Psechrus demiror sp. nov.

Figs 47a–c, 88l, 91l

Type material: Holotype ♀ (SB 331), “ INDOCHINA ”; Collection Constantin Dawydoff; Entrée No. 23, 18.XI.1960; MNHN.

Note: This female was deposited among unidentified spider material in the ‘Zoothek’ of the Muséum National de Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Unfortunately the label contained no information, except what is listed above. The region of ‘Indochina’ formerly included the (present) countries Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. In order to get information about a detailed locality, where this specimen possibly could have been recorded, I tried to find publications where material collected by C. Dawydoff is listed. In Dawydoff (1952) the collector himself stated, that he stayed for a long period of time in a research station in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Denis (1934) treated representatives of Collembola, which were collected by C. Dawydoff in Vietnam, listed with detailed recording locality. Titova (1983) revised the Mecistocephalidae (Chilopoda) and listed some material collected by C. Dawydoff in Cambodia. It is likely that the Psechrus ♀ SB 331 was collected together with specimens of the above mentioned arthropods, which are also ground-dwelling. According to the literature mentioned above, it is possible, but not certain, that ♀ SB 331 had been recorded at one of the following locations:

1) VIETNAM: Lam Dong Province, Da Lat (South-Eastern part of Vietnam)

2) VIETNAM: Khanh Hoa Province, region of Nha Trang (South-Eastern part of Vietnam)

3) CAMBODIA: Kampot Province, Bokor (Southern part of Cambodia)

4) CAMBODIA: Kampong Thom Province, Kampong Thom (Central part of Cambodia)

Identification of the following, additional material examined not absolutely certain.

“INDOCHINA”; Collection Constantin Dawydoff; Entrée No. 23, 18.XI.1960; 1 ♂ (SB 329, was found in separate vial, not in the same vial as ♀ SB 331), MNHN .

Note: As this male was found in a different vial, it is not absolutely certain that it was from the same locality as the female holotype, which is not known either. Therefore, it is also not possible to be absolutely certain if the male is conspecific with the female holotype. However, it is certainly a representative of the himalayanaus -group as it shows the diagnostic characters. Additionally, its bulb (Fig. 46b) strongly resembles that of P. himalayanus (Fig. 31b) and lacks scopula dorsally on cymbium, like in P. ghecuanus and P. jaegeri sp. nov., both of which are distributed in Laos (formerly part of Indochina).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the ‘open question’ concerning exact type locality (Latin “demiror” means “gladly wishing to know something”); term (verb) in apposition.

Diagnosis (see also diagnosis for himalayanus -group above). Male (not absolutely certain if in fact conspecific with female holotype) with distinctly narrow and elongated tegulum (T) (narrower than and ca. as long as palpal tibia) and long embolus (E) and conductor (C) (ca. equal long as T) (Figs 46a–c). Females similar to Psechrus luangprabang in the shape of distal margins of lateral lobes (LL) —those strongly sclerotised, semicircular and extending anterio-laterally (Figs 44a, 47a)— and shape of vulva. Distinguished by the distal endings of margins of LL pointing medially (Fig. 47a) and by the smaller (in relation to copulatory duct) and differently shaped spermatheca (Fig. 47b).

Description. Male (not absolutely certain if in fact conspecific with female holotype):

Body and eye measurements. Carapace length 5.1, carapace width 3.8, anterior width of carapace 2.1, opisthosoma length 7.5, opisthosoma width 3.2. Eyes: AME 0.32, ALE 0.36, PME 0.37, PLE 0.38, AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.28, AME–PME 0.49, ALE–PLE 0.38, clypeus height at AME 0.59, clypeus height at ALE 0.56.

Cheliceral furrow with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth.

Measurements of palp and legs. Leg formula: 1423. Palp: 6.5 [2.3, 1.0, 1.1, 2.1]; Legs: I 44.9 [12.1, 2.3, 12.2, 12.3, 6.0], II 35.3 [10.0, 2.0, 9.4, 9.3, 4.6], III 24.1 [7.0, 1.6, 5.9, 6.4, 3.2], IV 38.2 [10.9, 1.9, 9.4, 10.5, 5.5].

Spination. Palp: 131, 110 (prolateral one very small), 1101 (prolateral and ventral one very small); legs: femur I 566, II 556, III 545, IV 555{554}; patella I–IV 000; tibia I–II 3038, III 3134, IV 3036; metatarsus I–III 3035, IV 3036.

Palpal femur without modification, broadest subdistally (Fig. 46d).

Copulatory organ (see also diagnosis and general description for himalayanus -group). Semicircular embolus base (EB) sclerotised (Fig. 85m). Conductor surrounds E at its distal half almost completely (Figs 46b–c). Palpal tibia in lateral view medium sized (Figs 46a,c). Cymbium dorsally without scopula.

Female:

Body and eye measurements. Carapace length 6.8, carapace width 4.7, anterior width of carapace 3.0, opisthosoma length 8.8, opisthosoma width 4.5. Eyes: AME 0.40, ALE 0.46, PME 0.46, PLE 0.44, AME–AME

0.21, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.31, PME–PLE 0.41, AME–PME 0.62, ALE–PLE 0.42, clypeus height at AME 0.83, clypeus height at ALE 0.79.

Cheliceral furrow with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth.

Measurements of palp and legs. Leg formula: 1423. Palp: 8.2 [2.7, 1.2, 1.6, 2.7]; Legs: I 39.4 [10.8, 2.8, 10.9, 9.9, 5.0], II 31.3 [8.6, 2.6, 8.4, 7.8, 3.9], III 23.4 [6.8, 2.1, 5.7, 5.7, 3.1], IV 33.1 [9.2, 2.3, 8.5, 8.6, 4.5].

Palpal claw with 13 teeth.

Spination. Palp: 131, 110, 1101, 1014; legs: femur I 556, II 556{566}, III 545{555}, IV 544{545}; patella I–IV 000; tibia I–II 3038, III 3034, IV 3038; metatarsus I, III–IV 3035, II 3035{3033}.

Copulatory organ (see also diagnosis and general description of himalayanus -group). Median septum almost as long as broad (Fig. 47a, 88l). Slit sense organs and epigynal muscle sigilla outside epigynal field. The latter relatively small.

Colouration of male and female (see also description for himalayanus -group and Psechrus). Median bands on carapace serrated. Lateral bands narrow (ca. ½ diameter of PME) and at most slightly lobed, not serrated. Light longitudinal line ventrally on opisthosoma continuous, subdistally constricted, its width medium-sized. If measured centrally on opisthosoma, its width is less than the width of one half of the cribellum (ca. 0.5 of one half of the cribellum).

Distribution. ‘Indochina’ (Vietnam and/or Cambodia and/or Laos) (Fig. 98).