Tricholathys relictoides sp. nov. (类残毛隐蛛)

Wang, Lu-Yu, Peng, Xian-Jin & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2023, The first record of Tricholathys Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (Araneae, Dictynidae) from China, with a new combination and descriptions of seven new species, ZooKeys 1185, pp. 255-267 : 255

Tricholathys relictoides sp. nov. (类残毛隐蛛)

Figs 10 , 11 , 16

Type materials.

Holotype male: China, Xinjiang, Hami City, Barkol, 43°16′55″N, 93°16′45″E, spruce forests, 9 September 1992, M.J. Song and N.L. Zhou leg. (SWUC-T-DI-11-01). Paratypes: 1 male and 4 females (SWUC-T-DI-10-02~06), with same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name is taken from the similarity to T. relicta (Ovtchinnikov, 2001).

Diagnosis.

This new species is similar to the Central Asian species, T. relicta (see Ovtchinnikov 2001: 7, figs 1-4) in having the same number of spines on the tip of cymbium, the embolus originating at about 9:00 o’clock, the anterior arm of the conductor gradually tapering and terminating at about the 11:00 o’clock position, the posterior arm of the conductor spiral and much longer than the anterior arm, the copulatory openings large, with a relatively narrow space between them, and the weakly sclerotized part of the copulatory duct S-shaped; the new species differs from T. relicta in having the end of the retrolateral tibial apophysis arc-shaped (vs flattened), the spines on the tip of the cymbium in different positions, the posterior arm of the conductor distinctly hook-like (vs slightly curved) (Figs 10A, B , 11E-G ), and the spermathecae pear-shaped (vs irregularly shaped) (Figs 10D , 11I ). Additionally, the new species has an undivided cribellum (female) or reduced cribellum (male) (Figs 11C, D ), instead of having a reduced cribellum in both sexes, as in T. relicta . Besides that, the new species is also similar to T. lhunzeensis sp. nov. (Figs 8A-D , 9C-G ), but it differs from the latter by the length of the posterior arm of the conductor (as long as the embolus in the new species, vs half the length of embolus in T. lhunzeensis ), the hook-shaped end of the conductor (vs sharp end) (Figs 10A, B , 11E-G ), the large copulatory openings with narrow space between them (vs small, widely spaced copulatory openings), and the S-shaped copulatory ducts (vs comma-shaped) (Figs 10C, D , 11H, I ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 10A . Total length 6.48 (5.90 in a sole paratype male). Prosoma 3.18 long, 2.35 wide; opisthosoma 3.55 long, 2.35 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.13, PME 0.10, PLE 011; AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.09, PME-PME 0.17, PME-PLE 0.19, ALE-PLE 0.08. MOA 0.34 long, anterior width 0.30, posterior width 0.39. Clypeus height 0.18. Chelicerae with 4 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 8.70 (2.42, 3.21, 1.95, 1.12); II 7.25 (1.99, 2.61, 1.63, 1.02); III 6.17 (1.73, 2.10, 1.43, 0.91); IV 8.61 (2.21, 3.12, 2.22, 1.06). Leg formula: 1423. Dorsum of opisthosoma with blackish cardiac mark. Cribellum reduced.

Palp (Figs 10A, B , 11E-G ). Tip of cymbium with 3 spines. Anterior arm of conductor tapering gradually and terminating at about 11:00 o’clock; posterior arm terminating in spiral, distal part as long as embolus, with a hook-shaped tip. Embolus originating at about 9:00 o’clock position.

Female (paratype). Habitus as in Fig. 10B . Total length 6.45 (6.33-7.97 in other paratype females). Prosoma 2.69 long, 1.94 wide; opisthosoma 3.88 long, 2.40 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.13, PME 0.10, PLE, 0.10; AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.07, PME-PME 0.15, PME-PLE 0.14, ALE-PLE 0.06. MOA 0.27 long, anterior width 0.29, posterior width 0.35. Clypeus height 0.18. Leg measurements: I 6.45 (1.86, 2.35, 1.40, 0.84); II 5.56 (1.62, 1.94, 1.26, 0.74); III 5.20 (1.55, 1.66, 1.20, 0.79); IV 6.92 (1.88, 2.49, 1.64, 0.91). Leg formula: 4123. Cribellum undivided (Fig. 11C ).

Epigyne (Figs 10C, D , 11H-I ). Copulatory openings large, almost oval. Weakly sclerotized part of copulatory ducts S-shaped, nearly forming a circle first and then extending posteriorly, about 3 times longer than length of strongly sclerotized part. Spermathecae small, pear-shaped.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality, Xinjiang, China (Fig. 16 ).

Figures

Figure 8. Tricholathys lhunzeensis sp. nov. A, B holotype male C, D paratype female A left male palp, ventral view B same, retrolateral view C epigyne, ventral view D same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: AA = anterior arm of conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; Em = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; PA = posterior arm of conductor; RTA = retrolaterial tibial apophysis; Sp = spermatheca.

Figure 9. Tricholathys lhunzeensis sp. nov. A, C-E holotype male B, F, G paratype female A male habitus, dorsal view B female habitus, dorsal view C left male palp, prolateral view D same, ventral view E same, retrolateral view F epigyne, ventral view G same, dorsal view.

Figure 10. Tricholathys relictoides sp. nov. A, B holotype male C, D paratype female A left male palp, ventral view B same, retrolateral view C epigyne, ventral view D same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: AA = anterior arm of conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; Em = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; PA = posterior arm of conductor; RTA = retrolaterial tibial apophysis; Sp = spermatheca.

Figure 11. Tricholathys relictoides sp. nov. A, C-E holotype male B, F, G paratype female A male habitus, dorsal view B female habitus, dorsal view C left male palp, prolateral view D same, ventral view E same, retrolateral view F epigyne, ventral view G same, dorsal view.

Figure 16. Distribution of Tricholathys in China.