Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001

Yu, Hao, Sun, Zixuan & Zhang, Guren, 2012, New taxonomic data on the sac spiders (Arachnida: Araneae: Clubionidae) from China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3299, pp. 44-60 : 51-56

Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001

Figs 17–39 , 47

Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001: 286 , f. 165.1–3 (female holotype and 5 female paratypes from China, Tibet, Mt. Sejila)

Additional material. 15 females, CHINA: Tibet, Mt. Sejila, Linzhi County (29°36ʹ3.36"N, 94°36ʹ26.22"E, 4198m), 1 June 2011, Hao Yu and Ci Ren Da Jie leg; 40 females and 5 males, collection site as above (29°36ʹ19.44"N, 94°36ʹ16.8"E, 4211m), 31 July 2011, Hao Yu and Ci Ren Da Jie leg; 27 females and 12 males, collection site as above (29°36ʹ18.84"N, 94°36ʹ20.58"E, 4201m), 2 August 2011, Hao Yu and Ci Ren Da Jie leg.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to Clubiona cordata Zhang & Zhu, 2009 in having the similar RTA and VTA, the slender embolus, the bulge and enlarged bulb in male, and in having a cordiform epigynal atrium in female but can be distinguished by: (1) presence of a small and suboval tegular apophysis ( Figs 19–21 , 32–34 ), but absent in C. cordata ; (2) conductor with a sharp tip ( Figs 19–21 , 32–34 ), but with a blunt tip in C. cordata ; (3) spermathecae smaller, long and tubular ( Figs 28–29 , 38–39 ), instead of bigger and fan-shaped in C. cordata .

Description. Male: Total length 5.53. Prosoma 2.44 long, 1.85 wide; opisthosoma 2.90 long, 1.72 wide.

Prosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Oval, pars cephalica slightly narrowed, in profile highest just in front of fovea, gradually slopping posteriorly; integument smooth. Carapace brown, with a distinctive pattern on pars cephalica consisting of a pair of dark lateral bands and Ψ-shaped markings behind posterior eyes, markings starting from behind PME and PLE almost reaching dark fovea. Chelicerae dark yellowish-brown, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Labium and endites yellowish- brown. Sternum dark yellowish, with many hairs.

Eyes. AER slightly recurved, PER procurved. AME dark, other eyes light; with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.13, PME 0.12, PLE 0.13. AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.25, PME–PLE 0.17, MOQL 0.36, MOQA 0.33, MOQP 0.48.

Legs. Yellowish, without distinct color markings. Leg formula: IV, II, I, III; leg measurements: I 6.54 (1.78, 2.60, 1.35, 0.81), II 7.35 (2.11, 2.76, 1.66, 0.82), III 5.62 (1.67, 1.93, 1.45, 0.57), IV 7.45 (2.14, 2.46, 2.17, 0.68).

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Elongate-oval, yellowish, with conspicuous anterior tufts of hairs, dorsum with broken dark median band, reaching half length of opisthosoma; posteriorly with paired dark purple markings consisting of numerous stripes and blotches; venter grey.

Palp ( Figs 18–26 , 32–37 ): Tibia of palp short, with two apophyses, VTA short and with a blunt tip, partly membranous; RTA dark, sharp and strong, triangular; cymbium longer than wide, oval bulb bulge and prolapse; sperm duct sinuated; embolic base represented by enlarged tubercle, gradually tapering toward its apex; conductor membranous; tegular apophysis semi-translucent, small and oval.

Female: Total length 7.80. Prosoma 2.64 long, 1.90 wide; opisthosoma 5.01 long, 2.87 wide. General characters as in males, from which the males differ by slightly larger in size. ( Fig. 27 ).

Eyes. Eyes with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.14, PME 0.11, PLE 0.12. AME– AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.09, PME–PME 0.25, PME–PLE 0.14, MOQL 0.38, MOQP 0.51, MOQA 0.33.

Legs. Leg formula: IV, II, I, III. Leg measurements: I 5.16 (1.57, 2.08, 0.84, 0.67), II 5.44 (1.72, 2.14, 1.01, 0.57), III 4.85 (1.52, 1.66, 1.16, 0.51), IV 6.85 (1.97, 2.45, 1.83, 0.64).

Genitalia ( Figs 28–29 38–39 ). Epigynal plate shorter than wide, margin not rebordered; atrium cordiform; copulatory openings small, located on anterior part of atrium; long tubular spermathecae smaller than reniform bursae, fertilization ducts short.

Natural History. C. linzhiensis inhabits pine forest ranging between 2,900–4,200 m in elevation on Mt. Sejila. This is in accordance with data of the type locality provided by Hu (2001). The spiders weave sacs in bark, and they usually hide in these sacs. It is a typical habit of sac spiders ( Figs 30–31 ).

Distribution. China: Tibet ( Fig. 47 ).

Remark. C. linzhiensis was described by Hu (2001) based on six female specimens from Linzhi County, Tibet. Additional 17 males and 81 females were collected in this field investigation, among which five pairs of male and female were captured in mating.

Figures

FIGURE 47. Localities of Clubionidae species treated in this paper. CHINA: Jiangxi Province, Mt. Jinggang (Pristidia ramosa sp. nov.) CHINA: Tibet, Mt. Sejila (Clubiona linzhiensis and Clubiona altissimoides) CHINA: Tibet, Mt. Gaoligong (Clubiona altissimoides)

FIGURES 17 – 21. Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001, male. 17 male habitus, dorsal view; 18 left male palp, ventral view; 19 embolus area, prolateral view; 20 ditto, ventral view; 21 ditto, retrolateral view. Scales bars = 1 mm (17); 0.5 mm (18); 0.1 mm (19 – 21).

FIGURES 22 – 26. Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001, male. 22 left male palp, prolateral view; 23 ditto, retrolateral view; 24 left palpal tibia, dorsal view; 25 ditto, ventral view; 26 ditto retrolateral view. Scales bars = 0.5 mm (22, 23); 0.1 mm (24 – 26).

FIGURES 27 – 31. Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001, female (27 – 29) and living specimens with their sacs (30,31). 27 female habitus, dorsal view; 28 epigyne, ventral view; 29 vulva, dorsal view; 30 Sacs in bark; 31 Spider with its sac. Scales bars = 1 mm (27); 0.2 mm (28 – 29).

FIGURES 32 – 39. Clubiona linzhiensis Hu, 2001, male and female. 32 embolus area, prolateral view; 33 ditto, ventral view; 34 ditto, retrolateral view; 35 left palpal tibia, dorsal view; 36 ditto, ventral view; 37 ditto retrolateral view; 38 epigyne, ventral view; 39 vulva, dorsal view. Scales bars = 0.1 mm (32 – 37); 0.2 mm (38 – 39).