Pholcus sublaksao, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New and little known pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Laos, Zootaxa 3709 (1), pp. 1-51 : 43

Pholcus sublaksao sp. nov.

Figs 35 –37, 41

Type material. Holotype: Male ( IZCAS), near the entrance of Hospital Cave [ 18 ° 13.433 ′N, 104 ° 44.902 ′E, alt. 428 m], 23.86 km west of Ban Laksao Town, Khamkeut District, Bolikhamxay, Laos, 28 November 2012, leg. Z. Yao (Yao-LA 072–073). Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females ( IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name refers to its similarity to P. l a k s a o Huber, 2011; adjective.

Diagnosis. The species resembles P. l a k s a o ( Huber 2011: 430, figs 2058–2061), but can be distinguished by presence of a sclerotized distal apophysis on procursus prolaterally ( Figs 35 A, C and 37 A) and M-shaped anterior arch of vulva ( Figs 36 B and 37 E).

Description. Male ( holotype): Total length 6.15 ( 6.32 with clypeus), prosoma 1.47 long, 1.63 wide, opisthosoma 4.68 long, 1.34 wide. Legs I and III lost, leg II: 37.25 ( 9.94 + 0.77 + 9.29 + 15.71 + 1.54), leg IV: 34.88 ( 10.13 + 0.65 + 8.21 + 14.42 + 1.47). Habitus as in Fig. 36 C. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, with large brown marks including ocular area posteriorly; sternum yellowish, with brown marks posteriorly. Legs II and IV yellowish, but dark brown on patellae and proximal parts of tibiae and metatarsi, with slightly darker rings on femora (subdistally) and tibiae (subdistally). Opisthosoma yellowish, with spots dorsally and laterally. Distance PME-PME 0.48, diameter PME 0.19, distance PME-ALE 0.04, distance AME-AME 0.06, diameter AME 0.08. Ocular area elevated, with long hairs; each eye triad on top of a relatively longer eye-stalk directed towards laterally. Thoracic furrow absent. Sternum wider than long (1.00/ 0.88). Chelicerae as in Fig. 37 C, with a pair of black distal apophyses provided with two modified hairs each and a pair of small proximolateral apophyses, without frontal apophyses. Pedipalpi as in Figs 35 A–B and 37 A–B; trochanter with a long, pointed ventral apophysis; femur with a dorsal apophysis retrolaterally; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two prolatero-dorsal spines; uncus large, with a scaly edge; appendix weakly sclerotized proximally and sharply bent distally; embolus weakly sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally. Legs II and IV with short vertical hairs on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, without spines and curved hairs.

Variation: Total length in another male: 6.20 ( 6.35 with clypeus); leg I lost.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 36 D–E. Tibia I (leg I lost in another specimen): 10.26. One of the specimens measured: Total length 5.74 ( 5.85 with clypeus), prosoma 1.42 long, 1.40 wide, opisthosoma 4.32 long, 1.72 wide. Distance PME-PME 0.23; diameter PME 0.17; distance PME-ALE 0.04; distance AME-AME 0.03; diameter AME 0.07. Dorsal shield of prosoma with a pair of small marks. Ocular area without brown marks and eye-stalks. Epigynum ( Figs 36 A and 37 D) brown, with distinct patterns and a knob-shaped outgrowth. Vulva ( Figs 36 B and 37 E) with an M-shaped, sclerotized arch anteriorly, a pair of oval pore plates, and some sclerites.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 41).