Peng Lu & Li, 2023

Lu, Ying, Chu, Chang, Lin, Zixuan, Pham, Dinh-Sac, Li, Shuqiang & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2023, Two new genera and five new species of Corinnidae Karsch, 1880 (Arachnida, Araneae) from China and Vietnam, ZooKeys 1165, pp. 17-42 : 17

Genus Peng Lu & Li gen. nov.

Type species.

Myrmecisca birmanica Thorell, 1897.

Composition.

This new genus includes three species: P. birmanicus (Thorell, 1897), comb. nov. (♂♀) from Myanmar and China, P. borneensis (Yamasaki, 2017), comb. nov. (♂♀) from Malaysia (Borneo) and P. taprobanicus (Simon, 1897), comb. nov. (juvenile) from Sri Lanka.

Etymology.

The generic name is dedicated to Chinese arachnologist Xianjin Peng , born in 1963 in Cili, Hunan Province, China. Gender is masculine.

Diagnosis.

This new genus can be easily distinguished from Sphecotypus by the carapace lateral margins weakly undulated (Fig. 11A, F ; carapace lateral margins strongly undulated in Sphecotypus , Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1A), by the sternum without the intercoxal sclerite between two coxae IV (Fig. 11B, G ; present in Sphecotypus , Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1B), by the abdomen ovoid, without median constriction (Fig. 11A-C, F-H ; abdomen divided into two lobes by strong median constriction, anterior lobe spherical, posterior lobe elliptical in Sphecotypus , Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1A-C), by the tibia with triangular prolateral tibial tubercle, without retrolateral apophysis and setal projection (Fig. 9A-C ; triangular prolateral tibial tubercle absent, retrolateral apophysis and setal projection present in Sphecotypus , see Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1D-F), by the sperm duct curved twice at ventral surface of posterior tegulum (Fig. 9A-C ; sperm duct curved 4 × at ventral surface of posterior tegulum in Sphecotypus , see Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1D-F), by the embolus short, twisted, apically hook-shaped (Fig. 9A-F ; embolus conical, with fine screw-like wrinkles in Sphecotypus , see Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1D-G), and by the spermathecae symmetrical (Fig. 10B ; spermathecae asymmetrical in Sphecotypus , see Leister and Miller 2014: fig. 1I).

Description.

Small-sized, ant-mimicking spiders (Fig. 11A-J ). Carapace black, covered with granular protuberances, with two distinct regions, cephalic region ladder-shaped, distinguished from thoracic region by deep constriction, thoracic region long, almost 2 × of cephalic region, fusiform, lateral margins weakly undulated, terminating with small raised dome; thoracic groove absent. AER slightly procurved in frontal view, PER strongly recurved in dorsal view; AME largest, diameter of ALE subequal to PLE. MOA almost square. Clypeus height larger than diameter of AME. Chelicerae same color as carapace, covered with long dark setae along anterior surface, and with intensive promarginal setae. Endites brown to black, longer than wide, subapically with membranous area, apical margin with long setae. Labium black, longer than wide. Sternum reddish brown to black, elongate, granulose, covered with white feathery setae, anteriorly extending beyond coxae I, tapering posteriorly, extending between coxae IV, contiguous with precoxal and intercoxal sclerites. Sternum much longer than wide. Legs black, but white on most coxae I. Abdomen ovoid, reddish brown to black, covered with granular protuberances, males with scutum almost covering the whole dorsum surface, females with scutum almost covering 1/2 to 2/3 of dorsum surface.

Palpal (Fig. 9A-F ) tibia short, longer than wide, covered with numerous bristles, and with slender spines prolaterally; prolateral tibial tubercle triangular; without retrolateral apophysis and setal projection. Cymbium tip conical, with deep furrow ventrally. Tegulum pyriform, with sperm duct curved twice at ventral surface of posterior tegulum. Subtegulum exposed retrolaterally. Embolus short, sclerotized, strongly curved apically.

Epigynal region (Fig. 10A, B ) heavily sclerotized. Epigynal plate with two elliptical, downward copulatory openings, situated at posterior part of epigynal plate. Vulva with symmetrical spermathecae, divided into two chambers, shape of spermathecae varies. Copulatory ducts tubular, connect the junction of two chambers.

Distribution.

China (Yunnan), Myanmar, Malaysia (Borneo) and Sri Lanka.

Note.

According to the clear figures in Yamasaki and Rollard (2022), the somatic morphology of Sphecotypus taprobanicus Simon, 1897 conforms to Peng gen. nov. Therefore, S. taprobanicus is transferred to Peng , as Peng taprobanicus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.

Discussion.

The genus Sphecotypus was established based on a species collected from Nicaragua to Brazil and Bolivia by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1895. Subsequently, three species from Asia were added to this genus. From a morphological perspective, there are significant differences in habitus and genitals between American and Asian species, such as the median constriction of abdomen, intercoxal sclerite between two coxae IV on the sternum and male palp (refer to the above genus diagnosis for details). Secondly, combined with geographical distribution, we transferred three species from Asia and established a new genus Peng gen. nov. Due to the fact that the specimens collected at that time were not stored at low temperature in 95% alcohol, DNA could no longer be extracted. The phylogenetic relationship between Peng and other related genera needs further experimental discussion.

Figures

Figure 9. Peng birmanicus comb. nov., male A-C palp, D-F embolus A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view D prolateral view E ventral view F retrolateral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus, SD = sperm duct, ST = subtegulum. Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A-C); 0.05 mm (D-F).

Figure 10. Peng birmanicus comb. nov., female (A, B) A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: AL = accessory lobe, CD = copulatory duct, CO = copulatory opening, FD = fertilization duct, S I = spermathecae I, S II = spermathecae II. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.

Figure 11. Peng birmanicus comb. nov., male (A-E) and female (F-J) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, ventral view C habitus, lateral view D cephalothorax, frontal view E cephalic region, dorsal view F habitus, dorsal view G habitus, ventral view H habitus, lateral view I cephalothorax, frontal view J cephalic region, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.00 mm (A-C, F-H); 0.50 mm (D, E, I, J).