Sinopoda bifurca, Grall & Jäger, 2020

Grall, Elena & Jäger, Peter, 2020, Forty-seven new species of Sinopoda from Asia with a considerable extension of the distribution range to the South and description of a new species group (Sparassidae: Heteropodinae), Zootaxa 4797 (1), pp. 1-101 : 11-13

Sinopoda bifurca spec. nov.

Figs 4 a–e, 55 i–l

Type material: Holotype: male (SD 1638), CHINA: Yunnan Province: Baoshan Prefecture, pass over Gaoligongshan at 2300 m, Luoshuidong , 28 air km E of Tengchong, 24°57’N, 98°45’E, native forest, 26–31 October 1998, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh & C.-L. Long leg. ( CAS).

Paratypes: 3 females (SD 1639) with same data as for holotype ( CAS) .

Etymology: The species name is a compound word and derived from the Latin word “bi” meaning “two” and the Latin word “furca” meaning “fork”, referring to the fork-shaped RTA of the male; term in apposition.

Diagnosis: Males of S. bifurca spec. nov. are similar to those of S. mamillata Zhong et al., 2017 in having embolus tip and embolic apophysis with a small thorn-shaped apophyses distally and a tegulum which proximal part wider than distal part. They can be distinguished from the latter species by 1. embolus tip membranous (not membranous in S. mamillata ), 2. spermophore about 4 times narrower in S. bifurca spec. nov., 3. tegulum in ventral view proximo-prolateral part running nearly diagonal (proximo-prolateral part running straight in S. mamillata ) and 4. RTA with dRTA nearly straight in ventral view and curved in an angle of 90 degree in retrolateral view, in ventral view distal part of vRTA nearly as wide as proximal part, in retrolateral view straight (dRTA curved in ventral and retrolateral view, in ventral view distal part of vRTA smaller than proximal part, in retrolateral view ventral branch curved in S. mamillata ).

Females of S. bifurca spec. nov. are similar to those of S. anguina Liu et al., 2008 in having straight margins of the median part of the lobal septum forming roughly a triangle and glandular appendages which are significantly narrower than the posterior part of the spermathecae. They can be distinguished from the latter species by 1. lateral lobes without median indentation (with median indentation in S. anguina ), 2. glandular appendages with proximal part curved and distal part straight (proximal part straight and distal part curved in S. anguina ), and 3. fertilization ducts with proximal part wider than distal part and nearly straight (proximal part as wide as distal part, slender and curved in S. anguina ).

Description: Male (holotype): Total length 8.10; prosoma 4.00 long, 3.50 wide, anterior width of prosoma 2.00; opisthosoma 4.10 long, 2.50 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.21; ALE 0.32; PME 0.23; PLE 0.32; AME– AME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.03; PME–PME 0.23; PME–PLE 0.28; AME–PME 0.27; ALE–PLE 0.25; clypeus AME 0.29; clypeus ALE 0.27. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: palp: 6.30 (2.10, 0.90, 1.10, 2.20); I: 19.90 (5.20, 1.90, 5.50, 5.40, 1.90); II: 22.00 (5.90, 2.00, 6.10, 6.00, 2.00); III: 17.10 (4.90, 1.70, 4.70, 4.30, 1.50); IV: 19.00 (5.20, 1.60, 5.00, 5.30, 1.90). Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2000, 2101; legs: Fe I–II 323, III 322, IV 121; Pa I–IV 000; Ti I& III 2126, II 2126 /2026, IV 2026 /2226; Mt I–II 1014, III 2016, IV 3036. Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth.

Colouration in ethanol: Prosoma yellowish-brown, anteriorly and medially brown, lateral and posterior margin dark brown. Sternum yellow, margin yellowish-brown. Opisthosoma brown with yellowish-white and dark brown spots, ventral part grey. Chelicerae yellowish-brown with three brown stripes. Palps yellowish-brown. Legs yellowish-brown; Fe distally brown, pro- and retrolatero-distally with two brown spots, Ti proximal and distal part brown, Pa pro- and retrolaterally brown.

Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus curved, shorter than embolic apophysis, distal part with long, thorn-shaped apophysis. Embolic apophysis long and curved, distal part with thorn-shaped apophysis. Conductor curved, arising from 1-o’clock-position. Spermophore slightly curved in ventral view. Proximal part of tegulum covering embolus base. Tip of vRTA and dRTA rounded, vRTA shorter than dRTA.

Description: Female (paratype): Total length 10.60; prosoma 4.70 long, 4.00 wide, anterior width of prosoma 2.60; opisthosoma 5.90 long, 4.20 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.23; ALE 0.34; PME 0.26; PLE 0.35; AME–AME 0.22; AME–ALE 0.06; PME–PME 0.29; PME–PLE 0.40; AME–PME 0.38; ALE–PLE 0.34; clypeus AME 0.36; clypeus ALE 0.34. Leg formula: 2413. Measurements of palp and legs: palp: 6.20 (1.80, 1.00, 1.50, 1.90); I: 13.55 (3.80, 1.90, 3.70, 3.00, 1.15); II: 14.85 (4.30, 2.00, 4.10, 3.20, 1.25); III: 12.65 (3.80, 1.65, 3.30, 2.80, 1.10); IV: 14.05 (4.10, 1.60, 3.60, 3.50, 1.25). Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; legs: Fe I–III 323, IV 321; Pa I–IV 000; Ti I 1026, II–IV 2126; Mt I–II 0004, III 2006, IV 3036. Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth.

Colouration in ethanol: Prosoma yellowish-brown, medially and anteriorly brown, lateral and latero-posterior margin brown. Sternum yellow, lateral margin brown. Opisthosoma brown with yellow and dark brown spots, antero-medially with yellow stripe, ventral part medially with trapezoid yellow-brown spot, lateral part with brown spots. Chelicerae brown with brown stripes. Palps yellowish-brown; Mt brown. Legs yellowish-brown; Fe distally with brown dots, Pa pro- and retrolaterally brown, Ti with proximal and distal part with brown bands.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Epigynal field wider than long, without anterior bands and slit sensilla. Lobal septum wide, anterior part with small median indentation. Lateral lobes fused. Epigynal pockets running from latero-posterior to medio-anterior. Fusion bubbles arranged medially at a longitudinal line at epigyne. Internal duct system longer than wide. Spermathecae fused along median line, posterior part indistinct and wider than anterior part. Glandular appendages long and only slightly curved, extending posteriorly only barely in posterior half of internal duct system. Fertilization ducts arising postero-laterally.

Variation: Female (n=2): Total length 9.50–10.40; prosoma 4.40–4.60 long, 3.10 wide, anterior width of prosoma 2.50; opisthosoma 5.10–5.80 long, 3.30 wide. Measurements leg I: total length 12.80–13.60, Fe 3.60, Pa 1.80, Ti 3.50, Mt 2.80, Ta 1.10–1.20. Spination: legs: Fe III 222, 322, IV 221.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 4 a–e. Sinopoda bifurca spec. nov., holotype male and paratype female from Luoshuidong. a–c left male palp (a prolateral, b ventral, c retrolateral); d Epigyne, ventral; e Vulva, dorsal. Arrow on spine of EA.