Stedocys pagodas, Labarque, Facundo M., Grismado, Cristian J., Ramírez, Martín J., Yan, Hengmei & Griswold, Charles E., 2009

Labarque, Facundo M., Grismado, Cristian J., Ramírez, Martín J., Yan, Hengmei & Griswold, Charles E., 2009, The Southeast Asian genus Stedocys Ono, 1995 (Araneae: Scytodidae): first descriptions of female genitalia and a new species from China, Zootaxa 2297, pp. 1-14 : 5-12

Stedocys pagodas n. sp.

( Figs. 3–4, 7–8 , 11, 14 )

Types. Male holotype and female paratype (CASENT 9021385) from China, Yunnan Province, Longyang Co., Bawan District., Nankang Yakou, elevation 2180 m, N 24°49’54.41”, E 98°45’52.99”, 25 May 2005, C. Griswold and D. Kavanaugh legs. (CGY123), deposited in Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition that honors the “Three Pagodas ”, an ensemble of three independent pagodas arranged on the corners of a symmetric triangle, near the town of Dali (Yunnan Province, China) dating from the time of the Nanzhao Kingdom and Kingdom of Dali. According to local legends, Dali was once a swamp inhabited by breeding dragons before the humans arrived. As the dragons, which were believed to deliberately create natural disasters to dispel human intruders, revered pagodas , the “Three Pagodas ” were built to deter the dragons (Wikipedia 2009).

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from the congeneric species by having a small palpal tibia and femur; tegulum subequal to tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one half time; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending straight, apically blunt ( Fig. 11 ). Females are distinguished by the slight overlap between inner and outer spermathecae ( Fig. 14 ) and by carapace pale yellow, markings brown and sternum brown, pale yellow at center with a median yellow strip restricted to the anterior half and between coxae ( Fig. 4, 8 ).

Description male (CASENT 9021385). Carapace pale yellow, markings distribution similar to S. leopoldi , but procurved “U” and “V” shapes acute ( Fig. 3 ). Chelicerae pale yellow, slightly darker anteriorly. Endites pale, darker at outer margins. Labium brown, margins light. Sternum brown, pale yellow at center and between coxae ( Fig. 7 ). Legs pale yellow with longitudinal brown bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen yellowish, the first half with pale brown patterns and five chevrons distally. Total length 12.36. Cephalothorax 6.38 long, 4.93 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eyes diameter: PME 0.30, ALE 0.28, PLE 0.28. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae follow generic pattern, with three large stridulatory ridges. Endites and labium as in S. leopoldi . Labium 1.30 long, 1.22 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 3.24 long, 2.02 wide, with marked borders. Leg and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarsus/tarsus): I 48.76 (14.34/1.80/14.34/15.16/ 3.12), II 42.89 (11.90/1.70/12.88/13.69/2.72), III 27.53 (8.24/1.58/7.19/8.32/2.20), IV 35.89 (1.80/1.54/10.27/ 10.92/2.40), palp 4.34 (1.80/0.82/1.32/---/0.40). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Palp with tegulum subequal to tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one half time; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending straight, apically blunt, retrolateral embolus outlet ( Fig. 11 ). Opisthosoma oval, 5.98 long, 4.08 wide. Spinneret follows generic pattern.

Female (CASENT 9021385). Coloration as in male, except carapace ”U” arms relatively larger ( Fig. 4 ) and abdomen gray. Total length 14.30. Cephalothorax 5.74 long, 4.68 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eye diameters: PME 0.24, ALE 0.24, PLE 0.28. Lateral eyes on tubercle. Chelicerae follow generic pattern, with four large stridulatory ridges. Endites and labium as in male. Labium 1.06 long, 1.12 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 2.84 long, 1.80 wide, coloration as in male with marked borders ( Fig. 8 ). Legs and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarus/tarsus): I 32.10 (9.29/1.50/8.16/10.59/2.56), II 26.73 (7.92/1.40/7.27/7.84/2.30), III 18.62 (5.49/1.22/4.64/5.41/1.86), IV 24.37 (7.19/1.28/6.71/7.11/2.08), palp 3.94 (1.22/0.64/0.86/---/1.22). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Opisthosoma oval, 8.56 long, 5.98 wide. Spinnerets and external genitalia as follow generic pattern. Vulva with two pairs of rounded, thick spermathecae arising from the epigastric furrow, inner spermathecae twice as large as outer ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Preserved specimens. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay). Male (1, 5 MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484). Female (2, 6 MACN-Ar, TP 0979; 9 MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486). Stedocys pagodas n. sp. Male (3, 7 type, CASENT 9021385). Female (4, 8 paratype, CASENT 9021385). 1 – 8 Prosoma (1 – 4 dorsal view, 5 – 8 ventral view). 9. External genitalia (EP, epyginal pouch; EF, epigastric furrow). Scale bars: 1 – 7, 2 mm; 8, 1 mm; 9, 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 14. Genitalia and tracheal system. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (10 MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484; 12 – 13 MACN-Ar 23718, TP 0979). Stedocys pagodas n. sp. (11 holotype, CASENT 9021385; 14 paratype, CASENT 9021385). 10 — 11 Male palp, retrolateral view (10 right - image inverted-, 11 left). 12 Female tracheae dorsal view. 13 — 14 Female vulva dorsal view. (E, embolus; SC, spermatic canal; B, bulb; T, tibia; Ta, tarsus; BA, blunt apically; EF, epigastric furrow; IS, inner spermathecae; OS, outer spermathecae). Scale bars: 10 – 14, 500 µm.