Phycosoma

Zhang, Feng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2012, Spiders of the genus Phycosoma O. P. - Cambridge, 1879 (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 3339, pp. 30-43 : 31

Phycosoma O. P.- Cambridge, 1879

Phycosoma O. P.- Cambridge, 1879: 692. Trigonobothrys Simon, 1889: 231 .

Diagnosis. Phycosoma is separated from other Hadrotarsinae by the following characters: male carapace often very high, almost cylindrical, with deep dorsal grooves when viewed from above ( Figs 1 , 6 , 9 , 15 , 20 ); female carapace, if high, only anteriorly. Eye region often projecting beyond clypeus ( Figs 1 , 6 , 9 , 15 , 20 ). Male palp with a median apophysis, a small conductor and a small embolus ( Figs 2 , 7 , 10 , 16 , 21 ). Epigynum with a small scape ( Figs 4 , 13 , 18 , 23 ). Most species without colulus (except P. m u s t e l i n u m (Simon, 1889) with a colulus).

Comments. Fitzgerald & Sirvid (2004) gave the diagnosis and description of Phycosoma by examining the type species P. oecobioides O. P.- Cambridge, 1879. The generic diagnosis given here is based in part on Yoshida’s (2002) diagnosis of Trigonobothrys and Fitzgerald & Sirvid’s (2004) diagnosis of Phycosoma . P. stellaris , P. h a na, P. labialis , P. hainanensis and P. s i n i c a were originally placed in the genus Dipoena . The characters of these species fit the diagnosis and circumscription of the genus Phycosoma , and we transfer these species to the genus Phycosoma . We believe that revisionary work on the genus Dipoena will likely reveal more species that should be transferred to Phycosoma .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Phycosoma digitula n. sp. 1 – 3, male holotype. 1, body, dorsal; 2, male left palp, ventral; 3, same, prolateral; 4 – 5, female paratype. 4, epigynum, ventral; 5, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 1, 0.5 mm; 2 – 5, 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 6 – 8. Phycosoma diaoluo n. sp. 6 – 8, male holotype. 6, body, dorsal; 7, male left palp, ventral; 8, same, prolateral. Scale bars: 6, 0.5 mm; 7 – 8, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 9 – 14. Phycosoma stellaris (Zhu, 1998) 9 – 11, male holotype. 9, body, dorsal; 10, male left palp, ventral; 11, same, prolateral; 12 – 14, female paratype. 12, opisthosoma of female, dorsal; 13, epigynum, ventral; 13, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 9, 12, 0.5 mm; 10 – 11, 13 – 14, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 15 – 19. Phycosoma hana (Zhu, 1998) 15 – 17, male. 15, body, dorsal; 16, male left palp, ventral; 17, same, prolateral; 18 – 19, female. 18, epigynum, ventral; 19, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 15, 0.5 mm; 16 – 19, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 20 – 24. Phycosoma labialis (Zhu, 1998) 20 – 22, male. 20, body, dorsal; 21, male left palp, ventral; 22, same, prolateral; 23 – 24, female. 23, epigynum, ventral; 24, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 20, 0.5 mm; 21 – 24, 0.2 mm.