Vappolotes hei, Li & Zhao & Li, 2023

Li, Bing, Zhao, Zhe & Li, Shuqiang, 2023, Three new species of the genus Vappolotes Zhao & Li, 2019 (Araneae, Agelenidae) from southwest China, Zootaxa 5270 (2), pp. 325-336 : 332-335

Vappolotes hei sp. n.

Figs 5–7

LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C1707500-5E8B-4DEF-B424-D5E6724F4C80

Type material. Holotype: ♁ (IZCAS-Ar44387, YX371): China: Sichuan Prov.: Mianyang City: Jiangyou Co.: Wudu Town , Tuanshan Vil., Li Bai Reading Cave , (N31.9085°, E104.7808°, 604 m), 1.XII.2018, L. He leg. Paratypes: 2♀♀ (IZCAS-Ar44388, Ar44389, YX371): same data as holotype .

Etymology. The new species is named after Li He, the collector of the specimens used in this study; noun (name) in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. The male of Vappolotes hei sp. n. can be distinguished from those of V. ganlongensis Zhao & Li, 2019 (i.e., the type species of Vappolotes ) by tibia ca. 1.5 times longer than the length of the patella ( Fig. 5C ), but subequal in length in the latter ( Fig. 1C ); lateral tibial apophysis small, inconspicuous, and squared ( Fig. 5C ), but conspicuous and finger-shaped in the latter ( Fig. 1C ); anterior conductor ca. 2 times wider than the posterior conductor, dorsal conductor lamellar ( Fig. 5B ), but 3 times wider than the posterior conductor, dorsal conductor finger-shaped in the latter ( Fig. 1B ); posterior conductor pointed towards the posterior diagonally, with shallow apical concavity ( Fig. 5A, B ), but almost horizontally, with deeper apical concavity in the latter ( Fig. 1A–C ). The female of V. hei sp. n. can be distinguished from those of its congeners by the thin and long spermathecae, 5 times longer than wide ( Fig. 6B ), but ca. 3 times in V. jianpingensis Zhao & Li, 2019 and V. tianjiayu , ca. 2 times in V. longshan and V. ganlongensis Zhao & Li, 2019 .

Description. Male (holotype). Abdomen with a xiphoid pattern, rest as for the genus ( Fig. 6C ). Total length 5.55. Carapace 3.02 long, 1.99 wide. Abdomen 2.53 long, 1.46 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.09, PME 0.08, PLE 0.09; AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.03, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.01, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.04. Leg measurements: I 12.11 (3.24, 0.81, 3.17, 2.82, 2.07); II 11.01 (3.00, 0.92, 2.54, 2.71, 1.84); III 10.44 (2.92, 0.59, 2.58, 2.98, 1.37); IV 13.98 (3.65, 1.03, 3.11, 4.12, 2.07). Palp as in Fig. 5A–C : femur 3 times longer than tibia, while tibia slightly longer than patella; patellar apophysis finger-shaped, ca. 2 times longer than wide; retrolateral tibial apophysis ca. 2 times longer than wide; lateral tibial apophysis small, squared, and inconspicuous; cymbium more than 2 times longer than bulb; cymbial furrow short, ca. 1/3 the length of cymbium; anterior conductor enlarged, ca. 1.5 times longer and 2 times wider than the posterior conductor; dorsal conductor expanding and lamellar; posterior conductor pointed towards the posterior diagonally, the proximal end with a finger-shaped outgrowth, the distal end with shallow median concavity; embolus originates around a 5 o’clock position.

Female (IZCAS -Ar44388): Abdomen light brownish gray and without any pattern, rest as for the genus ( Fig. 6D, E ). Total length 5.78. Carapace 2.78 long, 1.84 wide. Abdomen 3.00 long, 1.83 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.03, AME–PME 0.03, ALE– PLE 0.03, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.05. Leg measurements: leg I 9.08 (2.37, 0.92, 1.81, 2.31, 1.67); II 8.49 (2.31, 0.83, 1.72, 2.11, 1.52); III 8.23 (2.08, 0.71, 1.67, 2.37, 1.40); IV 10.79 (2.81, 0.86, 2.66, 2.65, 1.81). Epigyne as in Fig. 6A, B : ca.1.5 times longer than wide; atrium large, occupying ca. 3/5 of epigynal field, ca. 1.4 times longer than wide, its posterior margin conspicuous, ca. 1/5 the length of the atrium, as the same width as its lateral margin; copulatory ducts located posteriorly, ca. 1.5 times longer than spermathecae; spermathecae thin and long, 5 times longer than wide, occupying 1/7 of epigynal field, spermathecal head long and finger-shaped; fertilization ducts broad, ca. 3 times longer than wide.

Variation. Total length of females: 5.78–6.02 (n=2).

Distribution. Known only from Sichuan Province, China ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Male palp and epigyne of Vappolotes ganlongensis Zhao & Li, 2019 A male palp, prolateral view B same, ventral view C same, retrolateral view D epigyne, ventral view E vulva, dorsal view. Scale bar: equal for A, B, and C, equal for D and E. Abbreviations: A = atrium; AC = anterior conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CF = cymbial furrow; CO = copulatory opening; DC = dorsal conductor; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; FD = fertilization duct; H = hood; LC = lamella of conductor; LTA = lateral tibial apophysis; PA = patellar apophysis; PC = posterior conductor; PMA = posterior margin of atrium; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca; ST = subtegulum; T = tegulum; TS = tegulum sclerite.

FIGURE 5. Male palp of Vappolotes hei sp. n., holotype. A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Scale bar: equal for A, B, and C. Abbreviations: AC = anterior conductor; CF = cymbial furrow; DC = dorsal conductor; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; LTA = lateral tibial apophysis; PA = patellar apophysis; PC = posterior conductor; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST = subtegulum; T = tegulum; TS = tegulum sclerite.

FIGURE 6. Epigyne and habitus of Vappolotes hei sp. n. A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view C male habitus, dorsal view D female habitus, dorsal view E same, ventral view. Scale bars: equal for A and B, equal for D and E. Abbreviations: A = atrium; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; H = hood; PMA = posterior margin of atrium; S = spermatheca; SH = spermathecal head.

FIGURE 7. Type localities of new (orange) and previously described (blue) species of Vappolotes from China. 1 V. ganlongensis 2 V. jianpingensis 3 V. longshan sp. n., 4 V. tianjiayu sp. n., 5 V. hei sp. n.