Speocera cucphuong Li & Li, 2019

Tong, Yanfeng, Li, Fengyuan, Song, Yang, Chen, Haifeng & Li, Shuqiang, 2019, Thirty-two new species of the genus Speocera Berland, 1914 (Araneae: Ochyroceratidae) from China, Madagascar and Southeast Asia, Zoological Systematics 44 (1), pp. 1-75 : 18-26

Speocera cucphuong Li & Li sp. nov. ( Figs 18–19 , 55H, I )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ ( IZCAS), Vietnam, Ninh Binh Province, Cuc Phuong National Park, on the path to the Old Tree , 20.VIII.2015 (20º20.972′N, 105º35.600′E), elev. 437 m, leg. Q. Zhao, Y. Li & Z. Chen. Paratype 1♀ ( IZCAS), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality; noun.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to S. bulbiformis Lin, Pham & Li, 2009 , but males can be distinguished by the laterally excavated chelicerae with a horn-like apophysis ( Figs 55H–I ) and by the nearly spherical male palpal bulb ( Figs 18A–B ), and females by the very long, curved afferent spermathecae ( Fig. 19B ). S. bulbiformis males have unmodified chelicerae, a more flattened palpal bulb, and females have very short, nearly straight afferent spermathecae (Lin et al., 2009: figs 3–4).

Description. Male. Total length 1.13; carapace length 0.51; carapace width 0.44; abdomen length 0.57; abdomen width 0.40. Prosoma: carapace pyriform, narrowing gradually anteriorly; light yellow, suffused with purplish pattern ( Fig. 18C ); pars cephalica flat; fovea not visible. Sternum light yellow, suffused with purplish color, as long as wide. Endites light yellow with serrula; labium light yellow. Clypeus nearly vertical; short. Chelicerae light yellow; external margin strongly excavated, anterior face with one horn-like apophysis; promargin with a series of six teeth reaching the lamina; retromargin with two very small denticles ( Figs 55H–I ). Eyes: six contiguous eyes surrounded by black pigmentation, PME smallest, PLE largest ( Fig. 18C ). Opisthosoma oval; light gray. Legs light yellow; leg lengths I, II missing; III 1.56 (0.42, 0.14, 0.43, 0.32, 0.25); IV 2.16 (0.60, 0.16, 0.63, 0.45, 0.32). Genitalia ( Fig. 18 ). Palpal femur long; palpal tibia as long as cymbium ( Figs 18A–B ). Cymbium conical, with a prolateral extension basally. Bulb spherical, as long as wide. Embolus short, black, associated sclerites absent; sperm duct initially wide, gradually narrowing distally ( Fig. 18D ).

Female. Total length 1.41; carapace length 0.57; carapace width 0.46; abdomen length 0.80; abdomen width 0.58. Similar to male in color and general features ( Figs 19D–E ) but larger. Chelicerae unmodified. Legs light yellow; leg lengths I 1.85 (0.50, 0.16, 0.52, 0.37, 0.29); II missing; III 1.64 (0.45, 0.15, 0.43, 0.47, 0.34); IV 2.22 (0.40, 0.13, 0.30, 0.29, 0.23). Genitalia. Internal genitalia with afferent spermathecae elongated, curved, extending past the sides of the abdomen ( Fig. 19B ); spermathecae oval ( Fig. 19A ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 18. Speocera cucphuong Li & Li sp. nov., holotype, male. A. Left palp, prolateral view. B. Left palp, retrolateral view. C. Left palp, dorsal view. D. Left palp, retrolateral view, cleared in lactic acid. Scale bars=0.05 mm.

Figure 19. Speocera cucphuong Li & Li sp. nov. A, B, D, E. Paratype, female. C. Holotype, male. A. Genitalia, dorsal view. B. Genitalia, ventral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. Habitus, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B=0.05mm; C– E=0.30mm.

Figure 55. Male chelicerae of Speocera spp.A–E, G–H.Anterior view. F, I. Lateral view. A. S. amber Li & Li sp. nov. B. S. ankalana Li & Li sp. nov. C. S. bachma Li & Li sp. nov. D. S. ballarini Li & Li sp. nov. E–F. S. bawangling Li & Li sp. nov. G. S. bukittinggi Li & Li sp. nov. H–I. S. cucphuong Li & Li sp. nov. Scale bars=0.1mm.