Plexippoides meniscatus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006

Wang, Cheng, Gan, Jia-Hui & Mi, Xiao-Qi, 2024, On three species of Plexippoides Prószyński, 1984 from Southwest, China (Araneae: Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 968, pp. 119-131 : 123-126

Plexippoides meniscatus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006

Figs 3–4 , 7

Plexippoides meniscatus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006: 13 , fig. 1a–g (types not examined).

Plexippoides meniscatus – Peng 2020: 326, fig. 234a–d.

Diagnosis

The species resembles P. potanini Prószyński, 1984 in having similar copulatory organs, especially the origin and forms of the tegular flap and embolus, as well as the general shape of the epigyne and vulva, but it can be easily distinguished by the following: 1) the RTA has a pointed tip directed dorsally in retrolateral view ( Fig. 3B ) vs directed anterodorsally in P. potanini ( Prószyński 1984: fig. 12); 2) the atrium has a pair of lateral ridges ( Fig. 4A, C ) vs no ridges in P. potanini ( Peng 2020: fig. 235e).

Material examined

CHINA • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Yunnan, Kunming City, Guandu District, Shajin Vilige ; 25°5.09′ N, 103°1.02′ E; 2340 m a.s.l.; 20 Nov. 2023; H. Qiu leg.; TRU-JS 0722–0725 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Dali City, Dali Township, Daliyiji ; 24°40.90′ N, 100°10.68′ E; 1970 m a.s.l.; 1 Mar. 2024; Z. Yang et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0726–0728 .

Description

Male (TRU-JS 0722)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.93. Carapace 3.16 long, 2.43 wide. Abdomen 2.80 long, 1.96 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.60, ALE 0.36, PLE 0.30, AERW 1.88, PERW 1.85, EFL 1.15. Legs: I 6.10 (1.65, 1.25, 1.35, 1.15, 0.70), II 5.40 (1.75, 1.10, 1.40, 0.50, 0.65), III 6.55 (2.10, 1.05, 1.35, 1.35, 0.70), IV 6.76 (2.01, 0.95, 1.50, 1.60, 0.70).

HABITUS. Carapace dark, setose, with marginal white setal bands and paler area on centre of thorax; fovea dark red, longitudinal ( Fig. 4E, H ). Chelicerae pale, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth ( Fig. 4H–I ). Endites flat and broad, with laterally extended, small, hook-shaped, distal apophyses ( Fig. 4F ). Labium coloured as chelicerae, almost linguiform ( Fig. 4F ). Sternum about shield-shaped ( Fig. 4F ). Legs pale, spiny ( Fig. 4E–F ). Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum dark brown except white on lateral margins, with big, irregular, cental, pale brown patch; venter dark, with pair of dotted lines medially ( Fig. 4E–F ).

PALP. Tibia swollen, with strongly sclerotized retrolateral apophysis curved distally and with pointed tip directed dorsally; cymbium setose, slightly longer than wide, with baso-retrolateral, triangular apophysis crossed with RTA in ventral view; bulb almost round, with anteriorly located, retrolaterally extending flap; embolus rises in position about 3 o’clock from bulb, coiled less than a circle ( Fig. 3A–B ).

Female (TRU-JS 0724, 0725)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.11. Carapace 3.34 long, 2.81 wide. Abdomen 3.56 long, 2.59 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.65, ALE 0.38, PLE 0.31, AERW 2.14, PERW 2.21, EFL 1.24. Legs: I 5.80 (1.65, 1.25, 1.40, 0.85, 0.65), II 5.55 (1.60, 1.15, 1.35, 0.80, 0.65), III 6.50 (2.20, 1.05, 1.25, 1.30, 0.70), IV 7.05 (2.20, 1.05, 1.50, 1.60, 0.70).

HABITUS. Similar to that of males except of mainly red-brown colour ( Fig. 4G ).

EPIGYNE AND VULVA. Wider than long; atrium almost square, with pair of lateral ridges; copulatory openings slit-shaped; copulatory ducts long, coiled, forming complicated patch, with proximal accessory glands; spermathecae elongate, close to each other; fertilization ducts lamellar, originating from anterior portions of spermathecae, almost transversely extending ( Fig. 4A–D, J ).

Distribution

China (Yunnan) ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

Fig 7. Distributional records of the species of Plexippoides Prószyński, 1984.

Fig. 3. Male palp of Plexippoides meniscatus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006 (TRU-JS 0722). A. Ventral view. B. Retrolateral view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 4. Plexippoides meniscatus Yang, Zhu & Song, 2006. A–B, G. ♀ (TRU-JS 0724). C–D, J. ♀ (TRU-JS 0725). E–F, H–I. ♂ (TRU-JS 0722). A, C. Epigyne, ventral view. B, D. Vulva, dorsal view. E–G. Habitus. E, G. Dorsal view. F. Ventral view. H. Carapace, frontal view. I. Chelicera, posterior view.J. Path of copulatory duct, dorsal view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: A–D, I = 0.1 mm; E–H = 1.0 mm.