Taira obtusa Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2008

Zhao, Jing-Xia, Wang, Lu-Yu, Irfan, Muhammad & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2021, Furtherrevisionofthemesh-webspidergenus TairaLehtinen, 1967 (Amaurobiidae) with the description of six new species, Zootaxa 5020 (3), pp. 457-488 : 471-472

Taira obtusa Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2008

Figures 15 , 16 , 24

Taira obtusa Zhang et al., 2008: 509 , figs 34–35 (♀); Zhu et al. 2017: 582, figs 10A, 380A–B (♀).

Type material: Holotype ♀ (SWUC-T-AM-07-01) and 11 ♀ paratypes (SWUC-T-AM-07-02~12), CHINA: Hubei: Shennongjia Forest, Yazikou, 31°30.748′N 110°20.346′E, 1817 m, 4.IX.2004, Z.S. Zhang and H.M. Chen; 2 ♀ paratypes (SWUC-T-AM-07-13~14), Guizhou, Mt. Fanjing , Huixiangping to Yu’ao, 27°55′N 108°41′E, 2041 m, 2.VIII.2001, J.X. Zhang and Z.S. Zhang, examined.

Material examined. Hubei: 6 ♂ and 3 ♀, the type locality (Shennongjia Forest, Yazikou ), 19 V 2018, Z.S. Zhang, L.Y. Wang and J.X. Zhao ( SWUC) ; Hunan: 4 ♀, Zhangjiajie City, Sangzhi County, Wudaoshui Town , Nan- muping Village , Badagong Mountain National Nature Reserve , 29°46.173′N, 110°04.489′E, 1319 m, 25 VII 2018, L.Y. Wang ( SWUC) ; Guizhou: 7 ♀, Mt. Fanjing , 27°53.350′N, 108°43.540′E, 1011 m, 23 VII 2013, L.Y. Wang, X.K. Jiang and T. Lu ( SWUC) ; 2 ♀, Mt. Fanjing, Mianxuling to Huguo Temple , 27°54.626′N, 108°40.288′E, 1997 m, 25 VII 2013, L.Y. Wang, X.K. Jiang and T. Lu ( SWUC) ; 1 ♂, Mt. Fanjing, Jinding , 27°54.494′N, 108°41.859′E, 2214 m, 12 X 2014, X.K. Jiang ( SWUC) .

Diagnosis. This species resembles T. decorata by having a sulciform interior branch of the dorsal tibial apophysis in the male palp ( Figs 15C–E , 16C–E ), but can be differentiated from this species by the following characters: exterior branch of dorsal tibial apophysis transverse in orientation with tibia in T. obtusa ( Figs 15C, E , 16C, E ), whereas nearly parallel to tibia in T. decorata ; retrolateral tibial apophysis sharp in T. obtusa ( Figs 15D , 16D ), whereas blunt in T. decorata ; tegular apophysis indistinct in T. obtusa ( Figs 15C, D , 16C, D ), whereas strongly protruding in T. decorata ; epigynal teeth narrow, slightly curved, pointing towards the median lobe in T. obtusa ( Figs 15A , 16F ), whereas broad, pointing towards the epigastric furrow in T. decorata ; spermathecae pear-shaped in T. obtusa ( Figs 15B , 16G ), whereas reniform in T. decorata .

Description. Male. Total length 7.02–8.03. Male ( Fig. 16A ) total length 7.06. Carapace 3.83 long, 2.64 wide; opisthosoma 3.76 long, 2.60 wide. Eye size and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.15, PME 0.15, PLE 0.17; AME– AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.17, ALE–PLE 0.08. MOA 0.44 long, front width 0.28, base width 0.46. Clypeus height 0.20. Chelicerae with 4 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 16.23 (4.30, 5.78, 4.39, 1.76); II 11.27 (3.21, 3.83, 2.84, 1.39); III 9.04 (2.74, 2.94, 2.43, 0.93); IV 10.53 (3.09, 3.62, 2.64, 1.18).

Male palp ( Figs 15C–E , 16C–E ) with retrolateral tibial apophysis sharp and originating ventrally. Interior branch of dorsal tibial apophysis long, pointed anterodorsally, with a narrow groove. Exterior branch of dorsal tibial apophysis small, depressed prolaterally and pointed dorsally. Median apophysis with an acute tip and not inflated base. Embolus coracoid. Tegular apophysis depressed exteriorly with blunt apex.

Female ( Fig. 16B ), description see Zhang et al. (2008). Epigyne ( Figs 15A, B , 16F, G ).

Distribution. China (Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou) ( Fig. 24 ).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Taira obtusa Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2008. A. Epigyne, ventral view; B. Same, dorsal view. C. Left male palp, prolateral view; D. Same, ventral view; E. Same, retrolateral view; Abbreviations: eDTA, exterior branch of dorsal tibial apophysis; Em, embolus; CD, copulatory duct; Co, conductor; ET, epigynal teeth; FD, fertilization duct; iDTA, interior branch of dorsal tibial apophysis; MA, median apophysis; ML, median lobe; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; Sp, spermathecae; TA, tegular apophysis.

FIGURE 16. Taira obtusa Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2008. A. Male habitus, dorsal view; B. Female habitus, dorsal view; C. Left male palp, prolateral view; D. Same, ventral view; E. Same, retrolateral view; F. Epigyne, ventral view; G. Same, dorsal view.

FIGURE 24. Distribution records of the Taira flavidorsalis-group. Red dots represent new species, green dots represent previously described species. 1 T. borneoensis sp. nov. 2 T. cangshan 3 T. concava 4 T. decorata 5 T. flavidorsalis 6 T. gyaisiensis sp. nov. 7 T. latilabiata 8 T. liboensis 9 T. nyagqukaensis sp. nov. 10 T. obtusa 11 T. sulciformis 12 T. wanzhouensis sp. nov. 13 T. xuanenensis sp. nov. 14 T. yangi sp. nov.