Sinocranum menghai Chu & Li, 2023

Chu, Chang, Li, Shuqiang, Yao, Yanbin & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2023, One new genus and four new species of Liocranidae Simon, 1897 (Arachnida, Araneae) from China and Vietnam, ZooKeys 1181, pp. 219-240 : 219

Sinocranum menghai Chu & Li sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 4 , 5 , 11A

Type material.

Holotype: 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar44618), China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Menghai County, Menghai Town, Man’ao Village Committee, 21°57.620′N, 100°28.261′E, 1176 m, hand catch in leaf litter, November 2022, H. Qiu leg. Paratypes: 2♀ (IZCAS-Ar44619, 44620), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species can be distinguished by the tegular lobe large and curved prolaterally (Fig. 3A-C ), by the embolus originating retrolaterally, embolic apophysis coiled and thin sheet-shaped (Fig. 3C-F ), by the conductor strongly sclerotized (Fig. 3A-F ), by the palp with ventral tibial apophysis, retrolateral tibial apophysis and dorsal tibial apophysis (Fig. 3A-C ), by the epigynal plate sclerotized, anteriorly to medially with narrow membranous area, laterally with large crescent-shaped sclerites (Fig. 4A ), by the vulva with glandular appendages, originating subdistally to copulatory ducts (Fig. 4B ), by the copulatory ducts long and curved, subdistally to distally bifurcate (Fig. 4B ), and by the fertilization ducts almost as long as diameter of spermathecae, close to each other distally, pointing anteriorly (Fig. 4B ).

Description.

Male (holotype; Figs 5A, B , 11A ). Total body length 7.89, carapace 3.77 long, 2.87 wide, opisthosoma 4.12 long, 2.35 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.15, PME 0.14, PLE 0.17; AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.09, PME-PME 0.27, PME-PLE 0.25, AME-PME 0.20, ALE-PLE 0.16. Carapace reddish-brown with lighter heart region, laterally with dark stripes, submarginally with lighter patches, marginally dark, with white hairs; fovea reddish-brown. Chelicerae reddish-brown, with several setae on anterior surface, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Endites yellowish-brown, longer than wide, narrower in middle, subapically with semicircular membranous area and dense scopula. Labium reddish-brown with lighter distal lip. Sternum reddish-brown. Legs yellowish-brown, lateral tarsi and metatarsi I-II with dense scopulae. Leg spination: femora I pl 3 do 3 rl 3, II pl 4 do 3 rl 4, III-IV pl 3 do 3 rl 3; tibiae I pl 3 rl 3 plv 3 rlv 3, II-IV pl 3 do 3 rl 3 plv 3 rlv 3; metatarsi I-II pl 1 rl 1 v 2, III-IV pl 4 do 1 rl 4 plv 3 rlv 3. Palp and leg measurements: palp 4.95 (1.55, 0.94, 1.00, -, 1.46), I 12.09 (3.18, 1.70, 2.96, 2.63, 1.62), II 12.02 (3.30, 1.60, 2.89, 2.74, 1.49), III 10.64 (3.01, 1.39, 2.22, 2.75, 1.27), IV 13.79 (3.67, 1.56, 3.08, 3.91, 1.57). Leg formula: 4123. Dorsal opisthosoma yellowish, median field with dark bands, laterally with reddish-brown stripes and dark patches. Lateral and ventral opisthosoma yellowish with dark spots and dark ring around spinnerets. Spinnerets yellowish.

Palp (Fig. 3A-F ). Tibia with three apophyses; ventral tibial apophysis arc-shaped, weakly sclerotized; retrolateral tibial apophysis wide, with slight retrolateral curvature distally, with blunt and thin sheet-shaped tip; dorsal tibial apophysis straight, spine-shaped, with wide base and narrow tip deviating from the direction of palp. Bulb longer than wide, tegular lobe distinct curved prolaterally. Tegulum membranous antero-laterally, with distinct, U-shaped sperm duct subcentrally; subtegulum strongly sclerotized, clearly visible in ventral view. Embolus originating retrolaterally, long and filiform, connected to conductor; embolic apophysis coiled and thin sheet-shaped; embolus and embolic apophysis almost invisible in ventral view. Conductor strongly sclerotized, originating 10:30-11:30 o’clock. Tegular apophysis originating subdistally to bulb, nearly rectangular.

Female (paratype; Fig. 5C, D ). Total body length 9.85, carapace 4.31 long, 3.13 wide, opisthosoma 5.54 long, 3.42 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.20, ALE 0.20, PME 0.16, PLE 0.18; AME-AME 0.16, AME-ALE 0.13, PME-PME 0.34, PME-PLE 0.29, AME-PME 0.23, ALE-PLE 0.17. Ocular area with white hairs. Endites reddish-brown. Leg spination: femora I pl 2 do 3 rl 2, II-III pl 3 do 3 rl 3, IV pl 1 do 3 rl 3; tibiae I-II plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 3 rlv 3; metatarsi I-II plv 1 rlv 1, III-IV pl 4 rl 4 plv 3 rlv 3. Palp and leg measurements: palp 3.97 (1.29, 0.74, 0.76, -, 1.18), I 10.32 (2.97, 1.68, 2.51, 1.93, 1.23), II 10.31 (3.06, 1.63, 2.48, 1.99, 1.15), III 9.55 (2.76, 1.43, 2.04, 2.28, 1.04), IV 12.30 (3.34, 1.62, 2.95, 3.20, 1.19). Leg formula: 4123. Other characters same as holotype.

Epigyne (Fig. 4A, B ). Epigynal field with two large spots. Epigynal plate sclerotized, anteriorly to medially with narrow membranous area, laterally with large crescent-shaped sclerites. Copulatory openings hidden under epigynal plate. Copulatory ducts long and curved, subdistally to distally bifurcate. Glandular appendages globular, originating subdistally to copulatory ducts. Spermathecae large, kidney-shaped, separated by less than half of their diameter. Fertilization ducts almost as long as diameter of spermathecae, close to each other distally, pointing anteriorly.

Variation.

Second paratype female: total body length 10.70, carapace 5.25 long, 3.52 wide, opisthosoma 5.45 long, 3.21 wide.

Distribution.

China (Yunnan, type locality; Fig. 12 ).

Figures

Figure 3. Sinocranum menghai sp. nov., holotype male palp (A-C), conductor and embolus (D-F) A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view D frontal view E retrolateral view F dorsal view. Abbreviations: C = conductor, DTA = dorsal tibial apophysis, E = embolus, EA = embolic apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, SD = sperm duct, ST = subtegulum, TA = tegular apophysis, TL = tegular lobe, VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (A-C); 0.20 mm (D-F).

Figure 4. Sinocranum menghai sp. nov., paratype female (A, B) A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory duct, CO = copulatory opening, FD = fertilization duct, GA = glandular appendage, SP = spermathecae. Scale bars: 0.20 mm.

Figure 5. Sinocranum menghai sp. nov., holotype male (A, B) and paratype female (C, D) A-D habitus A dorsal view B ventral view C dorsal view D ventral view. Scale bars: 2.00 mm.

Figure 11. Ocular areas and tapeta of liocranids. A Sinocranum menghai sp. nov. B Xantharia baizilongi sp. nov., inset shows oblique tapetum of PME C X. cucphuong sp. nov. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (A); 0.20 mm (B, C).

Figure 12. New distribution records of liocranid spiders from China and Vietnam 1 Koppe ninger sp. nov. 2 Sinocranum menghai sp. nov. 3 Xantharia baizilongi sp. nov. 4 X. cucphuong sp. nov.