Echinax panache Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 （LJ状NJu）

Figs 10–13

Echinax panache Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001: 365, figs 569–571 (♂).

Echinax oxyopoides Yang et al., 2004: 67, fig. 1A–E (♀; misidentified per Marusik et al., 2009: 165).

Echinax panache Yang et al., 2004: 68, fig. 2A–C (♂).

Echinax panache Marusik et al., 2009: 165, figs 1–9 (♂ ♀).

Echinax panache Patil et al., 2015: 5, figs 1–4 (♀).

Material examined. CHINA: Yunnan Province: 1♂, Menglong County, Ta Mountain, 29.VII.2000, leg. M. Zhu. 9♀ 1♂ (HBUARA#2022-95), Shuangjiang County, Mengmeng Town, Banqiao Village (23.424582°N, 99.864808°E, 1969 m), 15. VI.2022, leg. L. Zhang, W. Wang, Z. Yang. 1♀ (HBUARA#2022-78), Kunming City, Panlong District, Jindian Scenic Spot, Huanglong Jing (25.087561°N, 102.806884°E, 2013 m), 1. VI.2022, leg. W. Wang. 1♀ (HBUARA#2022-103), Chuxiong City, Zixi Mountain Scenic Spot (24.993506°N, 101.426931°E, 2245 m), 24. VI.2022, leg. L. Zhang, W. Wang, M. Xu, Z. Yang. 1♂ (HBUARA#2022-74), Kunming City, Panlong District, Jindian Scenic Spot (25.090798°N, 102.762491°E, 1969 m), 29. Ⅴ.2022, leg. W. Wang. 1♂ (HBUARA#2022-72), Kunming City, Xishan Forest Park, Longmen scenic cableway station to small Stone Forest Scenic Spot (24.952489°– 24.951981°N, 102.637807°– 102.639223°E, 2200–2300 m), 28. Ⅴ.2022, leg. W. Wang. Hainan Province: 1♂, Qiongzhong County, Limu Mountain, 20.VIII.2007, leg. F. Zhang. 1♀, Changjiang County, Bawangling National Nature Reserve, 23. Ⅴ.2009, leg. F. Zhang. Fujian Province: 1♀, Wuyi Mountain National Nature Reserve, Tongmu Village, 15.VII.2011, leg. F. Zhang. Anhui Province: 1♀, Xiuning County, Lingnan Village, 6. VI.2014, leg. S. Cha. Guangdong Province: 1♀, Chaozhou City, Shian Mountain, 22.VII.2011, leg. F. Zhang. Hunan Province: 1♀ (HBUARA#2022-322), Luxi County, Tianqiao Mountain National Nature Reserve (28.257758°N, 110.109792°E, 329 m), 8.VII.2022, leg. Y. Hou.

Diagnosis. Echinax panache can be distinguished from E. oxyopoides by: 1) the distinct edges of copulatory openings (vs oblique anteriorly in E. oxyopoides) (cf. Fig. 12D with Fig. 9D); 2) the ventral abdomen of females with longitudinal brown band (vs without in E. oxyopoides) (cf. Fig. 11D with Fig. 8D); 3) the distal curved embolus (vs with straight tip in E. oxyopoides) (cf. Figs 9B, 13A with Figs 12B, 13C).

Description. Male see Marusik et al. (2009) and female see Patil et al. (2015). Male palp as in Figs 12A–C, 13C–D; epigyne as in Fig. 12D–E; habitus as in Figs 10–11.

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Anhui, Hunan), India, Thailand.

Biology. Nesting behavior of this species has been observed in the wild for the first time. The spider uses silk to hold the upper and lower leaves in place, creating a space that can fully accommodate its body (Fig. 10).

Discussion. Comparing the emboli of Chinese Echinax species, we found some interesting and distinct features (Fig. 13). The embolus is long, thick, spiral, shovel-like, distal part of embolus is straight and pointed anteriorly in ventral view (Fig. 13A), and embolus is C-shaped in retrolateral view in E. oxyopoides (Fig. 13B); embolus is long, slender, spiral, and distal embolus is curved and pointed prolaterally in ventral view (Fig. 13C), and embolus is spiral and hook-like in retrolateral view in E. panache (Fig. 13D); embolus is short, sickle-shaped and distal embolus pointed anteriorly in ventral view (Fig. 13E), and distal embolus also pointed anteriorly in retrolateral view in E. baisha (Fig. 13F); embolus is short and arc-shaped in ventral view (Fig. 13G), and distal embolus approximate straight in retrolateral view in E. breviducta sp. nov. (Fig. 13H).