Belisana gigantea, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New and little known pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Laos, Zootaxa 3709 (1), pp. 1-51 : 9

Belisana gigantea sp. nov.

Figs 7–9 , 41

Type material. Holotype: Male ( IZCAS), underside of leaves [15°11.639′N, 106°06.222′E, alt. 909 m], Tad Etu, Champasak, Laos, 19 November 2012, leg. Z. Yao (Yao-LA 026–028). Paratype: 1 female ( IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is from Latin giganteus (of giants, large), in reference to the large membranous flap of procursus; adjective.

Diagnosis. The species can be easily distinguished from all known congeners by large membranous flap ( Figs 7 B, D and 9B) and different shape of vulva ( Figs 8 B and 9E).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.58 (1.72 with clypeus), prosoma 0.56 long, 0.60 wide, opisthosoma 1.02 long, 0.62 wide. Leg I: 13.39 (3.25 + 0.29 + 3.36 + 5.32 + 1.17), leg II: 8.96 (2.45 + 0.23 + 2.17 + 3.30 + 0.81), leg III: 5.53 (1.63 + 0.22 + 1.25 + 1.91 + 0.52), leg IV: – (2.27 + 0.23 + 1.81 + 2.66 + –); tibia I L/ d: 54. Habitus as in Fig. 8 E. Dorsal shield of prosoma and sternum whitish, without marks; clypeus with an apophysis forward. Legs yellowish, but dark brown on patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, with spots dorsally. Distance PME-PME 0.13, diameter PME 0.08, distance PME-ALE 0.02, AME absent. Ocular area not elevated. Thoracic furrow absent. Sternum wider than long (0.45/0.41). Chelicerae as in Figs 8 D and 9C, with a pair of thumb-shaped apophyses proximally provided with a small, round apophysis, and a pair of short, pointed apophyses distally (distance between tips: 0.06). Pedipalpi as in Figs 7 A–B and 9A–B; trochanter with a short retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with a dorsal apophysis; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with a large membranous flap retrolaterally; bulb with a simple embolus. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 13%; legs with short vertical hairs on metatarsi, without spines and curved hairs; tarsus I with about 10 distinct pseudosegments.

Variation: Unknown.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 8 F–G. Total length 1.75 (1.84 with clypeus), prosoma 0.60 long, 0.63 wide, opisthosoma 1.15 long, 0.78 wide; leg I lost. Distance PME-PME 0.13, diameter PME 0.07, distance PME-ALE 0.02, AME absent. Epigynum ( Figs 8 A and 9D) simple and flat externally, protrudent posteriorly, with dark internal shade and a pair of pockets 4 Μm apart. Vulva ( Figs 8 B and 9E) with a ridge-shaped arch anteriorly and a pair of elliptic pore plates.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 41 ).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Belisana gigantea sp. nov., male holotype. A – B. Pedipalpus (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view).

FIGURE 8. Belisana gigantea sp. nov., male holotype (C – E) and female paratype (A – B, F – G). A. Epigynum, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulb, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – G. Habitus (E – F. Dorsal view; G. Ventral view).

FIGURE 9. Belisana gigantea sp. nov., male holotype (A – C) and female paratype (D – E). A – B. Pedipalpus (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C. Chelicerae, frontal view; D. Epigynum, ventral view; E. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.10.

FIGURE 41. Known distribution of new species of Pholcidae from Laos. 1. Belisana champasakensis sp. nov.; 2. B. crystallina sp. nov.; 3. B. gigantea sp. nov.; 4. B. khanensis sp. nov.; 5. B. lancea sp. nov.; 6. B. martensi sp. nov.; 7. B. tadetuensis sp. nov.; 8. B. xiangensis sp. nov.; 9. Calapnita longa sp. nov.; 10. Khorata circularis sp. nov.; 11. K. dupla sp. nov.; 12. Pholcus arcuatilis sp. nov.; 13. P. sublaksao sp. nov.; 14. Spermophora falcata sp. nov.