Cnodalia flavescens, Mi & Peng & Yin, 2010

Mi, Xiao-Qi, Peng, Xian-Jin & Yin, Chang-Min, 2010, The spider genus Cnodalia (Araneae: Araneidae) in China, Zootaxa 2452 (1), pp. 59-66 : 62-65

Cnodalia flavescens new species

Figs 9 –17

Holotype: male, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village Daheling Ganjiao , (N25°44.73ʹ, E98°41.78ʹ), 2030 m, 15 May 2006, Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang & Peng Hu, PWH060515 ( HNU) . Paratypes: 1 female, CHINA: Yunnan Province, Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve , (N24º49.73ʹ, E98º45.55ʹ), 2010 m, 26 May 2005, Heng-mei Yan & Ke-ji Guo, GKJ026 ( HNU) ; 1 female, CHINA: Yunnan Province, Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve (N24°49.73ʹ, E98°45.60ʹ), 2020 m, 26 May 2005, Charles Griswold & David Kavanaugh, CGY124 ( CAS) ; 1 male, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village , Daheling Ganjiao , (N25°25.21ʹ, E98°24.57ʹ), 1878 m, 20 May 2006, Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang & Peng Hu, PWH060520 ( HNU) ; 1 male, PWH060520 ( CAS) .

Etymology. The specific name comes from the Latin word flavescens (yellowish), in reference to the main color of the body.

Diagnosis. Females of Cnodalia flavescens n. sp. can be distinguished from those of C. harpax by their humps extended upturn (frontward in C. harpax ). Males of C. flavescens n. sp. can be distinguished from those of C. harpax by the tip of the embolus, cap-shaped in the former but tapered in the later.

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.90. Prosoma 1.45 long, 1.20 wide; abdomen 1.30 long, 1.75 wide. Carapace light yellow ( Fig. 11 ). Cervical groove inconspicuous ( Fig. 11 ). Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.05, PLE 0.05, AME 0.08, PME 0.11; AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.23, PME-PLE 0.23, MOA 0.30 long with front width 0.28 and back width 0.34. Sternum, chelicerae, gnathocoxae and labium light yellowish, sternum cordate, chelicera with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Legs yellow without annulus, anterior claws on tarsi I and II extremely elongated, each long claw has 13-15 ventral teeth; coxa I hooked; femur I has 3 long spines anteriorly. Leg measurements: I 4.40 (1.50, 1.30, 1.05, 0.55), II 4.10 (1.40, 1.20, 1.00, 0.50), III 2.00 (0.80, 0.60, 0.35, 0.25), IV 2.85 (1.10, 0.85, 0.55, 0.35). Abdomen wider than long, with no hump. Dorsum and venter grayish yellow with dozens of white scale-like spots ( Fig. 11 ). Palp with 2 patellar macrosetae; paracymbium small; cymbium with a small tubercle on the proximal base; median apophysis round proximally and pointed distally; conductor curved around the embolus; embolus long, curved, cap-shaped at the apical end; terminal apophysis large, with dozens of denticles and a threadlike apophysis ( Figs. 14-16 ).

Female (based on paratype from GKJ026): Total length 3.30. Prosoma 1.50 long, 1.30 wide; abdomen 1.90 long, 2.25 wide. Coloration as in male ( Fig. 9 ). Cervical groove obvious, cephalic region slightly elevated ( Fig. 9 ). Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME 0.10, PME 0.13; AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.23, PME-PME 0.25, PME-PLE 0.28, MOA 0.30 long with front width 0.35 and back width 0.43. Anterior claws on tarsi I and II extremely elongated, each long claw has 13–15 ventral teeth ( Fig. 10 ), femur I has 2 long spines anteriorly. Leg measurements: I 4.30 (1.65, 1.40, 0.80, 0.45), II 4.20 (1.55, 1.35, 0.80, 0.50), III 2.55 (1.00, 0.80, 0.45, 0.30), IV 3.70 (1.45, 1.20, 0.60, 0.45). Abdomen with a pair of humps ( Fig. 9 ). Epigynum: atrium deep; scape short with lateral rim; copulatory ducts thick, long and twisted; spermathecae large and spherical ( Figs. 12-13 ).

Variation. Female total length 3.30–3.40; male total length 2.50–2.90.

Distribution. China (Yunnan Province).

FIGTURE 17. Distribution records: ● Cnodalia quadrituberculata n. sp.; ̝ Cnodalia flavescens n. sp.

Figures

FIGURES 9–11. Cnodalia flavescens n. sp. 9 female habitus, dorsal view; 10, female tarsus I, prolateral view; 11 male habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 9, 11=1 mm; 10 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 12–16. Cnodalia flavescens n. sp. 12, epigynum, ventral view; 13, vulva, prodorsal view; 14, left palp, prolateral view; 15, left palp, ventral view; 16, median apophysis. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.