Nesticella zhiyuani, Lin, Yucheng, Ballarin, Francesco & Li, Shuqiang, 2016

Lin, Yucheng, Ballarin, Francesco & Li, Shuqiang, 2016, A survey of the spider family Nesticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Asia and Madagascar, with the description of forty-three new species, ZooKeys 627, pp. 1-168 : 51-53

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Nesticidae

Nesticella zhiyuani sp. n. Figs 63, 64, 83

Type material.

Holotype ♂ and paratypes 1♂4♀ (IZCAS), INDONESIA: West Sumatra Province, Payakumbuh City, Koto Tiggi Village, a cave without name, close to the Imam Bonjol Cave (2.08057°S, 101.37412°E, 962 m), 17.V.2014, Z. Yao leg.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Dr. Zhiyuan Yao who extensively collected and studied spiders from Southeast Asia; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis.

Males of Nesticella zhiyuani sp. n. can be recognized from those of the other species belonging to the nepalensis -group by the long, sickle-like terminal apophysis (Ta) with a very sharp tip, by the reduced, blunt tegular apophysis (Tg-I) and by the almost round distal process I (Dp-I) and the elongate, sharp process II (Dp-II) (Fig. 63 A–B, D). Females can be easily recognized by the strongly reduced, almost absent, scape (Sp), by the piriform spermathecae (S) and by the short copulatory ducts (Cd) (Fig. 64 E–G) which are not shared with any other species of the group.

Description.

Habitus as in Fig. 64 A–D. Carapace yellowish in males, darker in females; dark area present before the fovea. Cervical groove and fovea distinct. Thoracic area dark, mouthparts yellow. Legs and female palps yellowish, distally darker in metatarsi and tarsi, faintly dark in the other segments. Opisthosoma dark with a dorsal vertical pale stripe and a posterior irregular spot, covered with long setae.

Male palp (Fig. 63 A–D): cymbium with dark pigmentation (Fig. 63B). Paracymbium with two differently oriented processes, Va-I elongate, bent inward and ending with an almost round tip, Va-II lobed and directed outward; bifurcated distal process with two branches Dp-I blunt and almost round, Dp-II elongate and very sharp (Fig. 63A, D). Terminal apophysis long, translucent, laminar in the middle and ending with a sharp, sickle-like tip (Fig. 63A). Tegular apophysis vestigial and blunt, Ta-II slightly protruding outward from the tegulum (Fig. 63A). Conductor ending with a short, horn-like process (Fig. 63A).

Epigyne (Fig. 64 E–G): dark colored. Scape strongly reduced, very short and wide, with a faintly convex posterior margin (Fig. 64E). Copulatory openings located at the posterior margin (Fig. 64G). Spermathecae piriform, pointed on the dorsal side, separated by about 0.8 diameters (Fig. 64F). Fertilization ducts long, reaching the spermathecae with two coils (Fig. 64G). Copulatory ducts thick and short (Fig. 64 F–G).

Male (holotype). Total length 2.13. Carapace 1.15 long, 1.05 wide. Opisthosoma 1.05 long, 0.95 wide. Clypeus height 0.22. Sternum 0.65 long, 0.68 wide. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Female (one of the paratypes). Total length 2.50. Carapace 1.14 long, 0.99 wide. Opisthosoma 1.30 long, 1.35 wide. Clypeus height 0.20. Sternum 0.66 long, 0.66 wide. Leg measurements: see Appendix A.

Habitat.

Cave.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 83).