Cheiracanthium digitatum, Zhang, 2023

Li, Zhaoyi & Zhang, Feng, 2023, Five new species of the long-legged sac spider genus Cheiracanthium C. L. Koch, 1839 (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae) from China, European Journal of Taxonomy 900, pp. 81-105 : 92-95

Cheiracanthium digitatum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2AD7B3F8-7752-4952-B7D3-E1EEA35DC51C

Figs 5–6 , 11 , Table 1

Diagnosis

The male of this new species ( Fig. 6C–E ) can be distinguished from other species of Cheiracanthium by having a short, robust cymbial spur, a needle-shaped median apophysis, and an inflated tegulum with indistinct markings. Among the congeners, the male of this new species resembles C. antungense Chen & Huang, 2012 ( Chen & Huang 2012: fig. 1a–c) and C. inflatum Wang & Zhang, 2013 ( Wang & Zhang 2013: figs 4–6) in having an inflated tegulum, but can be distinguished by: (1) the long needle-shaped median apophysis (vs. short thron-shaped in C. inflatum ; absent in C. antungense ); (2) embolus originating at the 3 o’clock position (vs. 5 o’clock position in the other two species). (3) the long RTA, extending beyond the tegular base in retrolateral view (vs. extending only to the tegular base in the other two species). The female ( Fig. 6A–B ) is similar to C. solidum Zhang, Zhu & Hu, 1993 (Zhang et al. 1993: figs 5–6) in having a broad epigynal atrium and spherical spermathecae, but can be distinguished by: (1) the copulatory ducts curved for two circles, while curved only one circle in C. solidum ; (2) the anterior margin of atrium with an inward median process, while with an arch-shaped margin in C. solidum .

Etymology

The specific epithet is an adjective from the Latin ‘ digitatus ’, referring to the finger-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis in ventral view.

Type material

Holotype CHINA • ♂; Anhui Province, Jixi County, Fuling Town, Yonglai Village ; 30°08′ N; 118°43′ E; 12 Jul. 2014; S.J. Zha leg.; voucher code: ZYL088, Genbank: OQ866247 ; MHBU-ARA-1007 .

Paratypes CHINA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; voucher code: ZYL107, Genbank: OQ866246 ; MHBU-ARA-1008 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.75. Carapace 3.63 long, 2.77 wide; abdomen 4.12 long, 2.10 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.16, PME 0.16, PLE 0.16; AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.23, PME–PME 0.26, PME–PLE 0.30. MOA 0.47 long, anterior width 0.48, posterior width 0.59. Clypeus height 0.11. Sternum 1.67 long, 1.40 wide. Leg measurements: I 21.10 (5.33, 1.00, 5.99, 6.69, 2.09), II 14.40 (3.68, 0.83, 3.99, 4.33, 1.31), III 10.96 (2.81, 0.99, 2.56, 3.45, 1.15), IV 16.63 (4.86, 1.12, 3.92, 5.39, 1.34).

BODY ( Fig. 5A ). Prosoma yellowish brown, without distinct colour pattern; cervical groove and radial striae indistinct. AER almost straight in frontal view; PER slightly wider than AER, slightly procurved in dorsal view. Chelicerae yellowish brown, promargin with one large and one small teeth, retromargin with three teeth. Sternum dark brown. Labium, wider than long, anteriorly truncated and with several macrosetae distally. Endites brown, constricted at middle on lateral margin. Legs mostly yellow with darker tarsi and metatarsi. Leg spines: I 1p1r-1p1r-0, 2p2v-2p2r2v-2p1r1v, 1v-1p1r-2v; II 2p2r-2p2r-0, 1p1v-1p1r1v-1p1v, 1v-2p1r-1d1v; III 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p1r-1r-1p1r1v, 1p1r2v-1p1r1v-1p1r2v; IV 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p1r-1r1v-1p1v, 1p1r2v-1p1r1v-1p1r1v. Opisthosoma lanceolate, twice as long as wide, dorsum grey and with two pairs of obvious muscle impressions. Spinneret coniform, ALS larger and closed each other; PMS smallest; and PLS with two segments, length of distal segment nearly length of base segment.

PALP ( Fig. 6C–E ). Tibia short, ca ½ of cymbium’s length; RTA long and finger-shaped, slightly shorter than tibia; DTA long and thin, rodlike, ca ⅔ of RTA’ s length; cymbial furrow short and shallow; cymbial spur short and robust; bulb oval, inflated, with indistinct markings and needle-like median apophysis;

embolus originating on retrolateral flank, at about 3 o’clock position, extending clockwise along tegular margin, tip covered by conductor; conductor membranous, with blunt apex; sperm duct indistinct.

Female (paratype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.82. Carapace 3.52 long, 2.53 wide; abdomen 4.30 long, 2.83 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.17, PME 0.16, PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.23, AME–ALE 0.26, PME–PME 0.28, PME–PLE 0.34. MOA 0.47 long, front width 0.48, back width 0.64. Clypeus height 0.09, Sternum 1.68 long, 1.28 wide. Leg measurements: I 18.30 (4.61, 1.48, 4.85, 5.48, 1.88), II 11.19 (3.04. 1.17, 2.79, 3.21, 0.98), III 7.66 (2.19, 0.81, 1.62, 2.23, 0.81), IV 11.81 (3.38, 1.24, 3.00, 3.59, 0.60).

BODY ( Fig. 5B ). Prosoma yellowish brown, with indistinct radial stripes. Legs yellow. Leg spines: I 1p-1p-0, 1p-1p1r-1p1r2v, 1v-1p1v-2v; II 1p-1p-0, 1p-1p2v-1p, 1v-1p2v-1p1v; III 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p1r-1r-1p1v, 1p1r2d2v-1p1r1v-1p1r1v; IV 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1r-1v-1d1v, 1p1r2v-1r1v-1p1r1v. Opisthosoma elongate-oval, dorsum grey and with scattered white spots.

EPIGYNE ( Fig. 6A–B ). Epigynal plate wider than long, atrium large, with an arch-shaped anterior margin and slightly depressed in middle, posterior and lateral margins inconspicuous; two copulatory openings located at posterior portion of epigynal plate; part of dark copulatory duct and spermathecae visible through tegument of epigynal plate in ventral view; spermathecae large and globular, spaced by about 0.6 diameters; copulatory ducts long, ascending and descending portions curved for two circles, then connected with spermathecae.

Variation

The total length in male specimens examined ranges from 6.96 to 8.28 (n = 3).

Distribution

China, Anhui (localities in Fig. 11 ).

Figures

Fig. 5. Cheiracanthium digitatum sp. nov. A. ♂, holotype (MHBU-ARA-1007), habitus, dorsal view. B. ♀, paratype (MHBU-ARA-1008), habitus, dorsal view.

Fig. 6. Cheiracanthium digitatum sp. nov. A–B. ♀, paratype (MHBU-ARA-1008). C–E. ♂, holotype (MHBU-ARA-1007). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, dorsal view. C. Left palp, prolateral view. D. Same, ventral view. E. Same, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods.

Fig. 11. Distribution records of the five new species of Cheiracanthium in China.