Utivarachna gui ( Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998 )

Jin, Chi, Yin, Xiangchu & Zhang, Feng, 2015, A new species of the genus Utivarachna Kishida, 1940 (Araneae: Trachelidae) from China, with the first description of the male of U. fabaria Zhao & Peng, 2014 and a redescription of U. gui (Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998), Zootaxa 4057 (4), pp. 569-581 : 574-578

Utivarachna gui ( Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998)

Figs 7–8

Trachelas gui Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998: 426 , figs 8–15; Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 429, figs 14B, 255Q–R, 258G–H. Utivarachna gui Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001: 370 , 397; Zhao & Peng, 2014: 585.

Material examined. Type material: ♀ holotype, 2♀ and 1♂ paratype, CHINA: Hainan Province: Ledong County, Mt. Jianfengling (18°42′N, 108°48′E), 15 August 1990, leg. Maobing Gu (deposited in MHBU).

Other material examined. CHINA: Hainan Province: Baoting County: 1♀, Mt. Qixianling (18°42.017′N, 109°41.850′E), 345 m a.s.l., 8 June 2009, leg. Xiaoxiao Zhang; Ledong County, Mt. Jianfengling, Tropical Forest Park (18°41.865′N, 108°50.418′E), 391m a.s.l.: 5♀, 4♂, 28 May 2009, leg. Chao Zhang and Shengtao Guo; 3♀, 1♂, 1 June 2009, leg. Guangxin Han; 2♂, 12 October 2009, leg. Shengtao Guo; Lingshui County: 1♀, Mt. Diaoluo (18°43.450′N, 109°52.117′E), 922 m a.s.l., 7 June 2009, leg. Chao Zhang. Fujian Province: 1♀, Wuyishan City, Mt. Wuyi, Taoyuan Valley (27°43.251′N, 117°42.335′E), 645m a.s.l., 13 August 2010, leg. Feng Zhang; 1♂, Shanghang County, Gutian Township, Mt. Meihua (25°30.291′N, 116°58.187′E), 893m a.s.l., 3 May 2004, leg. Feng Zhang. All deposited in MHBU.

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the phyllicola group according to Deeleman-Reinhold (2001). It resembles U. phyllicola Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 by the male palpal genital bulb being as long as wide, the embolus coils are much narrower than the genital bulb, the female vulval bursae are far from the spermathecae but close to the pedicel; however, it can be distinguished from U. phyllicola by: 1) the tegulum being obviously smaller than that of the latter; 2) having the subtegulum visible in ventral view, whereas it is not visible in U. phyllicola ; 3) having much narrower embolus coils than the latter; 4) having an atrium that is wider than long, whereas it is longer than wide in U. phyllicola ; 5) ovoid bursae, whereas they are not ovoid in the latter; 6) copulatory ducts that are longitudinal and nearly straight, whereas they are transverse and helical in U. phyllicola .

Description. Female. Total length 3.10–3.70 (n=14). Holotype ( Fig. 7 A): total length 3.32. Carapace: 1.46 long, 1.10 wide. Opisthosoma: 1.86 long, 1.41 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.10, PME 0.11, PLE 0.10, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.08, ALE–PLE 0.09. MOA 0.24 long, anterior width 0.23, posterior width 0.29. AER nearly straight, PER slightly recurved. Clypeus height 0.11. Chelicerae coloured as carapace, with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Carapace red-brown, surface rough, with white hairs. Fovea dark, longitudinal and short. Sternum brown, with sparse black hairs. Labium longer than wide. Legs yellowish brown; femur, tibia, metatarsus of leg I with conical ventral cusps ( Fig. 7 E), metatarsi III–IV distally with preening brushes ventrally. Leg measurements: I 3.56 (1.11, 0.45, 0.86, 0.69, 0.45), II 3.25 (0.95, 0.40, 0.74, 0.71, 0.45), III 2.35 (0.72, 0.32, 0.48, 0.53, 0.30), IV 3.34 (0.98, 0.38, 0.76, 0.84, 0.38), formula: 1423. Opisthosoma ovoid, grey-white, with short brown hairs. Dorsum with two pairs of muscular impressions; dorsal scutum oval, brown and very small, only one fifth of the total length of opisthosoma. Venter with longitudinal rows of sclerotized spots.

Epigyne ( Fig. 8 E): atrium located posteriorly, wider than long, with semi-circular lateral margins; copulatory openings funnel-shaped, situated on posterior portion of epigyne. Vulva ( Fig. 8 F): copulatory ducts long, longitudinal and nearly straight; connecting ducts folded and coiled around the copulatory ducts; bursae ovoid, far from spermathecae, near pedicel; spermathecae small, located posteriorly, well separated from each other.

Male. Total length 3.46–4.01 (n=9). Paratype ( Fig. 7 B): total length 3.59. Carapace 1.74 long, 1.33 wide. Opisthosoma: 1.85 long, 1.29 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.12, ALE 0.11, PME 0.12, PLE 0.11, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.09, ALE–PLE 0.10. MOA 0.28 long, anterior width 0.28, posterior width 0.32. Clypeus height 0.14. Leg I with conical ventral cusps, except patella; leg II only metatarsus with ventral cusps ( Figs 7 C–D). Leg measurements: I 4.86 (1.49, 0.68, 1.30, 0.92, 0.47), II 3.94 (1.13, 0.49, 0.94, 0.89, 0.49), III 2.81 (0.79, 0.39, 0.56, 0.70, 0.37), IV 3.59 (1.05, 0.40, 0.80, 0.95, 0.39), formula: 1243.

Opisthosoma dorsum without dorsal scutum, with several transverse, arch-shaped grey markings from median portion to anal tubercle. Other characters as in female.

Palp ( Figs 8 A–D). Retrolateral tibial apophysis distally swollen, bearing a sharp hook. Genital bulb as long as wide. Tegulum enlarged, mostly membranous. Sperm duct distinct and U-shaped in ventral view, nearly straight from retrolateral view. Subtegulum strongly sclerotized, visible in ventral view. Embolus coils much narrower than genital bulb; embolus originating from posterior portion of genital bulb; terminal portion of embolus filiform, resting in distal cymbial alveolus.

Distribution. China (Hainan, Fujian) ( Fig. 9 ).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Utivarachna gui (Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998), A. female habitus, dorsal habitus; B. male body, dorsal view; C. male leg I, retrolateral view; D. male metatarsus II, retrolateral view; E. female leg I, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A – B); 0.5 mm (C – E).

FIGURE 8. Utivarachna gui (Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998), A. male left palp, prolateral view; B. same, dorsal view; C. same, retrolateral view; D. same, ventral view; E. epigyne, ventral view; F. vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 9. Distribution of Utivarachna lata sp. nov., U. fabaria Zhao & Peng, 2014 and U. gui (Zhu, Song & Kim, 1998).