Cheiracanthium arcilongum, 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 : 85-88

Cheiracanthium arcilongum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E6D0EACE-ACDC-436B-A1CD-55C592555AD2

Figs 1–2 , 11 , Table 1

Diagnosis

The new species can be easily distinguished from all the other species of Cheiracanthium by the long (ca equal to tibia+patella length), curved and filiform cymbial spur with distal end tapering, the long median apophysis with a broad base and hook-shaped apex ( Fig. 1C–F ), the large (ca 2.5 × as long as wide), spindle shaped spermathecae, and the wide copulatory ducts (almost as wide as spermathecae) ( Fig. 2C–D ).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a composite adjective combining ‘ arcus ’ (= ‘bow’) and ‘ longus ’ (= ‘long’), referring to the long, curved, bow-shaped male palpal cymbial spur; noun in adjective.

Type material

Holotype CHINA • ♂; Yunnan Province, Tengchong City, Laifeng Mountain National Forest Park; 25°08′ N; 98°29′ E; alt. 1796 m; 16 Jul. 2014; P.L. Wu leg.; voucher code: ZYL108, GenBank: OQ866248 ; MHBU-ARA-1001 .

Paratypes CHINA • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; MHBU-ARA-1002 • 1 ♀; Tengchong City , Jietou Township; 25°25′ N; 98°38′ E; alt. 1602 m; 15 Jul. 2014; P.L. Wu leg.; voucher code: ZYL109, Genbank: OQ866249 ; MHBU-ARA-1003 • 1 ♂; Tengchong City , Jietou Township, Shunhe Village; 25°24′ N; 98°38′ E; alt. 1552 m; 16 Jul. 2014; P.L. Wu leg.; MHBU-ARA-1004 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 6.59. Carapace 2.89 long, 2.17 wide; abdomen 3.70 long, 1.88 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.14, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.19, AME–ALE 0.21, PME–PME 0.27, PME–PLE 0.25. MOA 0.44 long, anterior width 0.46, posterior width 0.54. Clypeus height 0.11. Sternum 1.50 long, 1.22 wide. Leg measurements: I 19.20 (4.35, 0.91, 5.82, 6.00, 2.12), II 14.86 (4.13, 1.28, 4.10, 4.13, 1.22), III 9.34 (2.53, 0.95, 2.65, 2.39, 0.82), IV 14.95 (4.08, 1.17, 3.85, 4.58, 1.27).

BODY ( Fig. 1A–B ). Prosoma yellowish, without distinct colour pattern; cervical groove and radial striae indistinct. All eyes with black rings, AER slightly recurved in frontal view; PER slightly wider than AER, almost straight in dorsal view. Chelicerae reddish brown, both margins with 3 teeth. Sternum white, posterior margin extending between coxae IV. Labium wider than long, anteriorly truncated with several macrosetae distally. Endites yellowish brown, constricted at middle on lateral margin. Legs yellowish, without distinct colour markings. Leg spines: I 1p1r-1p-0, 0-1p1r-2v, 1v-1v-1p1v; II 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p-1p2v-1r1v, 1v-1p2v-1p2v; III 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p1r-1r-1d, 1p1r1v-1p1r2v-2p1r1v; IV 1p1r-1p1r-0, 1p1r-1p1r-1v, 1p2r1d1v-1p1r1d1v-2p1r1v. Opisthosoma lanceolate, dorsum grey, with many scattered light spots, and narrow longitudinal band in middle, enclosed by light spots, two pairs of muscular impressions; venter grey, lateral sides with scattered light spots. Spinnerets coniform, ALS larger and closed each other; PMS smallest; and PLS with two segments, length of basal segment shorter than distal segment.

PALP ( Fig. 1C–F ). Tibia long, about same length as cymbium; RTA long, about ½ of tibia’s length, thumb-shaped; DTA short and thin, with sharp apex; cymbial fold long (ca ½ of cymbium’s length), deep, cymbial spur extremely long, slightly curved, about same as tibia+patella length, tapering and forming filiform apex; median apophysis long, extending upwards, about ⅔ of tegulum’ s length, broad at base and hook-shaped at apex; conductor large, membranous, distally curled; embolus arising at approximately 1 o’clock position and extending clockwise along tegular margin and ending at conductor apex.

Female (paratype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 8.37. Carapace 3.58 long, 2.78 wide; abdomen 4.79 long, 3.11 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.14, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.25, AME–ALE 0.38, PME–PME 0.36, PME–PLE 0.41. MOA 0.54 long, anterior width 0.55, posterior width 0.68. Clypeus height 0.10. Sternum 1.87 long, 1.47 wide. Leg measurements: I 15.71 (3.84, 1.12, 4.97, 4.14, 1.64), II 10.38 (2.61, 0.82, 3.19, 2.77, 0.99), III 6.99 (0.89, 0.81, 1.94, 2.49, 0.86), IV 11.18 (1.46, 0.83, 3.51, 4.11, 1.27).

BODY ( FIG. 2A–B ). Prosoma pale yellow except reddish ocular area, without distinct colour pattern. Legs yellowish white. Leg spines: I 1p-1p-0, 0-1p1v-1v, 1v-1v -1p1v; II 1p-1p-0, 1p-1v-1v, 1v-1p1v-1p2v; III 2p-2p-0, 2p-2p-1v, 1p2d2v-1p1r1d1v-1p1r2v; IV 1p1r-1p-0, 1p1r-1r-1v, 1p1r2d1v-2d1v-1p1r2v. Opisthosoma elongate-oval, dorsum grey, with many scattered light spots.

EPIGYNE ( FIG. 2C–D ). Epigynal plate wider than long, atrium large, ca 4 × as broad as long, with posterior and lateral margins more developed than anterior margin; copulatory openings located close to lateral atrial margins; spermathecae large, ca 2.5 × as long as wide, spindle shaped; copulatory ducts membranous, wide, almost as wide as spermatheca, forming a 450° loop.

Variation

The total length in male specimens examined ranges from 6.04 to 7.26 (n = 3), in female specimens from 5.01 to 9.07 (n = 6).

Distribution

China, Yunnan (localities in Fig. 11 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Cheiracanthium arcilongum sp. nov., ♂, holotype (MHBU-ARA-1001). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Left palp, retrolateral view. D. Same, prolateral view. E. Same, ventral view. F. Same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods.

Fig. 2. Cheiracanthium arcilongum sp. nov., ♀, paratype (MHBU-ARA-1003). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Epigyne, ventral view. D. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods.

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