Auricula, Irfan & Zhang & Peng, 2022

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2022, Survey of Linyphiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) spiders from Yunnan, China, Megataxa 8 (1), pp. 1-292 : 20

Auricula gen. nov. (ĄḋƦø)

Type species: Auricula triangulara sp. nov. (ΞssĄḋƦ)

Etymology. The genus name comes from the Latin noun “ Auricula ”, meaning “lobe” and referring to the cephalic lobe in male. Gender is masculine.

Diagnosis. Auricula gen. nov. can be distinguished from any other Erigoninae genus by cephalic region of male with cephalic lobe ( Figs 19B , 28B ); tibia with a long, broad reterolateral tibial apophysis, overlapping the basal part of cymbium in reterolateral view ( Figs 17B–D , 24B–D ), protegulum long, transparent, distal end curved, protruding above the apex of cymbium ( Figs 17B, D , 24B, D ); terminal apophysis robust, J-shaped ( Figs 17A, B, D , 24A, B, D ), radix with anterior radial process, hidden on unexpanded palp ( Figs 17A, B, D , 24A, B, D , 25A–D ). Epigyne resembles that of the genus Gongylidioides Oi, 1960 in having the similar copulatory ducts ( Figs 18A–C , 20A–C , 22A–C , 27A–C ; Tu and Li, 2006, figs 1–4, 6) and the dorsal and ventral plates connected posteriorly, but can be distinguished by the the dorsal plate with a depression mesally ( Figs 18A–C , 20A–C , 22A–C , 27A– C ): Copulatory openings present at the base of septum posteriorly ( Figs 20A, B , 22A, B , 27A, B ), except in Auricula aeda sp. nov. copulatory openings present ventro-laterally ( Fig. 18A, B ).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Auricula aeda sp. nov., male palp of holotype. A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 18. Auricula aeda sp. nov., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 19. Auricula aeda sp. nov., male holotype (A–C, F) and female (one of paratypes, D, E). A, D Habitus, dorsal view B Habitus, lateral view C, E Habitus, ventral view F Habitus, frontal view (white arrows indicating the cephalic secretions dried out in the cephalic pits and the area around the base of cephalic lobe).

FIGURE 20. Auricula rutunda sp. nov., female holotype. A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 22. Auricula sanchaheensis sp. nov., female holotype. A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 24. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male palp of holotype. A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view.

FIGURE 25. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male (one of paratypes). A–D Embolic division.

FIGURE 27. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 28. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., male holotype (A–C) and female (one of paratypes, D–F). A, D Habitus, dorsal view B, E Habitus, lateral view C, F Habitus, ventral view.