Pholcus mixiaoqii, Xu & Zhang & Yao, 2019

Xu, Hao, Zhang, Chuntian & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2019, Pholcus mixiaoqii sp. nov., one new spider species from Tibet, China (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4656 (2), pp. 384-388 : 385-388

Pholcus mixiaoqii sp. nov. ( Figs 2–3 )

Type material. Holotype: male (SYNU-Ar00001), Diya Village (31°46.979’N, 78°52.351’E, elevation 2987 m), Diya Town, Zanda County, Tibet, China, 15 June 2015, X. Mi & K. Guo leg. Paratypes: 2 males (SYNU-Ar00002–00003) and 1 female (SYNU-Ar00004), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of the collector Xiaoqi Mi (Tongren University), and is a noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. This species resembles Pholcus shuguanensis Yao & Li, 2017 (see Dong et al. 2017: figs 3A–D, 4A–E) and Pholcus sidorenkoi Dunin, 1994 (see Dunin 1994: figs 1–7; Huber 2011: figs 1538, 1642–1644; Dong et al. 2017: figs 5A–D, 6A–H) with similar male chelicerae ( Fig. 3D ) but can be distinguished by procursus prolatero-distally sclerotized ( Figs 2A, C ) and by uncus distally wide ( Fig. 3C ); also distinguished from P. shuguanensis by appendix L-shaped ( Fig. 3C ); also distinguished from P. sidorenkoi by epigynum with pair of lateral apophyses anteriorly (arrows in Fig. 3A ) and by pore plates nearly rounded ( Fig. 3B ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 5.56 (5.75 with clypeus), carapace 1.41 long, 1.63 wide, opisthosoma 4.15 long, 1.66 wide. Leg I: 33.13 (8.63 + 0.73 + 8.84 + 12.88 + 2.05), leg II: 23.89 (6.56 + 0.70 + 5.94 + 9.38 + 1.31), leg III: 17.08 (5.36 + 0.66 + 4.47 + 5.54 + 1.05), leg IV: 23.26 (6.68 + 0.68 + 5.79 + 8.81 + 1.30); tibia I L/d: 49. Distance PME-PME 0.29, diameter PME 0.14, distance PME-ALE 0.04, distance AME-AME 0.05, diameter AME 0.07. Sternum wider than long (1.11/0.86). Habitus as in Figs 3 E–F. Carapace yellowish, with brown marks medially; ocular area and clypeus yellowish; sternum yellowish, with brownish marks. Legs yellowish, but dark brown on patellae, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, without spots. Ocular area elevated, each eye triad on top of short laterally directed eye-stalk. Thoracic furrow absent. Chelicerae as in Fig. 3D , with pair of large proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses provided with two teeth each, and pair of frontal apophyses. Pedipalps as in Figs 2 A–B; trochanter with long ventral apophysis; femur with small dorsal apophysis proximally (arrow in Fig. 2B ) and distinct ventral protuberance; procursus simple, with two prolatero-dorsal spines (arrow in Fig. 2D ); uncus with scaly edge ( Fig. 3C ); appendix Lshaped, flat and large distally ( Figs 2 A–B, 3C); embolus weakly sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally ( Fig. 3C ). Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 6% proximally; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, without spines and curved setae; tarsus I with 28 distinct pseudosegments.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 3 G–H. Total length 5.77 (5.91 with clypeus), carapace 1.48 long, 1.55 wide, opisthosoma 4.29 long, 1.94 wide; tibia I: 7.76; tibia I L/d: 49. Distance PME-PME 0.26, diameter PME 0.13, distance PME-ALE 0.04, distance AME-AME 0.05, diameter AME 0.07. Sternum wider than long (1.05/0.82). Epigynum ( Fig. 3A ) with knob and pair of lateral apophyses anteriorly (arrows in Fig. 3A ). Vulva ( Fig. 3B ) with sclerotized anterior arch and pair of nearly rounded pore plates.

Variation: Tibia I in one male paratype (leg I missing in another male paratype): 9.03.

Distribution. China (Tibet, type locality; Fig. 1 ).

Natural history. The species was found in an old house.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution records of the Pholcus nenjukovi species-group. 1. Pholcus afghanus Senglet, 2008 (Afghanistan); 2. Pholcus arsacius Senglet, 2008 (Iran); 3. Pholcus cophenius Senglet, 2008 (Afghanistan); 4. Pholcus mixiaoqii sp. nov. (Tibet, China); 5. Pholcus nenjukovi Spassky, 1936 (Tajikistan); 6. Pholcus parthicus Senglet, 2008 (Iran); 7. Pholcus saidovi Yao & Li, 2017 (Tajikistan); 8. Pholcus shuguanensis Yao & Li, 2017 (Tajikistan); 9. Pholcus sidorenkoi Dunin, 1994 (Tajikistan; for the single dubious record from Russia, see Huber 2011: 339, fig. 1636). Locality coordinates for P. parthicus, P. afghanus, P. arsacius, P. cophenius, P. saidovi, and P. shuguanensis were recovered from the original descriptions (see Senglet 2008, Dong et al. 2017), and for P.nenjukovi and P. sidorenkoi from other revisions (see Huber 2011, Dong et al. 2017).

FIGURE 2. Pholcus mixiaoqii sp. nov., holotype male.A–B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view, arrow points at dorsal apophysis); C–D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view, arrow points at two prolatero-dorsal spines). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.20 (A–B), 0.05 (C–D).

FIGURE 3. Pholcus mixiaoqii sp. nov., holotype male (C–F) and paratype female (A–B, G–H). A. Epigynum, ventral view, arrows point at lateral apophyses; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulb, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E–H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F. Lateral view; H. Ventral view). a = appendix, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, fa = frontal apophysis, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A–D), 1.00 (E–H).