Sinopoda deminutiva, Grall & Jäger, 2020

Grall, Elena & Jäger, Peter, 2020, Forty-seven new species of Sinopoda from Asia with a considerable extension of the distribution range to the South and description of a new species group (Sparassidae: Heteropodinae), Zootaxa 4797 (1), pp. 1-101 : 18-20

Sinopoda deminutiva spec. nov.

Figs 9 a–c, 57 a–b

Type material: Holotype: male (SD 1399), LAOS: Bolikhamsay Province : Lak Sao, Tham Mankhone, N18°13’16.1’’, E104°48’45.9’’, 501 m, inside small cave at cave entrance near Buddha, at day, by hand, 18 July 2018, P. Jäger & S. Packheiser leg. ( SMF).

Additional material examined (1 subadult male, 2 juveniles): 1 subadult male and 1 juvenile with same data as for holotype ( SMF, SD 1397 ) . 1 juvenile (SD 1250) with same data as for holotype except: 21 July 2016, P. Jäger leg. ( SMF) .

Etymology: The species name is derived from the Latin word “deminutivus, -a, -um” meaning “reduced” and referring to the reduced size of the eyes of this species; term in apposition.

Diagnosis: Males of S. deminutiva spec. nov. are similar to those of S. empat spec. nov. ( Figs. 11 a–c), S. longicymbialis spec. nov. ( Figs. 27 a–c) and S. scurion in having an elongated palpal tibia and cymbium and a relatively small tegulum. The species is distinguished from S. empat spec. nov. by 1. eyes reduced in size and only AME with pigments (four eyes without pigments in S. empat spec. nov.), 2. opisthosoma grey (whitish-yellow in S. empat spec. nov.), 3. embolus shorter than embolic apophysis (embolus longer than embolic apophysis in S. empat spec. nov.), 4. embolic apophysis nearly five times as wide as embolus (as wide as embolus in S. empat spec. nov.), 5. spermophor slightly curved (straight in S. empat spec. nov.) and 6. vRTA with single tip, wide and rounded in retrolateral view, dRTA nearly third times as long as vRTA in ventral view (vRTA bifurcated and tapering in retrolateral view, dRTA nearly two times as long as vRTA in ventral view in S. empat spec. nov.); from S. longicymbialis spec. nov. by 1. eyes reduced in size and only AME with pigments (all eight eyes well developed and with pigments in S. longicymbialis spec. nov.), 2. smaller body size reaching 10.00 (17.50 in S. longicymbialis spec. nov.) 3. tip of embolic apophysis curved prolaterally (curved retrolaterally in S. longicymbialis spec. nov.), 4. embolus tip simple without spike (with spike in S. longicymbialis spec. nov.) and 5. vRTA rounded in retrolateral view (tapering in retrolateral view in S. longicymbialis spec. nov); from S. scurion by 1. eyes reduced and only AME with pigments (eyes completely absent in S. scurion ), 2. embolic apophysis with tip curved prolaterally in ventral view (ventral tip not curved in ventral view in S. scurion ), 3. embolus nearly straight (slightly curved in S. scurion ) and 4. vRTA with distal part without small spine (distal part with small spine in S. scurion ).

Description: Male (holotype): Total length 10.00; prosoma 4.70 long, 4.00 wide, anterior width of prosoma 2.00; opisthosoma 5.30 long, 2.70 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.12; ALE 0.12; PME 0.10; PLE 0.13; AME– AME 0.12; AME–ALE 0.09; PME–PME 0.25; PME–PLE 0.27; AME–PME 0.20; ALE–PLE 0.29; clypeus AME 0.34; clypeus ALE 0.37. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: palp: 10.30 (3.60, 1.50, 2.20, 3.00); I: 41.30 (10.70, 3.10, 12.30, 12.30, 2.90); II: 45.40 (12.50, 3.30, 13.40, 13.20, 3.00); III: 35.80 (9.80, 2.90, 10.70, 10.10, 2.30); IV: 37.10 (10.10, 2.60, 10.70, 11.20, 2.50). Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2111, 1000; legs: Fe I–VI 323; Pa I–II 101, III 001, IV 000; Ti I–II 2226, III 2226, IV 2126; Mt I 2024 /2026, II 2024, III 2026, IV 3036. Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth.

Colouration in ethanol: Prosoma yellowish-white, antero-lateral margin brown. Sternum whitish-yellow with light brown margin. Opisthosoma grey with light spots, antero-medially with longitudinal white stripe, ventral part grey, anteriorly yellow. Chelicerae yellowish-white, antero-laterally yellowish-brown. Palps and legs yellowishwhite. All eyes reduced in size. Only AME fully pigmented, the other eyes with remnants of pigments.

Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus shorter than embolic apophysis, tip tapering. Embolic apophysis wider than embolus and curved. Conductor arising from 1-o’clock-position. Spermophore only very slightly curved in ventral view, nearly half the size of tegulum. Tegulum not covering embolus base. vRTA shorter than dRTA, in ventral view tapering, in retrolateral view rounded. dRTA long and slender, straight in ventral view, curved in retrolateral view.

Female: Unknown.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 9 a–c. Sinopoda deminutiva spec. nov., holotype male from Tham Mankhone. a–c left male palp (a prolateral, b ventral, c retrolateral).

FIGURES 11 a–c. Sinopoda empat spec. nov., holotype male from Gua Gereja Hujan. a–c left male palp (a prolateral, b ventral, c retrolateral).

FIGURES 27 a–e. Sinopoda longicymbialis spec. nov., holotype male and paratype female from Tham Klaeb Yai. a–c left male palp (a prolateral, b ventral, c retrolateral); d Epigyne, ventral; e Vulva, dorsal.