Alistra hippocampa sp. nov.

Figs 3–5

Type material. Holotype: Male, China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Mengla County, Menglun Nature Reserve, canopy of the secondary tropical seasonal moist forest (fogging), 10 August 2007, G. Zheng leg. Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female, with same data as for holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is taken from the Latin generic name of the seahorse, “ Hippocampus ”, referring to the seahorse-like epigynal ducts (copulatory duct and spermatheca) of the female paratype; adjective.

Diagnosis. Male of the new species similar to that of A. annulata sp. nov. (Figs 1 A–C, 2A–F) in having short patellar and tibial apophyses, slender embolus, short cymbial furrow, absence of median apophysis and conductor, but differing from the latter by the absence of the tiny teeth on the palpal RTA (Figs 3 B–C, 4E–F), the shorter embolus (Figs 3 A, 4D), and the short and deep cymbial furrow (Figs 3 B, 4E) of male palp. Females of the new species are distinguished from those of other Alistra species by a pair of rims at the copulatory openings (Figs 3 D, 5F), the seahorse-shaped spermathecae and copulatory ducts of epigyne (Figs 3 E, 5G).

Description. Male. Total length 1.65 – 1.73. Holotype (Figs 4 A–C): Total length 1.73. Prosoma 0.81 long, 0.65 wide; opisthosoma 0.95 long, 0.67 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.04, PME 0.04, PLE 0.05; AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.01. MOA 0.14 long, front width 0.13, back width 0.14. Clypeus height 0.09. Leg measurements: I 2.51 (0.74, 0.84, 0.51, 0.42); II 2.44 (0.72, 0.81, 0.50, 0.41); III 2.05 (0.58, 0.67, 0.43, 0.37); IV 2.52 (0.70, 0.81, 0.57, 0.44). Leg formula: 4123.

Prosoma dark yellow, with some tiny brown markings and dark brown margin. Opisthosoma greyish black, with many long setae. Four thin bright chevron-like markings located dorsally (Figs 4 A–C).

Male palpal patella with a thorn-like apophysis pointing posteriorly. Tibia longer than patella, with RTA pointing dorso-distally. Embolus originating prolatero-basally, curving clockwise along the margin of the tegulum, semicircular (left palp). Conductor and median apophysis absent. Cymbium with short and deep furrow, which latter length equals to quarter of cymbial length (Figs 3 A–C, 4D–F).

Female (paratype, Figs 5 A–E). Total length 2.07. Prosoma 0.81 long, 0.65 wide; opisthosoma 1.26 long, 0.92 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.05, PME 0.05, PLE 0.06; AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.05, ALE–PLE 0.01. MOA 0.15 long, front width 0.15, back width 0.16. Clypeus height 0.07. Leg measurements: I 2.38 (0.73, 0.77, 0.48, 0.40); II 2.36 (0.72, 0.77, 0.46, 0.41); III 2.18 (0.65, 0.69, 0.46, 0.38); IV 2.71 (0.77, 0.90, 0.60, 0.44). Leg formula: 4123. Opisthosoma with 3 broad bright markings.

Epigyne small and simple. Copulatory ducts short and curved (Figs 3 D–E, 5F–G).

Distribution. Known only from Xishuangbanna rainforest, Yunnan Province, China.