Clubiona cheni, Yu & Li, 2019

Yu, Hao & Li, Shuqiang, 2019, Eight new species of the genus Clubiona Latreille, 1804 from Xishuangbanna Rainforest, southwestern China (Araneae, Clubionidae), Zootaxa 4545 (2), pp. 151-178 : 171-174

Clubiona cheni sp. nov.

Figs 13–14

Type material. Holotype: 6 (IZCAS Ar 34625), CHINA: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town , Menglun Nature Reserve , G 213 roadside, lowevergreen forest (N21°53.794', E101°17.152', 594 m), 27 November 2009, leg. G. Tang and Z. Y. Yao (Tang-Yao_No.29). Paratypes: 33♂, 26♀ ( IZCAS Ar 34626–34684), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The species is a patronym dedicated to the well-known Chinese arachnologist, current chairman of Arachnological Society of China and Master Supervisor of the first author, Dr. Jian Chen (Hubei University, China); name in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Males of Clubiona cheni sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from other members of the C. trivialis -group, with the exception of C. baimaensis Song & Zhu, 1991 ( Song et al. 1991: 66, figs 1A–B; Yin et al. 2012: 1088, figs 571a–e) by the linguiform retrolateral tibial apophysis and the embolus terminating at approximately three o’clock position; differ from C. baimaensis by the presence of a prolateral tibial apophysis and a tegular hump ( Figs 13 A–D). Females of C. cheni sp. nov. are similar to those of C. quebecana Dondale & Redner, 1976 ( Dondale & Redner 1982, figs 31–32) in the general shape of vulva, but can be distinguished from the latter by spermathecae smaller than bursae ( Figs 14 B–D).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.49; prosoma 1.04 long, 0.84 wide; opisthosoma 1.39 long, 0.83 wide. Prosoma ( Figs 14 E–F), oval, pars cephalica slightly narrowed, widest between coxae II and III, in profile almost flat; integument smooth, clothed with numerous short fine hairs. Carapace yellowish-orange, slightly darker in front, with a pair of unobvious short lines running longitudinally from behind AME. Chelicerae protruding and coloured as ocular region, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Labium and endites redish-brown, longer than wide. Sternum yellowish-orange. Eyes: in dorsal view, both anterior and posterior eye rows recurved, PER wider than AER. AME dark, other eyes light; with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.06, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.05, MOQL 0.17, MOQA 0.14, MOQP 0.32. Legs yellowish, without distinct color markings. Leg formula: II, III, I, IV; leg measurements: I 1.97 (0.59, 0.32, 0.48, 0.36, 0.22), II 2.12 (0.63, 0.35, 0.56, 0.36, 0.24), III 1.97 (0.58, 0.34, 0.54, 0.30, 0.21), IV 1.71 (0.51, 0.29, 0.43, 0.29, 0.19). Opisthosoma ( Figs 14 E–F) elongate-oval, dorsally white with two pairs of indistinct muscular depressions; venter white; posterior lateral spinnerets dark, other spinnerets without distinct color marking. Palp ( Figs 13 A–E): tibia short, with two apophyses, PTA digitiform, with a bent and blunt tip; RTA well-developed, linguiform, tip extending to midlength of cymbium; genital bulb elongated, with distinctive, sinuate sperm duct; tegular hump represented by a finger-like flange; embolic base bearing two dentiform processes; embolus inserted at approximately ten o’clock of tegulum, slender and flagelliform, angled across tegular hump, stretched proximally along membranous conductor, tip extending to one-third of tegulum; conductor area relatively small, with approximately two-fifths the length of tegulum.

Female (paratype IZCAS Ar 34626): Total length 2.40; prosoma 0.98 long, 0.72 wide; opisthosoma 1.41 long, 0.82 wide. General characters as in males ( Figs 14 G–H). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.06, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.06, MOQL 0.12, MOQA 0.09, MOQP 0.28. Legs yellowish, without distinct color markings. Leg formula: I, II, IV, III; leg measurements: I 1.62 (0.43, 0.31, 0.38, 0.32, 0.19), II 1.58 (0.47, 0.28, 0.37, 0.28, 0.17), III 1.17 (0.29, 0.17, 0.22, 0.33, 0.15), IV 1.37 (0.39, 0.19, 0.31, 0.36, 0.12). Epigyne ( Figs 14 A–D): Epigynal plate longer than wide, posterior margin not rebordered; spermathecae and copulatory ducts prominently visible through transparent tegument in ventral view; two copulatory openings distinctive and large, located at posterior portion of epigynal plate; hyaline copulatory ducts long and slender, almost parallel, ascending dorsally and then oblique descending ventrally, connect with oblong bursae; globular spermathecae situated anteriorly, connected posteriorly to bursae; bursae are obviously larger than spermathecae; fertilization ducts, acicular, membranous, located on dorsal surface of spermathecae.

Distribution. Presently known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Clubiona cheni sp. nov., male holotype: A–B, left palp (A prolateral view; B retrolateral view); C–E, left palpal bulb (C prolateral view; D ventral view; E retrolateral view). Abbreviatures: C, conductor; E, embolus; EB, embolic base; PTA, prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; TH, tegular hump. Scale bars: 0.10 mm (A–B, C–E in the same scale).

FIGURE 14. Clubiona cheni sp. nov., male holotype (E–F) and female paratype (A–D, G–H): A–B, epigyne, ventral view (A uncleared; B cleared); C–D, vulva, dorsal view (C cleared; D cleared and embedded in Arabic gum); E–H, habitus (E, G dorsal view; F lateral view; H ventral view). Abbreviatures: BS, bursa; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory opening; FD, fertilization duct; SP, spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.10 mm (A–D in the same scale); 1 mm (E–F, G–H in the same scale).