Argiope vietnamensis Ono, 2010

Wang, Cheng, Gan, Jiahui & Mi, Xiaoqi, 2021, On four species of the genus Argiope Audouin, 1826 (Araneae, Araneidae) from China, ZooKeys 1019, pp. 15-34 : 15

Argiope vietnamensis Ono, 2010 Figures 8 , 9 , 10

Argiope vietnamensis Ono 2010: 8, figs 10, 24-27 (♀, female types from Vietnam, locality TriSao, altitude 400-500 m, near Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien Hue Province and deposited in the Arachnid Collection of the Institute of Zoology of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, not examined).

Material examined.

China - Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region • 1♂, 1♀ (subadult) (TRU- Araneidae -125-126), Fangchengang City, Shangsi County, Shiwandashan National Forest Park (21°53.87'N, 107°54.26'E, ca 370 m), night of 14.viii.2017, Xiaoqi Mi et al. leg.; 1♀ (TRU- Araneidae -127), Chongzuo City, Jiangzhou District, Zuozhou Township, Guanghe Village (22°34.72'N, 107°24.94'E, ca 160 m), night of 03.vii.2019, Cheng Wang et al. leg.; 1♀ (TRU- Araneidae -128), Chongzuo City, Longzhou County, Kouke Village (22°18.18'N, 106°42.23'E, ca 960 m), 08.vii.2019, Cheng Wang et al. leg.; China - Guizhou Province - Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture - Libo County • 1♀ (TRU- Araneidae -129), Xiaoqikong Scenic Area (25°15.28'N, 107°42.96'E, ca 580 m), 08.vii.2017, Xiaoqi Mi et al. leg. • 5♀ (TRU- Araneidae -130-134), Dongtang Township, Yaosuo Village, Maolan National Nature Reserve (25°16.37'N, 108°02.97'E, ca 550 m), 07-10.viii.2013, Xiaoqi Mi et al. leg. • 1♂ (TRU- Araneidae -135), Weng’ang Township, Jilong Village, Maolan National Nature Reserve (25°13.53'N, 107°56.18'E, ca 840 m), 10-11.viii.2013, Xiaoqi Mi et al. leg.

Diagnosis.

The female was clearly diagnosed by Ono (2010). The male of this species resembles A. minuta Karsch, 1879 in having the elongated median apophysis terminally divided into two branches, of which the inner branch bears a short spur. It differs in having the embolus being completely visible in prolateral view (Fig. 9A ), versus partly hidden by the conductor in A. minuta ( Levi 1983: fig. 210), and in the median apophysis lacking a proximal protrusion (Fig. 9A ), versus having a distinctly proximal protrusion in A. minuta ( Levi 1983: fig. 210).

Description.

Female described and illustrated by Ono (2010).

Male (TRU- Araneidae -125). Total length 5.21. Carapace 3.10 long, 2.88 wide; abdomen 2.37 long, 1.93 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.23, ALE 0.12, PME 0.24, PLE 0.21, AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 0.14, PME-PME 0.24, PME-PLE 0.22. Legs were used for DNA extraction. Carapace (Fig. 8E, F ) yellow-brown, narrowed anteriorly, rounded medio-posteriorly, and flattened dorso-ventrally, covered with short thin hairs. Fovea linear. Chelicerae (Fig. 8G ) brown to red-brown. Endites (Fig. 8G ) dark brown and white on inner sides. Labium (Fig. 8G ) pale. Sternum (Fig. 8G ) heart-shaped, with irregular, median, white stripes. Abdomen (Fig. 8E-G ) shield-shaped, dorsum brown, paler anteriorly and darker posteriorly, with several long hairs at the anterior margin, two pairs of muscle depressions medially, and little brown spots anteriorly and laterally; venter dark medially, with a pair of longitudinal white bands laterally. Spinnerets yellow-brown.

Palp (Fig. 9A-D ): tibia swollen, with two long dorsal bristles; paracymbium curved 90° medially and column-shaped posteriorly; median apophysis elongated, divided into two branches, and the dorsal one bearing a short spur; conductor ca 3 times longer than wide, touching median apophysis at base; embolus tapered, spiraled, forming ridges anterior-medially, and curved apically to a pointed tip in prolateral view.

Distribution.

China (Guizhou, Guangxi); Vietnam.

Comments.

A male and a subadult female were collected on the same web from Shiwandashan National Forest Park during the night. The embolus of the male is structurally consistent with the broken embolus found in an A. vietnamensis female epigyne. Moreover, other male and females were also collected from Maolan National Nature Reserve. Based on these points of evidence, we propose the males as A. vietnamensis .

Figures

Figure 8. Argiope vietnamensis Ono, 2010 A-D female habitus (TRU- Araneidae - 126) E-G male habitus (TRU- Araneidae - 125) H, I epigyne (TRU- Araneidae - 127) A, B, E dorsal C, D, G, H ventral F, I lateral. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A-G); 0.1 mm (H, I).

Figure 9. Male palp of Argiope vietnamensis Ono, 2010 A-D TRU- Araneidae - 125 E from TRU- Araneidae - 131 A prolateral B apical C retrolateral D median apophysis, posterior E broken embolus found in female's epigyne, prolateral. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 10. Distributional records of Argiope species.