Meotipa zhengguoi Lin & Li, 2021

Lin, Yejie, Marusik, Yuri M., Gao, Caixia, Xu, Hao, Zhang, Xiaoqing, Wang, Ziyi, Zhu, Wenhui & Li, Shuqiang, 2021, Twenty-three new spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from Asia, Zoological Systematics 46 (2), pp. 91-152 : 150-151

Meotipa zhengguoi Lin & Li , sp. nov. ( Figs 51A–B , 52A–D, 53K–L )

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Chrysso vitra Zhu, 1998 but can be distinguished by the broad ST, the slender C, and the ventrally visible TTA. C. vitra has a narrow ST, a broad C, and an indistinct TTA in ventral view ( Zhu, 1998).

Description. Male (holotype, IZCAS-Ar42470, Figs 51A–B , 52A–D, 53K–L ). Total length 1.19. Prosoma 0.43 long, 0.23 wide, flat, pale yellow, with small black spots and 3 long bristles at middle. Sternum 0.29 long, 0.30 wide, pale yellow. Opisthosoma 0.78 long, 0.53 wide, pale yellow, with dark spots. Eyes developed: AME 0.07, ALE 0.06, PME 0.07, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.04. Clypeus height about 1.43 times AME diameter. Chelicerae with 1 promarginal tooth, retromarginal tooth absent. Leg I femur 1.00, patella 0.18, tibia 0.70, metatarsus 0.75, tarsus 0.25. Patella and tibia II–IV: 0.59, 0.38, 0.69. Leg I pale yellow, strong spine absent, femur, tibia and metatarsus with ventral dark spots. Legs II, III, IV same as leg I.

Palp ( Figs 51A–B , 52A–D) patella and tibia without strong spines; ST broad; Sp indistinct in ventral view; C narrow, tip coiled; TTA visible in ventral view; E filiform.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, China: Yunnan, Menglun Nature Reserve (21.9598°N, 101.2035°E; elev. ca. 822 m), 8 August 2007, leg. Guo Zheng (IZCAS-Ar42470) . Paratype. 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar42471), Menglun (21º55'N, 101º16'E), 1–15 July 2007, leg. Guo Zheng.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Etymology. The species is named after the collector Mr. Guo Zheng and is a noun (name) in genitive case.

Variation. Male (paratype). Total length 1.25; prosoma 0.50 long, 0.33 wide; sternum 0.28 long, 0.30 wide; opisthosoma 0.69 long, 0.50 wide.

Funding This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31530067).

Acknowledgements The manuscript benefitted greatly from comments by Sarah Crews (San Francisco, USA) and Yanfeng Tong (Shenyang, China). Theo Blick (Hummeltal, Germany) checked etymology.

Figures

Figure 51. Meotipa zhengguoi Lin & Li, sp. nov., holotype male, left palp. A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.1mm.

Figure 53. Habitus of six new Theridiidae species, male dorsal view (A–C, E, G–L), lateral view (H, J, L) and female dorsal view (B, D, F, H). A–B. Episinus bonjovi Lin & Li, sp. nov.; C–D, E. jiangweni Lin & Li, sp. nov.; E–F. E. tongyani Lin & Li, sp. nov.; G–H. Meotipa luoqiae Lin & Li, sp. nov.; I–J. M. menglun Lin & Li, sp. nov.; K–L. M. zhengguoi Lin & Li, sp. nov. Scale bars= 1.0mm.