Pseudopoda mediana, Quan, Dan, Zhong, Yang & Liu, Jie, 2014

Quan, Dan, Zhong, Yang & Liu, Jie, 2014, Four Pseudopoda species (Araneae: Sparassidae) from southern China, Zootaxa 3754 (5), pp. 555-571 : 562-566

Pseudopoda mediana sp. nov.

Figs 6 – 9 , 13

Type material: Holotype: male, Mt. Wuzhishan [18°53.813'N, 109°41.929'E, 1602 m, Hainan Island, China], 16 April 2013, Jie Liu, Yang Zhong (HBU).

Paratypes: 2 males, 4 females, the same data as holotype (HBU); 3 females, Mt. Bawangling [19°7.158'N, 109°9.097'E, Hainan Island, China], 23 April 2009, Jie Liu (HBU).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective medianus, -a, -um, meaning “median”, referring to the median location of fertilization ducts; adjective.

Diagnosis. Small-sized Heteropodinae. The male of this new species can be distinguished from other Pseudopoda species by the thin, indented embolic apophysis and the orthogonally curved embolic tip ( Figs 6 , 8A – C ). The female of this species is similar to Pseudopoda kunmingensis Sun & Zhang, 2012 in having long fertilization ducts situated medially, but can be distinguished from it by the slightly curved anterior margins of lateral lobes (entirely horizontal in P. kunmingensis ), the absence of lateral projections of posterior part of lateral lobes (distinct in P. kunmingensis ) ( Figs 7 , 9B – C ).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements (in mm): PL 2.8, PW 2.6, AW 1.2, PH 0.9, OL 3.1, OW 1.6. Eyes: AME 0.10, ALE 0.20, PME 0.15, PLE 0.30, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.12, PME– PLE 0.14, AME–PME 0.33, ALE–PLE 0.33, CH AME 0.33, CH ALE 0.25. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 1014; Fe I–III 323, IV 321; Pa I–II 0 0 1, III–IV 000; Ti I 2026, II 2116, III–IV 2126; Mt I–II 1014, III–IV 2024. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 4.7 (1.6, 0.6, 1.0, 1.5), I 19.5 (5.1, 1.5, 5.8, 5.4, 1.7), II 19.8 (4.7, 1.5, 6.2, 5.5, 1.9), III 14.0 (4.2, 1.2, 3.7, 3.6, 1.3), IV 17.3 (5.0, 1.2, 4.5, 5.1, 1.5). Carapace brown, median furrow dark brown. Chelicerae brown, cheliceral claw reddish-brown, cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth, and with ca. 17 denticles. Thoracic region pale yellow. Basal labium reddish-brown, endite yellow. Legs yellow to brown from basal to the distal. Dorsal opisthosoma with black spots. Ventral opisthosoma pale yellow, with scattering spots on both sides, and pale yellow in the middle part ( Fig. 8D ).

Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus arising from 8-o’clock-position on tegulum, distal tip sharp, significantly curved, embolic apophysis sheet-shaped, with indented margin. Sperm duct running submarginally along retrolateral tegulum, S-shaped on tegular bulge in prolateral view. RTA arising medially from Ti, both dorsal and ventral part of RTA well developed, broad ( Figs 6 , 8A – C ).

Female (paratype): Measurements (in mm): PL 3.5, PW 3.2, AW 1.9, PH 1.5, OL 4.7, OW 2.7. Eyes: AME 0.15, ALE 0.25, PME 0.20, PLE 0.30, AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.20, PME–PLE 0.35, AME–PME 0.35, ALE–PLE 0.35, CH AME 0.40, CH ALE 0.30. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe I–III 323, IV 321; Pa I–II 0 0 1, III–IV 000; Ti I 2026, II 2116, III–IV 2126; Mt I–II 1014, III–IV 2024. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 4.6 (1.5, 0.7, 1.0, 1.4), I 15.2 (4.2, 1.4, 4.5, 3.7, 1.4), II 15.5 (4.6, 1.2, 4.5, 3.7, 1.5), III 11.6 (3.6, 1.2, 3.0, 2.7, 1.1), IV 14.2 (4.5, 1.3, 3.5, 3.6, 1.3). Dorsal opistosoma with reddish-brown spots, and very darker in the posterior part. Other color pattern is the same as the male. Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth, and with ca. 24 denticles ( Fig. 9A ).

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Epigynal field wider than long, with short anterior bands. Lateral lobes fused anteriorly, slightly separated posteriorly. Anterior margins of lateral lobes slightly bent anteriorlaterally. Copulatory openings split-shaped, located anteriorlaterally. Lateral loops of internal duct system visible through cuticle and appearing as transversal sickle in ventral view. First winding developed, almost half ellipse-shaped. Lateral loops of internal duct system extending laterally beyond its first windings ( Figs 7 , 9B – C ).

Remarks. Though there are two Pseudopoda species in Mt. Wuzhishan, we collected these two species at different time and different sites (especially in different altitude). Careful comparison of the material confirmed the respective matching of the sexes.

Distribution. China (Hainan) ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Collection localities of Pseudopoda species in southern China.

FIGURES 6 A – C. Pseudopoda mediana sp. nov., holotype male. A – C Left male palp (A prolateral, B ventral, C retrolateral). Abbreviations: C—conductor; E—embolus; EA—embolic apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 7 A – C. Pseudopoda mediana sp. nov., holotype female. A Epigyne, ventral; B Vulva, dorsal; C Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal. Abbreviations: CO—copulatory opening; FD—fertilization duct; FW—first winding; LL—lateral lobes. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 8 A – D. Pseudopoda mediana sp. nov., holotype male. A – C Left male palp (A prolateral, B ventral, C retrolateral); D Habitus, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C—conductor; E—embolus; EA—embolic apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum. Scale bars: A – C = 0.2 mm, D = 1 mm.

FIGURES 9 A – C. Pseudopoda mediana sp. nov., holotype female. A Habitus, dorsal; B Epigyne, ventral; C Vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: CO—copulatory opening; FD—fertilization duct; FW—first winding; LL—lateral lobes. Scale bars: A = 1 mm, B – C = 0.2 mm.