Pseudopoda semilunata, Zhang, He, Jaeger, Peter & Liu, Jie, 2019

Zhang, He, Jaeger, Peter & Liu, Jie, 2019, Establishing a new species group of Pseudopoda Jaeger, 2000 with the description of two new species (Araneae, Sparassidae), ZooKeys 879, pp. 91-115 : 95-97

Pseudopoda semilunata sp. nov. Figs 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 18

Type material.

Holotype male: CHINA: Yunnan Province: Lijiang City, Black Dragon Pool Park, 26.89°N, 100.24°E, 2659 m, 20 May 2014, Yang Zhong & Xiaowei Cao leg. (CBEE, LJ01905); Paratypes: 7 males, 8 females, with same data as holotype. (CBEE, LJ01906-LJ01920); 2 males, 2 females, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Deqin County, Fei Lai Temple scenic area, 28.42°N, 98.87°E, 3458m, 25 May 2014, Yang Zhong & Xiaowei Cao leg. (CBEE, LJ01921-LJ01924).

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective semilunatus, - a, - um, meaning lunate, referring to the shape of anterior margins of lateral lobes ( Fig. 8 B–D ); adjective.

Diagnosis.

P. semilunata sp. nov. differs from other members in this group by the following characters: dRTA with distinct sub-apical cavity, anterior margins of lateral lobes not strongly curved as in other species but together forming a semicircle. Males of this species are similar to those of P. wu in having a twisted embolus tip but can be distinguished by embolic tip forming a semicircle and conductor present (embolic tip forming a full circle, conductor entirely reduced in P. wu ) ( Figs 8 A–D , 9A, B ).

Description.

Male (holotype): Measurements: small-sized Heteropodinae. Body length 7.0-9.5. DS length 4.1, width 3.5, OS length 5.0, width 3.4. Eyes: AME 0.16, ALE 0.23, PME 0.19, PLE 0.24, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.21, PME-PME 0.24, PME-PLE 0.27, AME-PME 0.37, ALE-PLE 0.40, CHAME 0.26, CHALE 0.21. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe I–II 323, III 322, IV 322; Pa I–III 101, IV 100; Ti I–II 2228, III–IV 2126; Mt I–II 2024, III 3025, IV 3036. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 5.0 (1.3, 0.6, 0.9, -, 2.2); I 13.9 (3.9, 1.0, 3.6, 4.0, 1.4); II 14.3 (4.1, 1.2, 4.2, 3.3, 1.5); III 12.2 (3.5, 0.9, 3.4,3.0, 1.4); IV 13.7 (4.5, 1.2, 3.3, 3.2, 1.5). Promargin of chelicerae with three teeth, retromargin with four teeth, cheliceral furrow with ca. 20 denticles. Palp as in diagnosis. Conductor arising from tegulum at 12- o’clock-position, basally folded. Tegular outgrowth short, claviform. Embolus arising from tegulum at 8.30- o’clock-position, long, well developed, with abruptly tapering apical part with additional loop. Spermophore visible submarginally on retrolateral tegulum in ventral view. RTA arising proximally on Ti, with broad ventral part, its distal end bent, bowl-shaped ( Figs 8A , 9A, B ). Colouration in ethanol: DS yellow with dark spots, two lateral bands, margin with thin dash line and brown patterns. Fovea and radial furrows distinctly marked. OS dorsally with lots of reddish brown dots, ventrally with reddish brown marks, regularly arranged ( Fig. 11A, B ).

Female: Measurements: small-sized Heteropodinae. Body length 8.0-9.5. DS length 4.0, width 3.6, OS length 4.6, width 2.8. Eyes: AME 0.15, ALE 0.20, PME 0.16, PLE 0.20, AME-AME 0.27, AME-ALE 0.13, PME-PME 0.33, PME-PLE 0.41, AME-PME 0.35, ALE-PLE 0.32, CHAME 0.31, CHALE 0.29. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe I–II 323, III 322, IV 322; Pa I–III 101, IV 100; Ti I–II 2228, III–IV 2126; Mt I–II 2024, III 3025, IV 3036. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 4.4 (1.3, 0.6, 0.9, -, 1.6); I 9.9 (3.1, 0.8, 2.6, 2.4, 1.0); II 10.9 (3.1, 1.2, 3.0, 2.6, 1.0); III 7.3 (1.9, 0.8, 2.2, 1.5, 0.9); IV 8.8 (2.8, 0.8, 2.4, 2.0, 0.8). Cheliceral furrow with three anterior and four posterior teeth, and with ca. 18 denticles. Epigynal field wider than long. Anterior and posterior margins of lateral lobes almost parallel. FW well developed, covering the entire sclerotised part of internal duct system, the latter folded. FD long, narrow ( Fig. 8 B–D ). Colouration in ethanol: As in male, generally darker ( Fig. 11C, D ).

Distribution.

China (Yunnan) ( Fig. 18 ).

Figures

Figure 8. Pseudopoda semilunata sp. nov. A left male palp, ventral B epigyne, ventral C schematic course of internal duct system in right art, dorsal D vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: C-conductor; dRTA-dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis; T-tegulum; vRTA-ventral retrolateral tibial apophysis; CO-copulatory opening; LL-lateral lobes; FD-fertilisation duct; FW-first winding; SIDS-sclerotised internal duct system. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. Pseudopoda semilunata sp. nov. A left male palp, prolateral B Same, retrolateral. Abbreviations: E-embolus; ST-subtegulum. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 10. Pseudopoda semilunata sp. nov. A, B left male palp (A ventral B retrolateral) C epigyne, ventral D vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 11. Pseudopoda semilunata sp. nov. A, B male habitus (A dorsal B ventral) C, D female habitus (C dorsal D ventral). Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figure 18. Locality records of P. signata group from China: 1 P. bibulba 2 P. physematosa sp. nov. 3 P. semilunata sp. nov. 4 P. signata 5 P. wu 6 P. yinae 7 P. yunnanensis.