Zora acuminata, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2006

Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2006, A new species of the genus Zora from China (Araneae: Zoridae), Zootaxa 1349, pp. 47-51 : 48-51

Zora acuminata spec. nov.

Figs 1–8

Type material: Holotype male, CHINA: Beijing City, Mt. Baihua, N 39°48’, E 115°25’, 3 June 1995, M.S. Zhu leg. ( MHBU). Paratypes: three females, same data as holotype ( MHBU).

Diagnosis: The new species resembles Zora lyriformis Song, Zhu & Gao, 1993 ( Song et al. 1993: 87, figs 1–6) in the general structure of the epigyne and palpal organ, but differs from the latter species by: (1) metatarsi I and II with 3 pairs of long ventral spines, the latter with 2 pairs; (2) male palpal dorsum of the femora with 3 terminal spines, base with a weak spine ( Fig. 3 ), the latter with 2 terminal spines and a basal spine; (3) tibial apophysis of male palp broad, folded apically, with a small acuminate tubercle on middle part in retrolateral view ( Figs 4–6 ), the latter broad medially, the terminal part biforked, without tuber; (4) posterior concavity of female epigyne narrower than diameter of a spermatheca ( Fig. 7 ), the latter equal almost.

Etymology: The specific name is a Latin adjective and refers to the small acuminate tubercle of the male tibial apophysis.

Description: Male. Total length 3.47: prosoma 1.84 long, 1.43 wide; opisthosoma 1.63 long, 1.12 wide. Carapace ovoid in dorsal view, widest between coxae II and III, abruptly narrowed before coxa I, highest at level of dorsal groove, with a few brown long setae on front part of eye area, MOA with some gray long hairs medially. Carapace yellow, paramedian bands and marginal bands wide and brown. Brown median furrow long, straight and longitudinal. Eyes round, ringed with black, forming three rows, anterior eye row slightly recurved, and posterior eye row strongly recurved ( Fig. 1 ). Diameters of eyes: AME 0.10, ALE 0.08, PME 0.13, PLE 0.13. Interdistances of eyes: AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.13, ALE–PLE 0.13. MOA 0.23 long, front width 0.20, back width 0.28. Clypeus height 0.05. Chelicerae yellow, setaceous, each with a gray black longitudinal stripe in frontal view, with 3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth. Endites brown, ectal side each with a deep brown spot, and the end armed with gray brown hairs. Labium wider than long, light yellow, the end white, with brown hairs. Sternum yellow, almost round in shape, widest point behind coxae II, posterior margin gently narrowed and extending between coxae IV, covered with eight big brown spots and some small spots ( Fig. 2 ).

The dorsum of opisthosoma yellow, covered with a gray brown median band, each side with some irregular brownish spots ( Fig. 1 ), anterior margin with tufty, curved long setae. Venter yellow and covered with many brownish spots. Anterior spinnerets brownish, furnished ventrally with a brush of bristles; posterior and median spinnerets yellowish.

Coxae, trochanters and femora of legs yellow, with many brown spots, coxa IV with a peculiar group of setae on the posterior part in ventral view ( Fig. 2 ); patellae and tibiae yellow brown, dorsal patellae each with a brown longitudinal stripe; metatarsi yellow brown except metatarsi I yellow, the terminal part with a brown annular patch; tarsi yellow; Leg spine: tibiae I and II with 7 pairs of long ventral spines, metatarsi I and II with 3 pairs of long ventral spines. Leg formula: 4123.

Measurements of legs:

femur patella+ tibia metatarsus tarsus total

I 1.63 2.35 1.53 0.82 6.33 II 1.63 2.24 1.43 0.82 6.12 III 1.73 2.04 1.33 0.82 5.92 IV 2.35 2.75 2.14 0.92 8.16 Male palp ( Figs 3–6 ), dorsal femora with 3 terminal spines and a weak basal spine, tibia almost twice as long as wide, and furnished with few weak, dorsal spines. Median apophysis lightly S-shaped, tip of it close to membranous conductor. Tibial apophysis broad, folded apically, with a small acuminate tubercle on middle part in retrolateral view.

Female. Total length 3.37–4.59. One paratype total length 3.98: prosoma 1.63 long, 1.02 wide; opisthosoma 2.45 long, 1.63 wide. Marginal band narrow. Diameters of eyes: AME 0.08, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10. Interdistances of eyes: AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.15. MOA 0.23 long, anterior width 0.18, posterior width 0.25. Clypeus height 0.03.

Legs yellow, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi little darker. The peculiar group of setae on coxa IV are missing. Leg formula: 4123.

Measurements of legs:

femur patella+ tibia metatarsus tarsus total

I 1.12 1.84 1.02 0.61 4.59 II 1.12 1.63 0.92 0.41 4.08 III 1.02 1.33 0.92 0.51 3.78 IV 1.43 2.04 1.33 0.71 5.51 Opisthosomal dorsum yellow, covered with many irregular brownish spots. Anterior spinnerets without bristles. General aspects and color essentially as in male. Shallow concavity of epigyne inverted flask shaped; globular spermathecae and copulatory ducts yellow brown, and discernible through integument ( Figs 7–8 ).

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Zora acuminata spec. nov., 1 – 6, male holotype. 1, body, dorsal view; 2, sternum and coxae, ventral view; 3, left palpal femur, lateral view; 4, left palpal organ, prolateral view; 5, same, ventral view; 6, same, retrolateral view; 7 – 8, female paratype. 7, epigyne, ventral view; 8, vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 – 2, 0.5 mm; 3 – 8, 0.2 mm.