Pholcus chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim, 2021

Lee, Jun-Gi, Lee, Jun-Ho, Choi, Doo-Young, Park, Sun-Jae & and, A-Young Kim, 2021, Four new species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 10 (1), pp. 86-98 : 89-91

Pholcus chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.

( Figs. 1A, B , 2A , 3 , 4 )

Korean name: Ē̏Îffîḍ (̎ḋ)

Type material. Holotype, ♂, Korea: Gangwon-do , Chuncheon-si , Dongsan-myeon, Research Forest of Kangwon National University (37°46′38″N, 127°48′51″E), 14 May 2016, JG Lee and JH Lee leg. ( NIBR) . Paratype, $, same data as for holotype ( KNU) .

Other materials examined. 1♂ 3$$, same data as for holotype ( KNU) ; 11♂♂ 5$$, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Soyang-dong , Mt. Bongeuisan (37°53′23″N, 127°43′56″E), 05 Oct. 2015, DY Choi leg. ( KISE) ; 16♂♂ 8$$, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Namsan-myeon , near Gangchon sewage treatment plant (37°48′23″N, 127°38′20″E), 20 Oct. 2015, DY Choi leg. ( KISE) ; 20♂♂ 15$$, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Namsan-myeon , near Gangchon youth hostel (37°48′20″N, 127°37′47″E), 20 Oct. 2015, DY Choi leg. ( KISE) ; 1♂, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Dongnae-myeon , Mt. Daeryongsan (37°51′03″N, 127°48′31″E), 05 Jul. 2019, JG Lee and JH Lee leg. ( KNU) ; 1♂, Gangwon-do, Chuncheon-si, Dongnae-myeon , Mt. Daeryongsan (37°51′03″N, 127°48′31″E), 30 Aug. 2019, JG Lee and JH Lee leg. ( KNU) ; 1♂ 1$, Gangwon-do, Hongcheon-gun, Bukbang-myeon , Nature Environment Research Park (37°45′19″N, 127°50′57″E), 16 May 2019, JG Lee and JH Lee leg. ( KNU) ; 12♂♂ 8$$, Gyeonggi-do, Gapyeong-gun, Cheongpyeong-myeon, Goseong-ri (37°42′45″N, 127°29′56″E), 25 Jun. 2018, DY Choi leg. ( KISE) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the holotype locality, Chuncheon.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from the other Pholcus species by the combination of following characteristics: Male - procursus with a bifurcated prolateral process (dorsal branch large and sharpened, ventral branch with 1-5 small spikes distally); uncus round, ear-shaped; pseudo-appendix present, spatula-shaped; trochanter apophysis much shorter than palpal femur, slender and triangular, distally blunt; Female - epigynal plate high as an anterior cuticle of epigyne; lateral portion of epigynal plate slightly extended posteriorly, melanized pattern present only at posteromost margin; internal genitalia margin distinctly extended, making lobe-like structure pointing anteriorly and posteriorly; pore plate thick, inverted L-shaped.

Description. Male (holotype). Somatic morphology ( Fig. 1A, B ) follows the description of the species-group. Total length 3.97. Prosoma 1.30 long, 1.37 wide. Diameter of AME 0.11, ALE 0.14, PME 0.10, PLE 0.13. AME- AME 0.05, AME- ALE 0.04, PME- PME 0.19. Chelicera ( Fig. 2A ) with a thumblike lateral proximal apophysis, a round frontal proximal apophysis and a triangular distal apophysis. Sternum 0.62 long, 0.94 wide. Opisthosoma 2.62 long, 1.13 wide. Leg Ⅰ 29.90 (12.9: 1.0: 12.6: 20.8: 3.4), Leg II 20.22 (12.5: 1.0: 11.0: 16.9: 2.6), Leg III 14.63 (11.2: 1.0: 9.5: 14.3: 2.6), Leg IV 19.07 (11.6: 1.0: 8.9: 15.0: 2.3). Leg formula 1243. Palp ( Fig. 3 ). Trochanter apophysis much shorter than femur, slender and triangular distally blunt, not curved; femur ventrally swollen roundly; tibia with a prolatero-ventral tubercle; procursus dark brown, bent perpendicularly, with two ventral knees; dorsal portion of procursus roundly swollen; procursus tip with a blunt retrolateral process with 3 ridges, a triangular median process and a bifurcated prolateral process (dorsal branch large and sharpened, ventral branch with 5 small spikes distally); genital bulb round, pale yellow; uncus dark reddish brown, round, ear-shaped, with many tiny tubercles marginally; pseudo-appendix dark reddish brown, spatula-shaped; embolus weakly sclerotized, pale yellow, longer than pseudo-appendix.

Female (Paratype). Somatic morphology follows the description of the species-group. Total length 4.89. Prosoma 1.21 long, 1.34 wide. Diameter of AME 0.10, ALE 0.14, PME 0.15, PLE 0.15. AME- AME 0.03, AME- ALE 0.04, PME- PME 0.18. Sternum 0.71 long, 0.91 wide. Opisthosoma 3.25 long, 1.51 wide. Leg Ⅰ 28.69 (14.0: 1.0: 13.7: 22.4: 4.2), Leg II 19.92 (10.4: 1.0: 8.9: 13.9: 2.6), Leg III 14.66 (9.1: 1.0: 7.4: 11.4: 2.3), Leg IV 19.92 (12.4: 1.0: 10.2: 15.7: 2.2). Leg formula 1243. Epigyne ( Fig. 4A ). Anterior cuticle triangular, dark brown; epigynal plate bright ivory, height similar to anterior cuticle, lateral portion slightly extended posteriorly, melanization only present at posteromost margin; epigynal knob small and thin, reddish brown. Internal genitalia ( Fig. 4B ). Anterior arch horizontal, reddish brown, about 1/3 of epigyne width; antero-lateral margin and postero-lateral margin extended as lobes, pointing both anteriorly and posteriorly, respectively; pore plate thick, inverted L-shaped.

Variation. Male (n = 10) total length 3.97-5.74. Prosoma length 1.30-1.73, width 1.37-1.77. Tibia of Leg Ⅰ 7.43- 12.07. The number of spikes of ventral branch of prolateral process on procursus varies within species, from 1 to 5 (mainly 5).

Female (n = 10) total length 4.89-5.91. Prosoma length 1.21-1.57, width 1.34-1.52. Tibia of Leg Ⅰ 7.09-8.48.

Distribution. Korea (Chuncheon, Hongcheon, Gapyeong).

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of new Pholcus species, dorsal view (A, C, E, G, male, B, D, F, H, female).A, B, P. chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; C, D, P. pajuensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; E, F, P. pocheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; G, H, P. unaksanensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov. Scale bars=1 mm.

Fig. 2. Chelicerae of new Pholcus species, frontal view. A, P. chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; B, P. pajuensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; C, P. pocheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov.; D, P. unaksanensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov. Scale bars=0.25 mm.

Fig. 3. Pholcus chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov., male. A, B, left palp (A, prolateral view, B, retrolateral view); C, procursus tip, dorsal view; D, bulbal process, prolateral view. Abbreviations: e=embolus, pa=pseudo-appendix, pr=procursus, u=uncus. Scale bars=0.5 mm (A, B), 0.25 mm(C, D).

Fig. 4. Pholcus chuncheonensis Lee, Choi and Kim sp. nov., female.A, epigyne, ventral view; B, internal genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviation: pp=pore plate of internal genitalia. Scale bars=0.25mm.