Menglunia, Zhao, Qingyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2012

Zhao, Qingyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2012, Eleven new species of theridiosomatid spiders from southern China (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae), ZooKeys 255, pp. 1-48 : 12

Genus Menglunia gen. n.

Type species.

Menglunia inaffecta sp. n.

Etymology.

The generic epithet refers to the place měng lún () where these specimens were collected. Menglun Town is located at Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province, where tropical rain forest harbors countless species, both vertebrates and invertebrates. Gender is feminine.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other theridiosomatids by the extremely simple, short embolus, and the round, separated spermathecae. The pedipalp in males is an elliptical (slightly rectangular in total), theca-textured, and obscurely circumscribed structure (Figs 15A, D). Conductor is less extensive, and fully covers the embolus (Fig. 18A). The embolus is beak-like, and enveloped in conductor (Fig. 15B). Unlike any other theridiosomatid genus, the median apophysis in Menglunia is merely a small projection, mildly curved without any sharp tip or trough (Fig. 15A). Spermathecae similar to Coddingtonia euryopoides ( Miller et al. 2009) and Luangnam discobulbus (Wunderlich, 2011), but instead of being elliptical and separated by their diameter, they are more rounded and separated by less than half of their diameter. Copulatory duct is shorter and forms a simple loop which is about the same height as spermathecae’s diameter, compared to the big loop and higher-positioned copulatory ducts in Coddingtonia euryopoides and L. discobulbus (Fig. 16B).

Species.

Menglunia inaffecta sp. n.