Pholcus shuguanensis Yao & Li sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E8EBA85C-203B-4E3C-8053-D2F0CF69643C

Figs 3–4, 7

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from all congeners in the P. nenjukovi species group by medially wide male chelicerae (Fig. 4B), by a narrow and distally blunt uncus provided with a large proximal apophysis (Fig. 4A), by a stick-shaped appendix (Fig. 4A), and by the presence of a large, prolateral membranous area distally on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 3C).

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the type locality; adjective.

Material examined

Holotype

TAJIKISTAN: ♂, Gorno-Badakhshan Region, Shuguan District, Tem Village, 37°33.402′ N, 71°30.564′ E, 2061 m, 13 Aug. 2015, K. Meng leg.

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.62 (5.93 with clypeus), carapace 1.65 long, 1.80 wide, opisthosoma 3.97 long, 1.74 wide. Leg I and leg IV missing, leg II: 29.23 (8.08 + 0.81 + 7.63 + 11.41 + 1.30), leg III: 21.67 (6.41 + 0.72 + 5.51 + 8.01 + 1.02). Distance PME–PME 0.32; diameter PME 0.13; distance PME–ALE 0.04; distance AME–AME 0.06; diameter AME 0.07.

COLOR. Carapace yellowish, with brown radiating marks extending to ocular area; ocular area yellowish, with brown median stripe; sternum yellowish, with brown marks. Legs yellowish, proximal parts and distal parts of femora and tibiae whitish, darker rings absent. Opisthosoma yellowish.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 4 C–E. Ocular area elevated, without eye-stalks. Thoracic furrow absent. Sternum wider than long (1.22/1.14).

CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 4B, with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses provided with two teeth each, and pair of frontal apophyses.

PEDIPALPS. As in Fig. 3 A–B; trochanter with long and curved ventral apophysis; femur with dorsal apophysis proximally; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two prolatero-dorsal spines; uncus with scales; appendix stick-shaped, with scales; embolus weakly sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally.

LEGS. Legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae.

Female

Unknown.

Natural history

The species was found on the underside of rocks.

Distribution

Tajikistan (Gorno-Badakhshan, type locality; Fig. 7).