Erigone ansula, Irfan & Zhang & Peng, 2022

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2022, Survey of Linyphiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) spiders from Yunnan, China, Megataxa 8 (1), pp. 1-292 : 79-82

Erigone ansula sp. nov. (NḦẮƦ)

Figures 85–87 , 97

Types. Holotype ♂, China Yunnan, Gongshan County, Qiqi Yakou , 27.69655°N, 98.45407°E, alt. 3675m,

27 September 2007, Xian-jin Peng leg. (200709027). Paratypes: 6♂ 2♀, same data as holotype (200709027).

Etymology. This epithet derives from the Latin adjective “ ansula ”, meaning “hook” and refers to the hook-shaped paracymbium in the male palp.

Diagnosis. This new species resembles Erigone jageri Baehr, 1984 in having the similar hook-shaped paracymbium, embolus with a protruding tip in male palp and similar broad ventral plate in epigyne ( Figs 85A, B , 86A, B ; Baehr, 1984, figs 7, 8; Thaler, 1993, figs 31, 32), but can be distinguished by tibia only with one dorsal apophysis, its end broad and pointing away from the cymbium in E. ansula sp. nov. ( Fig. 85B ); whereas with one reterolateral tibial apophysis with pointed end and one dorsal tibial apophysis with blunt end in E. jageri ( Baehr, 1984, figs 5, 7). The anterior radical process long, slightly curved with blunt end, protruding above the apex of cymbium in E. ansula sp. nov. ( Fig. 85A, B, D ), whereas small, retained below the apex of cymbium in E. jageri ( Baehr, 1984, figs 5, 7). Embolic membrane protruding above the apex of cymbium in E. ansula sp. nov. ( Fig. 85A–D ), whereas retained below the apex of cymbium in E. jageri ( Baehr, 1984, figs 5, 7). Epigyne: spermathecae elliptical in E. ansula sp. nov. ( Fig. 86A–C ), whereas globular in E. jageri ( Thaler, 1993, figs 31). Dorsal plate pentagonal in E. ansula sp. nov. ( Fig. 86A–C ), whereas with posterior end broad and round in E. jageri ( Thaler, 1993, fig. 31).

Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 87A, B ): Total length: 1.53. Carapace 0.51 long, 0.52 wide; cephalic region slightly elevated, dark brown; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.14 high. Sternum longer than wide, brown. Labium wider than long. Maxillae long, distal end broad with scopulae. Chelicerae with four promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Eye region narrow,AER recurved, PME slightly procurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.03, ALE 0.06, PME 0.04, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.01, PME–PME 0.04, AME–ALE, 0.02, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.21, PLE–PLE 0.23, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 1.87 (0.55, 0.62, 0.36, 0.34), II 1.73 (0.53, 0.55, 0.33, 0.32), III 1.44 (0.44, 0.45, 0.27, 0.28), IV 1.92 (0.57, 0.68, 0.38, 0.29). Leg formula IV-I-II-III. Tm I 0.19 and Tm IV 0.16. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 0.85 long, 0.56 wide, oval, greenish-grey.

Palp ( Fig. 85A–D ): Femur long, almost equal to the length of tibia + cymbium collectively; patella small sparsely covered with microsetae; tibia sclerotized, with reterolateral and dorsal trichobothria, with broad dorsal tibial apophysis, slightly curved, pointing away from the cymbium; paracymbium sclerotized, hook-shaped, distal tip slightly curved with blunt end; subtegulum and tegulum highly sclerotized, with long protegulum, its blunt tip protruding above the apex of cymbium; distal suprategular apophysis sclerotized, curved with pointed end, pointing towards the anterior radical process. Embolic division: radix with broad plate, sclerotized; anterior radical process long, slightly curved with blunt end, protruding above the apex of cymbium; embolic membrane sclerotized, basally wider, distal tip pointed. Embolus long, sclerotized, with pointed tip.

Female (paratype, Fig. 87C, D ): Total length: 1.78. Carapace 0.72 long, 0.52 wide; cephalic region slightly elevated, dark brown; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.19 high. Sternum longer than wide, brown. Labium wider than long. Maxillae long, distal end broad with scopulae. Chelicerae with five promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Eye region narrow, AER recurved, PER straight. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.03, ALE 0.06, PME 0.04, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, AME–ALE, 0.02, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.21, PLE–PLE 0.23, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 1.68 (0.51, 0.57, 0.31, 0.29), II 1.41 (0.46, 0.48, 0.25, 0.22), III 1.35 (0.40, 0.43, 0.26, 0.26), IV 1.72 (0.52, 0.59, 0.33, 0.28). Leg formula IV-I-II-III. Tm I 0.17 and Tm IV 0.14. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 1.06 long, 0.71 wide, oval, dark gray.

Epigyne ( Fig. 86A–C ): Ventral plate wider than long, posterior median edge somewhat protruding; copulatory openings in the posterior median edge, copulatory ducts long, running parallel to the lateral wall of ventral plate, somewhat coiled before entering the spermathecae. Dorsal plate pentagonal. Spermathecae elliptical, present at the apex of dorsal plate. Fertilization ducts short, extending mesally.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 97 ).

Figures

FIGURE 85. Erigone ansula sp. nov., male palp of holotype. A, prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 86. Erigone ansula sp. nov., female (one of paratype). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 87. Erigone ansula sp. nov., male holotype (A, B) and female paratype (C, D). A, C Habitus, dorsal view B, D Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 97. Distribution of Erigone species.