal portion fused with embolus, distal free, narrowing to a slightly bent apex (Fig. 3A-C, E ). Embolus largely sclerotised, retrolaterally with numerous longitudinal ribs, and with a wide, flat sperm duct opening distally (Fig. 3A, D, F ).

Female (XUX-2017-158). In alcohol carapace reddish brown; opisthosoma brown; opisthosoma with 12 dark brown tergites, separated from each other, the first 2-7 larger than others, and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, nearly twice as long as wide; a few fine pointed hairs running over the ocular area; chelicerae with promargin of cheliceral groove containing 10 strong denticles of variable size; legs with firm hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 16.59, CL 6.93, CW 6.18, OL 9.48, OW 7.83; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 11.02 (3.80 + 1.20 + 2.86 + 3.16), leg I 13.69 (4.53 + 1.52 + 2.99 + 2.87 + 1.77), leg II 12.61 (3.80 + 1.39 + 2.77 + 2.78 + 1.87), leg III 12.06 (3.71 + 1.04 + 2.46 + 3.27 + 1.58), leg IV 20.31 (6.08 + 1.67 + 4.24 + 5.55 + 2.77).

Female genitalia. Two pairs of receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, receptacular clusters similar size or the inner ones slightly smaller than the lateral ones, with indistinct genital stalks (Fig. 3H-M ).

Variation.

Males and females vary in body size. The range of measurements in males (N = 11): BL 12.43-17.24, CL 5.99-7.80, CW 5.61-7.12, OL 6.52-9.52, OW 4.67-7.02; females (N = 5): BL 9.93-16.59, CL 4.91-7.38, CW 4.25-6.51, OL 4.93-9.48, OW 3.48-7.83. In addition, female genitalia show considerable intraspecific variation: the receptacular clusters vary in shape: triangular (Fig. 3H, J ), or oval (Fig. 3I, L ); the ventral side of the bursa copulatrix with two small granula (Fig. 3K ); the posterior part of genital area arched (Fig. 3I, L ), or with a slightly notch in the middle (Fig. 3J, M ).

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.

Distribution.

Hainan (Qiongzhong), China.

GenBank accession number.

Holotype (XUX-2017-156): MN911987.

Figures

Figure 3. Male and female genital anatomy of Qiongthela qiongzhong sp. nov. A palp prolateral view B palp ventral view C palp retrolateral view D-G palp distal view H-J vulva dorsal view K-M vulva ventral view. A-C, G XUX- 2017 - 156 (holotype) D-F XUX- 2017 - 159 H, K XUX- 2017 - 158 I, L XUX- 2017 - 144 J, M XUX- 2017 - 163. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.