Sinopoda soong

Jäger, Peter, 2012, Revision of the genus Sinopoda Jäger, 1999 in Laos with discovery of the first eyeless huntsman spider species (Sparassidae: Heteropodinae), Zootaxa 3415, pp. 37-57 : 50-53

Sinopoda soong sp. nov

Figs 55-60, 66-75, 81

Type material: Holotype: female, LAOS: Khammuan Province: 15 km N Thakek, Tham Pha Yot ("cave of the dropping cliff' ) , N17°32'57.24", E104°48'45.23" [200 m altitude], cave in limestone, aphotic zone, c. 25°C, at day, by hand, 29 April 2012, P. Jager leg. ( SMF, PJ 3366 ) .

Additional material examined. LAOS: Khammuan Province: 1 subadult female, 18 km NNW Thakek, Ban Phalem, Tham Koun Don , N 17°33'49.2", E 104°52'18.7" E [206 m altitude], in cave, by hand, 24 February 2006, 197/06, H. Steiner leg., field number 197/06, French Khammuan expedition ( SMF) .

Diagnosis. Medium sized Heteropodinae , body length of female: 15.1. Females may be distinguished from other Sinopoda species by having only two eye lenses ( ALE: Fig. 73). Vulva similar to that of S. guap spec. nov., but S. soong spec. nov. is distinguished by the massive roughly quadrangular shape of its epigyne in ventral view (Fig. 55). Epigynal pockets forming two semicircles in anterior view (Fig. 56).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Lao word “soong” meaning “two” and referring to the number of eye lenses; term in apposition.

Description. Female (holotype): Prosoma length 5.9, prosoma width 4.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.6, opisthosoma length 9.2, opisthosoma width 5.9. Eyes: two lenses without pigments present. ALE 0.09, ALE-ALE 0.61. Spination: Palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1114; legs: femur I-III 323, IV 321; patella I-III 001, IV 000; tibia I 2126, II-IV 2226; metatarsus I-II 1014, III 2014, IV 3036. Ventral leg metatarsi I-II with c. 10 short bristles distally, metatarsus III-IV with c. 20 bristles (Fig. 72) and additionally with double row of bristles, the latter in III in proximal half, in IV along entire length (Fig. 72). Leg formula: 2413. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 11.0 (3.4, 1.5, 2.5, -, 3.6), leg I 34.4 (9.3, 3.5, 10.4, 9.1, 2.1), leg II 36.3 (10.3, 3.7, 11.0, 9.2, 2.1), leg III 32.2 (9.1, 3.2, 9.5, 8.4, 2.0), leg IV 34.6 (9.6, 3.2, 9.8, 9.8, 2.1). Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth (Fig. 74), and with restricted patch of c. 40 denticles close to anterior teeth. Margin of chelicerae close to fang base with one bristle (Fig. 74). Palpal claw with 9-11 teeth (Fig. 75). Sternum, ventral coxae and femora, distal legs as well as frontal chelicerae with long setae, otherwise with short setae.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis (Figs 55-60). Epigynal field as wide as long, with two very short anterior bands and one slit sensillum on the left side close to the field. Lateral lobes fused, posteriorly bilobal; bulging extremely ventrally. Glandular appendages short, only parts visible in anterior view. Spermathecae bulging to the dorsal side, fertilisation ducts arising posteriorly, long and narrowly laminar. Sclerotised spheres present dorsally and ventrally at median (fusion) line of lateral lobes. Expanded membranous sac reaching anterior end of duct system, shorter than that of S. tham spec. nov., almost as long as wide.

Colouration in ethanol (Figs 68-71, 73): Uniformly yellowish-brown without pattern. Dorsal prosoma with cephalic part slightly darker than thoracic part, fovea and faint radial pattern slightly darker. Chelicerae reddish brown, labium and parts of gnathocoxae reddish-brown. Opisthosoma uniformly pale grey-brown. For colouration of live specimens see Figs 66-67.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality (Fig. 81).

Biology. Specimens were collected in the aphotic zone of the limestone cave. They were recorded together with specimens of Typopeltis magnificus Haupt, 2004 (Arachnida: Uropygi: Thelyphonidae ). In the entrance area (50-150 m apart) Heteropoda maxima was recorded.