Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992

Liu, Ping, Irfan, Muhammad, Yang, Su-Fang & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2019, Two new species of Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) and first description of A. wulongensis male from China, ZooKeys 886, pp. 61-77 : 61

Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992 Figs 9 , 10 , 11 , 12

Araneus wulongensis Song and Zhu 1992: 170, fig. 6A, B (♀).

Araneus wulongensis : Song and Li 1997: 415, fig. 18A, B (♀).

Araneus wulongensis : Yin et al. 1997: 153, fig. 69a‒c (♀).

Araneus wulongensis : Song et al. 1999: 242, fig. 141O‒P (♀).

Examined material.

1♂ 2♀, China, Chongqing Province: Pengshui County, Mowei Mountain, 29.16068N, 108.03687E, 1548 m, 23.05.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. ( HNU–CQ–IV– 1702); 1♀, Nanchuan Region, Sanquan County, Jinfou Mountain, 29.06446N, 107.19152E, 1167 m, 13.08.2015, X.J. Peng et al. leg. ( HNU–CQ–IV– 1506).

Diagnosis.

This species ( Figs 10 , 11 ) resembles A. digitatus sp. nov. ( Figs 7 , 8 ), but can be distinguished by: 1) embolus sickle-shaped vs almost C-shaped in A. digitatus sp. nov.; 2) having 1 subterminal apophysis vs having 2 subterminal apophyses in A. digitatus sp. nov.; 3) terminal apophysis sclerotized, broad vs membranous, finger-shaped in A. digitatus sp. nov.; 4) epigyne wider than long in ventral view vs epigyne almost as wide as long in A. digitatus sp. nov.; 5) copulatory openings located ventro-laterally vs present on the anterio-dorsal side in A. digitatus sp. nov.

Description.

Male ( HNU–CQ–IV– 1702) ( Fig. 9A‒B, E ). Total length 2.87. Carapace 1.48 long, 1.26 wide, yellow; fovea, cervical, and radial grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.08; ALE, 0.06; PME, 0.09; PLE, 0.07; AME–AME, 0.13; AME–ALE, 0.14; PME–PME, 0.07; PME–PLE, 0.18; MOL, 0.23; MOA, 0.26; MOP, 0.21. Sternum dark brown. Chelicerae yellowish brown. Endites yellow to brown. Labium dark brown, distal part pale yellow. Legs yellow, with no annuli. Tibia with several strong spines, tibia I: 3d,7p; tibia II: 3d, 6v, 4p, 1r. Leg lengths: I, 5.19 (1.61, 1.89, 1.17, 0.52); II, 4.61 (1.41, 1.73, 0.98, 0.49); III, 2.77 (1.00, 0.84, 0.56, 0.37); IV, 4.29 (1.22, 1.33, 0.91, 0.44). Abdomen 1.64 long, 1.20 wide, oval, dorsum yellowish brown, laterally with 4 pairs of white crescentic markings and 4 pairs of sigillae, posterior 2 pairs indistinct, folium inconspicuous. Venter with dark-brown, median band, sides light yellow. Spinnerets dark brown.

Palp ( Fig. 10 ). Patella with 2 macrosetae. Tibia wider than long, ventral side bulging in prolateral view. Median apophysis V-shaped, dorsal ramus long, finger-shaped, ventral ramus longer than wide, with many teeth. Conductor as long as wide, membranous, with truncate terminal and a spur on the base. Subterminal apophysis wider than long, sclerotized, distal end with a protuberance at the center in retrolateral view, invisible on unexpanded palp. Terminal apophysis sclerotized, with grooved tip. Embolus thick, sickle-shaped, with a cap pointing downward.

Female ( Fig. 9C‒D, F ). Total length 3.26. Carapace 1.45 long, 1.20 wide, fovea indistinct, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.07; ALE, 0.07; PME, 0.09; PLE, 0.08; AME–AME, 0.13; AME–ALE, 0.19; PME–PME, 0.09; PME–PLE, 0.23; MOL, 0.25; MOA, 0.26; MOP, 0.24. Sternum dark brown. Chelicerae yellowish brown. Endites yellowish brown. Labium dark brown, distal part pale. Legs yellow, with no annuli. Tibia with several strong spines, tibia I spines: 2d, 3p, 2r; tibia II spines: 2d. Leg lengths: I, 5.14 (1.63, 1.95, 1.04, 0.52); II, 4.47 (1.52, 1.65, 0.82, 0.48); III, 2.67 (0.85, 0.83, 0.56, 0.43); IV, 3.98 (1.37, 1.34, 0.87, 0.40). Abdomen 2.09 long, 1.62 wide, color and pattern same as in male.

Epigyne ( Fig. 11 ). Epigyne wider than long; scape S-shaped, wrinkled, tip widened distinctly; lateral plates almost round, with a median depression in ventral view; median plate wider than long, almost rectangular; basal lamellae absent. Copulatory openings located on the anterio-dorsal side of the epigyne ( Fig. 11C, D ). Copulatory ducts slightly curved. Spermathecae oval, almost touching each other.

Distribution.

Known only from Chongqing, China ( WSC 2019).

Figures

Figure 7. Araneus digitatus sp. nov., male holotype (palp, A-D, H, I; endaparatus E-G) A, E, H prolateral view B, I, G ventral view C, D embolus, prolateral view F lateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; STA = subterminal apophysis; TA = terminal apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 8. Araneus digitatus sp. nov., female (epigyne, A-E) A, B ventral view C-E posterior view. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; LP = lateral plate; MP = median plate; S = scape; SP = spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 9. Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992, male (A, B, E), female (C, D, F) A, C habitus, dorsal view B, D habitus, ventral view E, F leg I and II, prolateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 10. Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992, male (palp, A-D, H, I; endaparatus E-G) A, E, H prolateral view B, G, I ventral view C, D embolus F lateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; STA = subterminal apophysis; TA = terminal apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 11. Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992, female epigyne A, B ventral view C, D anterior view E, F posterior view. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; LP = lateral plate; MP = median plate; S = scape; SP = spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 12. Collection localities for Araneus conexus sp. nov., Araneus digitatus sp. nov., and Araneus wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992 in China.