Ptocasius dian Wang, Mi & Peng sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 435CA5FE-865E-43A7-9D6A-3562EBBD2DE9

Figs 34–35, 59

Diagnosis

The male of Ptocasius dian sp. nov. resembles that of P. strupifer Simon, 1901 in having a similar habitus and palp, but differs in: (1) the tegular bump being absent (Fig. 34B), whereas present in P. strupifer (Żabka 1985: figs 517, 521); (2) the RTA being almost triangular in retrolateral view (Fig. 34C), whereas spiny in P. strupifer (Żabka 1985: fig. 518). The female can be easily distinguished from the congeners by the absence of an epigynal hood, and by having a lamellar median septum, and prominent, spherical spermathecae (Fig. 35A–C), whereas having an epigynal hood, without median septum and indistinct spermathecae in congeners (Metzner 2023).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the short name of the type locality, Yunnan Province, China; noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype

CHINA • ♂; Yunnan, Jingdong County, Huashan Township, Yingpan Village; 24°16.75′ N, 101°6.07′ E; 1270 m a.s.l.; 15 Aug. 2015; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0421.

Paratypes

CHINA • 14 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; TRU-JS 0422–0442 • 2 ♀♀; Wen’e Village; 24°15.27′ N, 101°6.51′ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 14 Aug. 2015; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0443– 0444 • 6 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂; Wengang Village; 24°18.98′ N, 101°7.60′ E; 1730 m a.s.l.; 16 Aug. 2015; C. Wang et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0445–0453 • 1 ♀; Jingdong County, Taizhong Township; 24°30.01′ N, 100°56.31′ E; 1423 m a.s.l.; 16 Aug. 2015; X.Q. Mi et al. leg.; TRU-JS 0454 • 3 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂; Ruili City, Ruili Botanical Garden, Moli scenic zone; 24°6.69′ N, 97°59.16′ E; 880 m a.s.l.; 22–25 Aug. 2018; F.E. Li leg.; TRU-JS 0455–0461 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.15. Carapace 2.01 long, 1.56 wide. Abdomen 1.97 long, 1.33 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.51, ALE 0.24, PLE 0.23, AERW 1.40, PERW 1.42, EFL 0.88. Legs: I 4.15 (1.20, 0.68, 1.00, 0.73, 0.54), II 3.50 (1.07, 0.60, 0.78, 0.61, 0.44), III 3.97 (1.29, 0.60, 0.81, 0.78, 0.49), IV 4.17 (1.29, 0.63, 0.88, 0.88, 0.49).

HABITUS. Carapace red-brown to dark brown, covered with brown and golden yellow setae, with fan-shaped dark yellow area medially on thorax, followed by several dark brown radial stripes (Fig. 35D, G). Chelicerae with one retromarginal tooth and two promarginal teeth (Fig. 35H). Legs pale yellow to red yellow, tibiae I bearing dense ventral setae. Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum with two gray-white transverse bands anteriorly and posteriorly, and indistinct transverse gray band medially; venter gray to brown (Fig. 35D–E).

PALP. Tibia slightly wider than long; RTA tapered, almost triangular, and about half the tibial length in retrolateral view; bulb flat, with sperm duct extended along the margin and strongly curved at terminus; embolus sclerotized, tapered, originates at about 6 o’clock position of bulb, extended almost half circle along the prolateral margin of bulb (Fig. 34).

Female (paratype, TRU-JS 0422)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.02. Carapace 1.87 long, 1.45 wide. Abdomen 1.89 long, 1.47 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.49, ALE 0.22, PLE 0.21, AERW 1.33, PERW 1.33, EFL 0.85. Legs: I 3.31 (0.98, 0.63, 0.75, 0.54, 0.41), II 3.08 (0.98, 0.55, 0.65, 0.49, 0.41), III 3.58 (1.15, 0.58, 0.75, 0.66, 0.44), IV 3.85 (1.12, 0.63, 0.88, 0.78, 0.44).

HABITUS. Similar to that of male except darker in color (Fig. 35F).

EPIGYNE. Wider than long, with lamellar median septum; copulatory openings oval, lateral to base of median septum; copulatory ducts about invert U-shaped, broadened medially; spermathecae spherical, separated from each other by 1.5 times their diameter; fertilization ducts originate from middle of inner edges of spermathecae, extended anterolaterally (Fig. 35A–C).

Distribution

China (Yunnan) (Fig. 59).

Comments

The species is provisionally placed in Ptocasius because it shares a similar habitus and male palpal structure with the generotype and its congeners. However, it possesses the median septum, prominent, spherical spermathecae, and lacks epigynal hoods that are different from the female of those species. And so, the generic position of the species needs further confirmation.