Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, 2023

Zhou, Guchun, Du, Weifeng, Xu, Chengxiang & Irfan, Muhammad, 2023, A new species of Floronia Simon, 1887 from Baiyan Cave in Guizhou Province, China (Araneae, Linyphiidae), ZooKeys 1185, pp. 309-319 : 309

Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu sp. nov.

Figs 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 (惠水弗蛛)

Type materials.

Holotype ♂, China: Guizhou Province: Huishui County, Baiyan Cave has light bands. 25.9582°N, 106.6423°E, alt. 1158 m, 07 Oct. 2020, Weifeng Du, Siqiang Zhang, Rui Zuo and Xuemei Jiang leg. (GNU-BYC-20-01-05-1). Paratypes: 1 ♂2♀, collected with the holotype (GNU-BYC-20-01-05-2 to GNU-BYC-20-01-05-4).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the county where the type locality is located. Gender neutral.

Diagnosis.

This new species resembles F. zhejiangensis Zhu, Chen & Sha, 1987 in having the similar morphology of cephalothorax, pedipalp with long lamella characteristca, and epigyne with similar proscape (Figs 2 - 4 , 6 ), but it can be distinguished by the following: (1) tibia with well-developed retrolateral apophysis in male pedipalp Fig. 2A, B ) vs absent in F. zhejiangensis (Fig. 6A, B ); (2) distal end of radix hook-shaped in prolateral view (Fig. 2A ) vs anchor-shaped in F. zhejiangensis (Fig. 6A, B ). Females can be distinguished by having the posterior median plate rectangular s (Fig. 4D ) vs somewhat trapezoid in F. zhejiangensis (Fig. 6D ).

Description.

Male (holotype, Fig. 5A-C ). Total length 1.51. Carapace 0.65 long, 0.52 wide, with a broad, longitudinal, white band at centre and sides greenish-brown sides. Abdomen 0.86 long, 0.51 wide. Anterior half of abdomen mostly white; posterior half with dark pattern. Sternum 0.53 long, 0.52 wide. Clypeus 0.11 high. Chelicerae with seven promarginal and six retromarginal teeth. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.08, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME-AME 0.03, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.07, PME-PLE 0.06, AME-PME 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.01. Spination: tibiae I-IV d2222, l2010, v2112; metatarsi I-IV d1222 lateral and ventral spines absent. Length of legs: I 4.20 (0.46, 0.11, 0.87, 0.19, 0.89, 1.14, 0.54), II 3.61 (0.41, 0.09, 0.77, 0.17, 0.73, 0.99, 0.45), III 2.40 (0.35, 0.17, 0.45, 0.15, 0.41, 0.55, 0.32), IV 3.23 (0.41, 0.18, 0.65, 0.15, 0.61, 0.82, 0.41). TmI 0.35, TmIV 0.25.

Pedipalp (holotype, Fig. 2A-D , one paratype, Fig. 3A, B ). Patella as long as tibia, retrolaterally with two large macrosetae; tibia with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria; retrolateral tibial apophysis well developed, doorknob-like in dorsal view, with blunt end. Cymbium retrolateral margin with a shallow depression at base; prolateral margin with a small tubercle; proximal cymbial apophysis somewhat thumb-shaped in dorsal view. Paracymbium with well-developed anterior and distal arms; prolateral margin longer than wide, apical part rod-like with blunt end. Distal suprategulum with large, slightly curved pit-hook; median membrane well developed, with serrated margin. Radix tip hook-shaped; lamella characteristca simple, semicircular; terminal apophysis apically widened, with bifurcated tip. Embolus flame-lake. Embolus proper set apically, with serrated margin; thumb slightly curved, almost as long as embolus.

Female (paratype, Fig. 5D-F ). Total length 1.59. Carapace 0.67 long, 0.47 wide. Abdomen 0.92 long, 0.63 wide. Sternum 0.28 long, 0.34 wide. Clypeus 0.01 high. Chelicerae with seven promarginal and six retromarginal teeth. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.07, PME 0.06, PLE 0.07, AME-AME 0.03, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.06, AME-PME 0.11, ALE-PLE 0.01. Spination: tibiae I-IV d2222, l2201, v2201; metatarsi I-IV d2222 lateral and ventral spines absent. Length of legs: I 4.09 (0.48, 0.22, 0.73, 0.19, 0.88, 1.03, 0.56), II 3.53 (0.42, 0.20, 0.65, 0.15, 0.74, 0.89, 0.48), III 2.35 (0.36, 0.14, 0.53, 0.11, 0.41, 0.55, 0.25), IV 3.06 (0.41, 0.20, 0.65, 0.15, 0.63, 0.71, 0.31). TmI and TmIV present. Cephalothorax and abdominal colour pattern same as in male.

Epigyne.

(Fig. 4A-E ) Proscape longer than wide; stretcher oval, translucent; lateral lobes of proscape inconspicuous. Posterior median plate somewhat rectangular. Spermathecae present anterolaterally.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality in Guizhou, China (Fig. 7 ).

Habitat.

Baiyan Cave is a natural karst cave with a large opening. The new species, which was mainly found about 10-20 m from the cave’s opening, makes webs under large rocks.

Figures

Figure 2. Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, sp. nov., male holotype pedipalp A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 3. Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, sp. nov., male pedipalp (one paratype, embolic division) A prolateral view B retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 4. Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, sp. nov., female paratype epigyne A, B ventral view C lateral view D dorsal view E anterior view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 5. Floronia huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, sp. nov., habitus A-C male holotype D-F female paratype A, D dorsal view B, E ventral view C, F lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 6. Floronia zhejiangensis Zhu, Chen & Sha, 1987 A, B male pedipalp C, D female epigyne A prolateral view B retrolateral view C ventral view D dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 7. Distribution of Floronia species in China. 1 = Floronia bucculenta (Clerck, 1757), 2 = F. huishuiensis Zhou & Xu, sp. nov., 3 = F. hunanensis Li & Song, 1993, 4 = F. jiuhuensis Li & Zhu, 1987, 5 = F. zhejiangensis Zhu, Chen & Sha, 1987.