Putaoa annulata new species

(Ịƥgḓ)

Figures 1, 2, 5A–C, 6A, B, 7B

Holotype ♁ (HNU250): CHINA, Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Hengshan Mountain, Banshanting, 26°16.73'N, 112°42.49'E, 620m, 17 X 2015, Ailan He, Bing Zhou, Wang Liu, Chen Zeng, Zhuo’er Chen. Paratypes: 1♁ (HNU392) 1♀ (HNU251), same data as the holotype; 1♁ (HNU252) 1♀ (HNU253), CHINA, Hunan Province, Shaoyang City, Xinning County, Tianyixiang, 26°21.22'N, 110°48.25'E, 586m, 21 XI 2014, Haiqiang Yin, Cheng Wang, Jiahui Gan, Bing Zhou, Yuhui Gong; 2♁ (HNU255, HNU256) 2♀ (HNU257, HNU258), CHINA, Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Hengshan Mountain, Wanshou village, 27°31.51'N, 112°10.63'E, 487m, 20 X 2015, Ailan He, Bing Zhou, Wang Liu, Chen Zeng, Zhuo’er Chen; 2♀ (HNU430, HNU431), CHINA, Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie City, Wulingyuan District, Suoxiyu Town, portal of the Laoxiyu Tunnel, 29°17.33'N, 110°29.08'E, 456m, 23 IIII 2016, Wang Liu, Chen Zeng, Tian Tian; 1♁ (HNU479) 3♀ (HNU712–714), CHINA, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Laibin City, Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, Dayaoshan Mountain, Shengtangshan scenic area, 23°59.12'N, 110°8.23'E, 12 X 2021, Ailan He, Jinxin Liu, Zongguang Huang, Rongrong Liao, Qing Li, Xuemei Yang, Yingli Wen, Zhao Ye, Yang Liu. Other specimens examined.: 2♁ (HNU 489, HNU 490), CHINA, Hunan Province, Hengshan City, Hengshan Mountain, 14 XI 2007, Xiaoqi Mi [no more information in the label]; 1♁ (HNU691) 1♀ (HNU692), CHINA, Hunan Province, Hengshan City, Hengshan Mountain, 28 VII 2007, Guo Tang, Xiaoqi Mi [no more information in the label]; 3♁ (HNU264–266) 13♀ (HNU267–279), CHINA, Hunan Province, Chenzhou City, Mangshan Mountain, Hejiawan, 24°55.58'N, 112°50.35'E, 640m, 11 XII 2017, Haiqiang Yin, Ailan He, Jinxin Liu; 1♁ (HNU280) 2♀ (HNU281, HNU282), CHINA, Hunan Province, Chenzhou City, Mangshan Mountain, Yanziyan, 25°2.31'N, 112°47.12'E, 390m, 10 XII 2017, Haiqiang Yin, Ailan He, Jinxin Liu; 1♀ (HNU283), CHINA, Hunan Province, Chenzhou City, Mangshan Mountain, Xiangsikeng, 24°56.98'N, 112°59.33'E, 1300m, 8 XII 2017, Haiqiang Yin, Ailan He, Jinxin Liu; aftermentioned specimens are collected in Langshan Mountain, Xinning County, Shaoyang City, Hunan Province, China, by Haiqiang Yin, Cheng Wang, Jiahui Gan, Bing Zhou and Yuhui Gong: 5♁ (HNU403–407) 6♀ (HNU254, HNU408–412), Tianyixiang, 26°21.22'N, 110°48.25'E, 586m, 21 XI 2014; 1♁ (HNU422), Feiliandong, 26°21.48'N, 110°47.92'E, 403m, 23 XI 2014; 1♁ (HNU425) 3♀ (HNU426–428), Tianyixiang, 26°21.45'N, 110°48.19'E, 556m, 25 XI 2014; 1♀ (HNU423), Zixiadong, 26°23.13'N, 110°48.46'E, 465m, 26 XI 2014; 1♀ (HNU424), Lajiaofeng, 26°23.14'N, 110°48.46'E, 653m, 27 XI 2014; 1♀ (HNU393), Luotuofeng, 26°20.47'E, 110°46.06'E, 482m, 27 XI 2014. The following specimens were collected in Hengshan Mountain, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, China, by Ailan He, Bing Zhou, Wang Liu, Chen Zeng, Zhuo’er Chen: 1♁ (HNU260) 2♀ (HNU259, HNU261), Wanshou village, 27°31.51'N, 112°10.63'E, 487m, 20 X 2015; 3♁ (HNU394–396) 7♀ (HNU262, HNU397–402), Wanshou Village, 27°31.51'N, 112°10.63'E, 487m, 19 X 2015; 1♀ (HNU413), Martyry (Zhonglieci), 27°15.96'N, 112°42.67'E, 427m, 19 X 2015; 1♁ (HNU420) 1♀ (HNU421), Depository of Buddhist texts (Cangjingge), 27°16.06'N, 112°41.53'E, 999m, 21 X 2015; 4♁ (HNU414– 417) 1♀ (HNU418), Martyry (Zhonglieci), 27°31.58'N, 112°21.63'E, 487m, 21 X 2015 .

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the Latin word for ring (annulus), in reference to the proximal half of the embolus which in prolateral view resembles a ring.

Diagnosis. Males of this new species can be distinguished from those of Putaoa seediq Hormiga and Dimitrov, 2017 by having the distal suprategular apophysis more developed and lobate, and the embolic process robust and sclerotized, while the distal suprategular apophysis is small and spiculate and the embolic process thin and membranous in P. seediq (compare Figs 2A–D, 6A, B with figs 2C, D, 3B, D in Hormiga and Dimitrov (2017)). Females of this new species resemble those of Putaoa titanoverpa n. sp. in having a flat basal epigynal plate, but can be distinguished by having the posterior margin of the basal plate nearly straight, and the copulatory ducts long and curved, while the medial posterior margin of the basal plate protruded towards apically to form an obtuse triangle, and the copulatory ducts are short and thick in P. titanoverpa n. sp. (compare Figs 1E–G, 5C with Figs 3E, F, 5F).

Description. Male (holotype; HNU250, Figs 1A, 2). Total length 9.12. Cephalothorax 4.94 long, 3.82 wide. Sternum 2.16 long, 1.92 wide. Abdomen 4.40 long, 3.38 wide. Anterior median eye diameter 0.18. Clypeus height 1.5 times one anterior median eye diameter. Carapace with shallow and longitudinal fovea (Fig. 1A). Chelicerae with four prolateral and four retrolateral teeth (Fig. 5A); stridulatory striae absent. Legs annulated with spines and with annulations alternating brown and black. Leg measurements: I 15.26 (4.33, 1.46, 3.71, 3.89, 1.87), II 14.01 (4.12, 1.39, 3.38, 3.51, 1.61), III 1.16 (3.33, 1.25, 2.58, 2.69, 1.31), IV 13.60 (3.94, 1.26, 3.28, 3.66, 1.46). Metatarsus I and II trichobothria (TmI and TmII) 0.25 approximately; Metatarsus III and IV trichobothria (TmIII and TmIV) 0.33 approximately.All metatarsal trichobothria located on the dorsum, near the retrolateral surface. Abdomen with some large brown patches and a few of white spots dorsally. Palp: tibia short, with three retrolateral trichobothria, one distal prolateral seta and one thick and short dorsal macroseta retrolaterally (Figs 2C, D, 6A, B). Cymbium with a conical ectal process (Figs 2B, 6A), apically pointed, and two basal cymbial apophyses near the edge of paracymbium (Figs 2E, 6A). Paracymbium glabrous, concave and bowl-like, apically hooked, with edge of median margin curved inward (Figs 2E, 6A), connected to cymbial base by means of a membrane, ventral to a bipartite basal cymbial apophysis. Tegulum large and pointed apically, and with base connecting to suprategulum which is prolonged and divided into three processes, embolus, embolic process and distal suprategular apophysis (Figs 2C, 6B). Embolus sinuous, well developed, with proximal half ring-like, flat and wide, and distal half gradually becoming narrow and somewhat sharp (Figs 2A, 6A). Embolic process sclerotized, pointed apically, running parallel to embolus end (Figs 2A, C, 6B). Distal suprategular apophysis sclerotized and lobate, almost in contact with apicoventral area of cymbium, extending towards tegulum apex across gap between bulb and cymbium (Figs 2B, C, 6A, B). Conductor membranous, on apical end on tegulum (Figs 2A, C, 6A, B). Median apophysis absent.

Female (paratype, HNU251). Total length 9.95 (Fig. 1B). Cephalothorax 4.56 long, 3.47 wide. Sternum 2.33 long, 2.06 wide (Fig. 1D). Abdomen 5.68 long, 4.83 wide. Anterior median eye diameter 0.19. Clypeus height 1.4 times one anterior median eye diameter. Chelicerae with five prolateral and five retrolateral teeth (Fig. 5B); stridulatory striae absent. Legs annulated with sporadic spines. Leg measurements: I 15.73 (4.48, 1.51, 3.83, 4.01, 1.90), II 14.48 (4.22, 1.53, 3.51, 3.60, 1.62), III 11.46 (3.40, 1.31, 2.70, 2.70, 1.35), IV 13.92 (4.05, 1.31, 3.48, 3.61, 1.47). Metatarsus I trichobothrium (TmI) 0.25 approximately; Metatarsus II, III and IV trichobothria (TmII–IV) 0.33 approximately. All metatarsal trichobothria located on the dorsum, near the retrolateral surface. Similar to males in somatic features. Epigynum: basal plate trapeziform, anterior margin 1.5 times longer than posterior margin, and the posterior margin nearly straight but with slightly protruded in the middle.Atrium separated into two parts by septum. Copulatory openings visible (Fig. 1E). Copulatory ducts elongated, flat and looping. Spermathecae small and spherical, approximately one spermatheca diameter from each other (Figs 1F, G, 5C). Fertilization ducts medially oriented (Figs 1G, 5C).

Distribution. China (Hunan, Guangxi) (Fig. 8).