Laogone, Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2014

Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2014, New species and records of linyphiid spiders from Laos (Araneae, Linyphiidae), Zootaxa 3841 (1), pp. 67-89 : 76

Laogone new genus

Type species Laogone cephala n. sp.

Etymology. The genus name Laogone is a combination of the words “Lao” and “ Erigone , ” the gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. Laogone n. gen. is diagnosed by combined presence of a convector (see Tanasevitch 1998, 2011) and a membrosclerum ( Tanasevitch 1996, 2008), by the extremely long median membrane, as well as the peculiar shape of the paracymbium.

Phylogenetics. The putative autapomorphies of Laogone n. gen. are the diagnostic features mentioned in the previous section. In spite of the presence of the convector, Laogone n. gen. has no any other affinities to the known genera with this sclerite, e.g., Asiagone n. gen., Oedothorax Bertkau, 1883 , Gongylidioides Oi, 1960 , Batueta Locket, 1982 , Nasoona Locket, 1982 , etc. The modified paracymbium is presented in the Indian Paracymboides Tanasevitch, 2011 , and the extremely long median membrane is existing in the Far Eastern Parasisis Eskov, 1984 , but the new genus have not any other similarity to the mentioned genera. Close relative genera are likely to be found among other Southeast Asian erigonines.

Description. Medium - sized pale colored Erigoninae , total length about less than 2 mm. Carapace modified, cephalic part elevated. Eyes somewhat enlarged, cephalic pits presence. Chelicerae unmodified, weak. Chaetotaxy: 2.2.1.1, length of spines about 2–3 diameter of segment. All metatarsi with a trichobothrium, TmI, 0.82. Tibia modified, with prolateral apophyses. Cymbium without outgrowths. Paracymbium with a long and narrow process below. Distal suprategular apophysis present, relatively large. Median membrane extremely long, narrow, stripelike, surrounding palp. Membrosclerum present, connected to a column by a short membrane. Radical part of embolic division very small. Embolus very long, forming two loops. Convector present, covering proximal part of embolus. Opisthosoma with a dorsal pattern.

Species included. Only the type species.

Distribution. Laos.