Xizangiana shenxian Liu & Zhang, 2023

Liu, Bo, Wang, Luyu & Zhang, Feng, 2023, Revision of the genus Xizangiana Sherwood, Li & Zhang, 2022, with descriptions of five new species (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 5346 (4), pp. 443-468 : 462-465

Xizangiana shenxian Liu & Zhang , sp. n.

(DZNjqǥ)

Figs 2F–H , 3D , 20A–B , 21–22

Type material. Holotype ♁ (MHBU-ARA-2018-151-1), CHINA: Xizang Autonomous Region , Rigaze City, Lazi County, Chawu Village , 29°04.655'N, 87°34.009'E, 4133 m elev., 14 July 2018, leg. Luyu Wang. Paratype: 1♁ (MHBU-ARA-2018-151-2), 2♀ (MHBU-ARA-2018-151-3 to 4), same data as holotype; 3♁ (MHBU-ARA-2020- 60-1 to 3), 1♀ (MHBU-ARA-2020-60-4), same data as holotype, except 21 July 2020 .

Etymology. The species name is from the Chinese word “shenxian”, which means gods and immortals, referring to the type locality Lazi County, which means the abode of “shenxian” in Tibetan; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Male differs from all congeners by the curved embolus with edge angle and a spine-like retrolateral projection, the presence of saw-like edges on the branched, finger-shaped, ventrally originating embolar base projection, and the presence of a relatively small membranous projection ( Fig. 22 ). Female resembles X. longlin sp. n., but can be distinguished by the atrium having ratio of postior part to anterior part almost 1.5 ( Fig. 20A–B ; vs. atrium having ratio of postior part to anterior part almost 2, Fig. 17 ), 11 transversal folds weakly sclerotized, and copulatory duct relatively straight ( Fig. 20B , vs. eight transversal folds strongly sclerotized, and copulatory duct relatively curved, Fig. 17B ).

Description. Male. Total length 4.79–5.52. Holotype (Fig. C–D; MHBU-ARA-2018-151-1): total length 5.46; carapace 2.64 long, 2.12 wide; abdomen 2.82 long, 1.92 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.13, PME 0.09, PLE 0.10; AME‒AME 0.03, AME‒ALE 0.02, PME‒PME 0.07, PME‒PLE 0.09, ALE‒PLE 0.09. Leg measurements: I 8.16 (2.31, 1.04, 2.09, 1.59, 1.13), II 6.35 (1.76, 0.77, 1.52, 1.27, 1.03), III 5.48 (1.55, 0.58, 1.11, 1.37, 0.87), IV 8.10 (2.14, 0.88, 1.78, 2.40, 0.90). Leg formula: 1423. Cheliceral promargin with four teeth, retromargin with two ( Fig. 2H ). Color in alcohol ( Fig. 21C–D ): carapace dark brown; legs yellow-brown.

Palp ( Figs 3D , 22 ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis broad with a relatively small membranous projection dorsally; embolar radix projection absent; embolar base projection finger-shaped, branched, with saw-like edges; embolus sharply curved retrolaterally, with edge angle and a spine-like retrolateral projection; median apophysis curved, with broad base, narrow curved distal part with expanded apex.

Female. Total length 5.59–6.85. One paratype (Fig. A–B; MHBU-ARA-2018-151-3): total length 6.51; carapace 2.89 long, 2.21 wide; abdomen 3.62 long, 2.09 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.14, PME 0.06, PLE 0.09; AME‒AME 0.03, AME‒ALE 0.02, PME‒PME 0.07, PME‒PLE 0.09, ALE‒PLE 0.08. Leg measurements: I 7.01 (2.06, 1.01, 1.76, 1.19, 0.99), II 6.09 (1.75, 0.79, 1.49, 1.14, 0.92), III 5.65 (1.48, 0.63, 1.24, 1.35, 0.95), IV 8.15 (2.18, 0.85, 1.74, 2.26, 1.12). Leg formula: 4123. Cheliceral promargin with six teeth, retromargin with two ( Fig. 2F–G ). Color in alcohol ( Fig. 21A–B ) as in male.

Epigyne ( Fig. 20A–B ). Atrium almost trapezoidal, with 11 weakly sclerotized transversal folds; scape long and wide, with a ratio of length to width more than 1.5; anterior fold with weakly sclerotized anterior and strongly sclerotized posterior parts; anterior parts of the lateral folds covered by the scape; posterior parts of the lateral folds chevron-like; copulatory duct relatively straight; secondary spermathecae oval, small.

Distribution. China (Xizang) ( Fig. 23 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Chelicerae, ventral view. A–B. X. linzhiensis, female (A) and male (B); C–D. X. namchabarwa sp. n., female (C) and male (D); E. X. rigaze, male. F–H. X. shenxian sp. n., female (F–G) and male (H); I–J. X. benae sp. n., female (I) and male (J); K–L. X. xiangbi sp. n., female (K) and male (L); M–O. X. longlin sp. n., male (M–N) and female (O); Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. RTA, retrolateral view. A. X. linzhiensis; B. X. xiangbi sp. n.; C. X. namchabarwa sp. n.; D. X. shenxian sp. n.; E. X. longlin sp. n.; F. X. rigaze; G. X. benae sp. n.. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 17. Female genitalia of Xizangiana longlin sp. n., in ventral (A) and dorsal (B) view.

FIGURE 20. Female genitalia, in ventral (A, C) and dorsal (B, D) view. A–B. Xizangiana shenxian sp. n.; C–D. X. benae sp. n..

FIGURE 21. Xizangiana shenxian sp. n., female (A–B) and male (C–D). Habitus, in dorsal (A, C) and ventral (B, D) view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 22. Xizangiana shenxian sp. n.. A–C. Palp, in prolateral (A), ventral (B) and retrolateral (C) view; D. RTA, retrolateral view; E–F. Details of the bulb, in prolateral-dorsal (E) and dorsal (F) view.

FIGURE 23. Records of Xizangiana species: 1 X. pawani comb. n.; 2 X. sedula comb. n.; 3 X. shenxian sp. n.; 4 X. rigaze; 5 X. benae sp. n.; 6 X. longlin sp. n.; 7 X. linzhiensis; 8 X. namchabarwa sp. n.. 9 X. xiangbi sp. n..