Alistra pikachu Lin & Li, 2021

Lin, Yejie, Marusik, Yuri M., Gao, Caixia, Xu, Hao, Zhang, Xiaoqing, Wang, Ziyi, Zhu, Wenhui & Li, Shuqiang, 2021, Twenty-three new spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from Asia, Zoological Systematics 46 (2), pp. 91-152 : 114

Alistra pikachu Lin & Li , sp. nov. ( Figs 20A–C , 21A–B )

Diagnosis. Males of A. pikachu Lin & Li , sp. nov. are similar to those of A. hippocampa Zhang, Li & Zheng, 2011 in having a slender embolus, short cymbial furrow, and an absence of the MA and C, but there are no patellar apophyses in A. pikachu Lin & Li , sp. nov. (vs. present in A. hippocampa ), and the RTA is long and thin (vs. short RTA in A. hippocampa ). Females of the new species are distinguished from other Alistra species by the folded CDs and oval S.

Description. Male (holotype, IZCAS-Ar42416, Figs 20A–C ). Total length 1.55. Prosoma 0.71 long, 0.63 wide; opisthosoma 0.92 long, 0.63 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.03, PLE 0.04; AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.05, ALE–PLE 0.01. Clypeus height 0.08. Leg measurements: Leg I 2.41 (0.71 + 0.81 + 0.48 + 0.41); leg II 2.34 (0.69 + 0.78 + 0.47 + 0.40); leg III 1.095 (0.55 + 0.64 + 0.40 + 0.34); leg IV 2.42 (0.67 + 0.78 + 0.54 + 0.41). Leg formula 4123.

Palp ( Figs 20A–C ), patella without an apophysis. Palpal tibia longer than patella, RTA sickle shaped. E originating prolatero-basally, curving clockwise along the tegular margin, semicircular. C and MA absent. Cymbium with short and deep furrow, the length is one quarter of the cymbial length.

Female (paratype, IZCAS-Ar42417, Figs 21A–B ). Total length 1.84. Prosoma 0.71 long, 0.72 wide; opisthosoma 1.12 long, 0.79 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PME 0.06, PLE 0.07; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.02. Clypeus height 0.09. Leg measurements: Leg I 2.84 (0.70 + 0.74 + 0.45 + 0.39); leg II 2.26 (0.69 + 0.74 + 0.43 + 0.40); leg III 2.08 (0.62 + 0.66 + 0.43 + 0.37); leg IV 2.61 (0.74 + 0.87 + 0.57 + 0.41). Leg formula 4123. Opisthosoma yellow-brown.

Epigyne ( Figs 21A–B ) small and simple. CDs folded. S oval.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, China: Guangdong, Qingyuan, Yangshan County, Gaofengdaoban , Jile Cave (24.4912°N, 112.6956°E; elev. ca. 280 m), 5 January 2019, leg. Zhigang Chen and Zhe Zhao (IZCAS-Ar42416) . Paratypes. 3♂ 3♀ (IZCAS-Ar42417–Ar42422), same data as holotype .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Etymology. The species is named after Pikachu, a fictional character from Pokémon Yellow, as the habitus color of this new species is yellow; noun (name) in apposition.

Variation. Male (holotype and paratypes; n = 4) total length 1.45–1.62. Female (paratypes; n = 3) total length 1.63–1.84.

Figures

Figure 20. Alistra pikachu Lin & Li, sp. nov., holotype male, left palp.A. Prolateral view; B. Ventral view; C. Retrolateral view. Scale bar=0.1mm.

Figure 21. Alistra pikachu Lin & Li, sp. nov., paratype female.A. Epigyne, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars=0.05mm.