Atypus karschi Dönitz 1887

Zhu, Ming-Sheng, Zhang, Feng, Song, Daxiang & Qu, Ping, 2006, A revision of the genus Atypus in China (Araneae: Atypidae), Zootaxa 1118, pp. 1-42 : 13-16

Atypus karschi Dönitz 1887

( Figs 26–38 , 122–123 )

Atypus karschii Dönitz 1887: 9 (eight female syntypes from Saga, Japan, SMF, examined by Schwendinger 1990).

Atypus karschi: Bösenberg & Strand 1906: 99 , pl. 5, fig. 58. — Yaginuma 1960: 22, fig. 16. — Yaginuma 1971: 22, fig. 16. — Gertsch & Platnick 1980: 6, fig. 8. — Yaginuma & Nishikawa 1980: 49, fig. 1. — Yin, Wang & Hu 1983: 34, fig. 4A. — Yaginuma 1986: 5, figs 4.1, 5.1. — Hu 1984: 36.— Yoshikura 1987: 148, figs 20.3B, 20.12. — Chikuni 1989: 20, fig. 1. — Schwendinger 1990: 358, figs 12, 17. — Feng 1990: 28, figs 3.1–7. — Song, Zhu & Chen 1999: 35, figs 11B, 15R, 16A–B.

Material examined. CHINA: Hubei Province, Xianning County, 29°48’N, 114°12’E, 2 females, 13 October 1978, J. Z. Zhao leg. ( MHBU) ; Fujian Province: Chong’an County , 27°42’N, 118°00’E, Jiuqu Village, 2 females and 2 males, 15 July 1986, C. M. Yin leg. ( HNU); Anhui Province: Mt Qiyun , 29°48’N, 118°00’E, 2 May 1995, M. S. Zhu leg; Tunxi City, 29°42’N, 118°18’E, no date, 2 females, Y. J. Xu leg. ( MHBU); Hunan Province: Fenghuang County , 27°54’N, 109°36’E, Mt Nanhua , 1 female and 3 juvenile females, 1 June 2002, Z. S. Zhang and J. Y. Yang leg. ( MHBU); Sangzhi County , 29°18’N, 110°06’E, Bamaoxi, 3 females, 3 June 2002, Z. S. Zhang and J. Y. Yang leg. ( MHBU); Sichuan Province: Mt Emei , 29°30’N, 103°18’E, near Fuhu Temple , 1 female and 1 male, 21 July 2003, J. X. Zhang and D. Li leg. ( MHBU); Guizhou Province: Meitan County , 27°42’N, 107°24’E, 2 females, 4 August 2003, 8 females, 3 August 2003, J. X. Zhang, Z. S. Song and D. Li leg. ( MHBU); Daozhen County , 28°48’N, 107°30’E, 23 May 2004, H. M. Chen and Z. S. Zhang leg. ( MHBU); Hebei Province: Yu County, Mt Xiaowutai , 39°54’N, 115°00’E, 1 male, 16 July 2001, 1 male, 3 July 2004, F. Zhang leg.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to A. yajuni sp. nov. in the shape of palpal bulb and vulva, but differs in the anterior half of the carapace clearly wider than posterior half ( Fig. 26 ); males have a shorter conductor, the tegular process is close to the upper distal corner of the conductor, and the tegular tubercle is lower in prolateral view ( Fig. 37 ); in females, the median pair of receptacula are not situated on the anterior edge of the atrium and are larger than the lateral pair ( Figs 29–33 ). A. karschi can also be distinguished from A. suiningensis by males possessing a pointed upper distal corner of the conductor in retrolateral view ( Fig. 38 ); in females, the lateral and median pair of receptacula are of different sizes ( Figs 29–33 ).

Redescription.

Male. Total length (including chelicerae) 14.94. Carapace 4.23 long, 4.05 wide; abdomen 6.12 long, 4.05 wide. Carapace smooth, with shallow grooves and pits, redbrown, with black border and small dark lines, pars cephalica elevated. Eyes set on elevated black tubercle, with eye region occupying nearly one­third of width of pars cephalica. Anterior eye row distinctly recurved, posterior eye row slightly recurved. Eye diameters: AME 0.33, ALE 0.28, PME 0.23, PLE 0.20. Distances AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.68, PME–PLE 0.03. MOA 0.58 long, front width 0.83, back width 0.95. Fovea transverse, occupying about 1/6 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae red­brown, with 14 teeth on promargin and granular texture on pro­ and retrolateral faces. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa red­brown, with rows of cuspules. Sternum dark red­brown, with black border, 2.70 long and 2.61 wide. Third pair of sigilla long oval, fourth pair oval.

Abdomen oval, purple­grey, with dorsal scutum dark brown. ALS 0.55 long, PMS 0.75 long, PLS 2.44 long (basal joint 0.58, median 0.68, subapical 0.68, apical 0.50).

Legs thin, covered with short and thin hairs and few spines. Palpal femur with shallow furrow. Legs I, II red­brown, legs III, IV yellow­brown. Femora I, II with granular texture. Metatarsus IV lacking dorsal spines. Leg formula: 4123.

Male palp ( Figs 36–38 ): upper distal corner of conductor close to tegular process, incrassate and slightly folded downwards, with tip pointed in retrolateral view.

Female. Total length (including chelicerae) 17.19. Carapace 4.86 long, 4.68 wide; abdomen 8.46 long, 5.49 wide. Carapace similar to male in shape, coloration and pattern. Eye tubercle lower than that of male. Eye region occupies nearly one­third of width of pars cephalica. Eye diameters: AME 0.25, ALE 0.28, PME 0.23, PLE 0.20. Distances AME– AME 0.33, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.78, PME–PLE 0.03. MOA 0.50 long, front width 0.78, back width 1.10. Fovea transverse, occupies about 1/6 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae red brown, with 13 teeth on promargin, lacking granular texture. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa similar to that of male. Sternum darker than in male, wider than long. Sigilla like those of male.

Abdomen oval, purple­grey, with smaller and orange tergite. ALS 0.61 long, PMS 1.05 long, PLS 3.32 long (basal joint 0.70, median 1.02, subapical 0.92, apical 0.68).

Legs red­brown, shorter and thicker than those of male, with relatively longer hairs and few short and thin spines. Metatarsus IV with 3–4 dorsal spines. Leg formula: 1423.

Vulva ( Figs 29–33 ): atrium short, with two almost round lateral patches of pores; receptacula pyriform, with short basal stalks, and median pair larger than lateral pair.

Variation. Size range of mature females: carapace length 4.77–5.76, width 4.14–5.49, total length 14.85–22.32, n=21; size range of mature males: carapace length 3.87–4.23, width 3.51–4.05, total length 12.60–14.94, n=5.

Habitat. Found in pursewebs attached to the bases of China firs and rocks.

Distribution. China: Hebei, Anhui, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Fujian; Japan.

Remarks. This species was originally described from Japan by Dönitz (1887). Saito (1939: 4) first reported its presence in Taiwan, based on a female specimen, but unfortunately no description or illustration were given. Subsequently, Lee (1964) simply described this species from Taiwan, but did not provide any diagnostic illustration. Therefore, it is uncertain if this species really occurs in Taiwan. Although other Chinese arachnologists, such as Hu (1984), Yin, Wang & Hu (1983), Feng (1990) and Song, Zhu & Chen (1999), also reported this species from China, the illustrations they gave are irrelevant. Schwendinger (1990) examined type specimens and additional material collected in Japan, and provided valuable diagnostic illustrations for identification. After a relatively comprehensive investigation, we found that this species is widely distributed in China.

Figures

FIGURES 26–38. Atypus karschi Dönitz 1887. 26–33, females. 26, carapace, dorsal view; 27, left chelicera, inner­lateral view; 28, labium and sternum, ventral view; 29–33, vulvae, dorsal view (29, from Chong’an, Fujian; 30, from Xianning, Hubei; 31, from Sangzhi, Hunan; 32, from Mt Qiyun, Anhui; 33, Meitan, Guizhou). 34–38, male. 34, left chelicera, inner­lateral view; 35, labium and sternum, ventral view; 36, male left palp, prolateral view (from Chong’an, Fujian); 37, male left palpal bulb, prolateral view; 38, same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 26–28, 34–35, 1.0mm; 29–33, 36–38, 0.2mm.

FIGURES 122–123. Atypus karschi Dönitz 1887. 122, cuspules on pedipalpal coxa of female; 123, one cuspules in detail.