Psechrus spatulatus, Feng, Ping, Zhao, Yu, Wu, Xiu-Mei, Ma, Yan-Yan, Yang, Ting-Bang, Li, Cheng-Gong & Yang, Zi-Zhong, 2016

Feng, Ping, Zhao, Yu, Wu, Xiu-Mei, Ma, Yan-Yan, Yang, Ting-Bang, Li, Cheng-Gong & Yang, Zi-Zhong, 2016, Four new species of Psechrus from Yunnan Province, China (Araneae, Psechridae), Zootaxa 4088 (2), pp. 177-200 : 194-199

Psechrus spatulatus sp. nov.

Figs 12–15

Type material: Holotype ♂ (BS04), China, Yunnan Province: Taibao Park in Taibao Shan, Baoshan, ca. 1760 m, 25°07′13.6″N, 099°09′15.0″E, 29-IV-2012, Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng, Y.Y. Ma & W. Sun leg. Paratypes (7 ♂, 35 ♀): 1 ♀ (BS24), Baimiao Reservoir, Baoshan, ca. 1820 m, 25°15′32.3″N, 099°13′12.2″E, 01-X-2011, Z.Z. Yang leg; 6 ♀ (WBS05–10), Longjie Township, Weishan County, Dali Prefecture, 2100 m, 25°10′14.5″N, 100°01′28.9″E, 18-V- 2002, Z.Z. Yang leg; 2 ♂ (BS02–03)13 ♀ (BS01, BS05–16), data the same as for holotype; 2 ♀ (BS25, BS30), locality the same as for holotype, 05-X-2011, Z.Z. Yang, H.B. Pu, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg.; 1 ♀ (BS31), locality the same as for holotype, 3-XI-2011, Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg.; 1 ♂ (CN06), Goujie Township, Changning County, Baoshan, 1700 m, 25°01′34.4″N, 099°49′04.2″E, 29-XII-2012 (final moult on 20-II-2013), P. Feng leg; 1 ♀ (CN01), Mangshui Township, Changning County, Baoshan, 1750 m, 24°52′54.9″N, 099°40′10.7″E, 16-II-2012 (final moult on 22-III-2012), Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg; 1 ♂ (FQ01), 3 ♀ (FQ02–03, FQ05), Xinhua Township, Fengqing County, Lincang, 2180 m, 24°52′14.6″N, 100°04′26.5″E, (FQ01–03 20-V-2007, (FQ05) 20- VII-2007, F.S. Zha leg; 1 ♀ (SD02), Daliang Shan, Shidian County, Baoshan, ca. 1770 m, 24°34′46.5″N, 099°11′54.3″E, 04-X-2011, Z.Z. Yang & H.B. Pu leg; 1 ♀ (FQ06), Fengshan Township, Fengqing County, Lincang, 1540 m, 24°34′00.3″N, 099°57′11.1″E, 15-II-2012, Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg; 1 ♂ (XP32), 1 ♀ (XP33), Jinshan Yakou, Ailao Shan, Xinping County, Yuxi, 2280 m, 23°56′57.8″N, 101°30′15.2″E, 19-V-2011, Z.X. Li leg.; 2 ♂ (MJ01, MJ06) 5 ♀ (MJ02–04, MJ07–08), Mojiang County (By the 323 National Road), Puer, ca. 1520 m, 23°27′22.1″N, 101°43′25.1″E, 04-V-2012, Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng, Y.Y. Ma & W. Sun leg.

Additional material (6 subadult ♂, 1 subadult ♀, 2 juvs): 3 subadult ♂ (BS17–19), data the same as for holotype; 3 subadult ♂ (BS27–29), 5 juvs (BS20–23, BS26), locality the same as for holotype, 05-X-2011, Z.Z. Yang, H.B. Pu, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg; 2 juvs (BS32–33), locality the same as for holotype, 3-XI-2011, Z.Z. Yang, P. Feng & Y.Y. Ma leg.; 1 subadult ♀ (FQ04), Xinhua Township, Fengqing County, Lincang, 2180 m, 24°52′14.6″N, 100°04′26.5″E, 20-V-2007, F.S. Zha leg.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the spatula-like embolus.

Diagnosis. Male distinguished from all other Psechrus species of the sinensis -group by the spatula-like embolus ( Figs 12a–b , 13a–b ). Females distinguished from all other species of the sinensis -group, except P. jinggangensis Wang & Yin 2001 (Wang & Yin 2001: 335, figs 11–12), by the following characters in combination: (1) jug-/flagon-/vase-like median septum (MS), (2) spermathecal heads extending anteriorly, (3) bulbous sections of copulatory duct smaller than receptacula. Distinguished from P. jinggangensis by the shorter and broader MS ( Figs 12f , 13d ) and the shorter copulatory ducts and spermathecal heads, the latter also clearly broader ( Figs 12g , 13e ).

Description. Measurements: Male (measurements of holotype first, those of paratype males given as ranges in parentheses): Total length 14.98 (9.66–16.72), Prosoma length 7.05 (4.34–7.70), prosoma width 5.22 (3.10– 5.91); opisthosoma length 7.93 (5.32–9.02), opisthosoma width 3.36 (2.14–3.84). Eyes diameter: AME 0.32 (0.25– 0.35), ALE 0.36 (0.31–0.40), PME 0.39 (0.31–0.42), PLE 0.37 (0.28–0.41); Distance between eyes: AME–AME 0.20 (0.09–0.23), AME–ALE 0.07 (0.04–0.08), ALE–PLE 0.43 (0.30–0.49), PME–PME 0.26 (0.15–0.32), PME– PLE 0.31 (0.23–0.44), AME–PME 0.58 (0.38–0.63). Clypeus height at AME 0.62 (0.49–0.69). Measurements of palp and legs as shown in table 7. Leg formula: 1243. Spination of palp and legs as shown in table 8.

Female (measurements of BS24 first, together with those of BS07 and BS11 given as ranges in parentheses): Total length 21.22 (14.58–24.03), Prosoma length 8.28 (6.65–8.90), prosoma width 6.06 (4.58–6.66); opisthosoma length 12.94 (7.93–15.13), opisthosoma width 8.38 (3.92–8.99). Eyes diameter: AME 0.43 (0.27–0.49), ALE 0.52 (0.31–0.52), PME 0.45 (0.39–0.45), PLE 0.47 (0.41–0.49); Distance between eyes: AME–AME 0.18 (0.18–0.20), AME–ALE 0.07 (0.07–0.10), ALE–PLE 0.58 (0.56–0.64), PME–PME 0.36 (0.32–0.42), PME–PLE 0.56 (0.44– 0.56), AME–PME 0.78 (0.65–0.81). Clypeus height at AME 0.73 (0.71–1.06). Measurements of palp and legs as shown in table 7. Leg formula: 1243. Spination of palp and legs as shown in table 8.

Colouration almost the same as for the general colouration of Psechrus , see Bayer (2012). Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and 3 (male) or 7 (female) central denticles. Leg I of male with a row of short macrosetae at coxae only.

Male palp: distal 1/2 of dorsal palpal cymbium with scopula ( Fig. 12d ). conductor (C) with very dense tubercles prolaterally; distal part of C duck-tongue-shaped in retrolateral view. Embolus spatula-like, with dense transversal marks; embolic base short and broad ( Figs 12a, c ). Palpal femur with a cambered bulge ( Fig. 12e ).

Female copulatory organ: Slit sense organs (SO) and muscle sigilla (SG) outside the epigynal field. Median septum (MS) jug-/flagon-/vase-shaped, with central part broader than anterior and posterior part ( Figs 12f , 13d ). Vulva with copulatory ducts and spermathecal heads in relation to other species of the sinensis -group short; spermathecal base round ( Figs 12g , 13e ).

Intraspecific variation. As shown in Fig. 14 , the shape of MS varies distinctly: BS01 ( Figs 14a–b ) with MS as long as wide, without incision; FQ06 ( Figs 14c–d ) with MS comparable with BS24 ( Figs 12f–g ); SD02 ( Figs 14e–f ) with evident incisions in posterior third of lateral margins of MS, MJ03 ( Figs 14g–h ) with posterior margin of MS narrower than anterior margin. Vulvae with less variation as shown in Figs 12g , 14b, d, f, h . Conductor of FQ01 ( Fig. 15a ) and MJ01 ( Fig. 15c ) with fewer tubercles; MJ01 with embolus narrower than in others, and the sperm duct broad U-shaped, runs almost transversally in ventral view ( Fig. 15a ), without loop prolaterally ( Fig. 15b ).

Distribution. CHINA: Yunnan Province (Baoshan, Dali, Lincang, Yuxi, Puer), see Fig. 16.

Figures

FIGURES 12 a – g. Psechrus spatulatus sp. nov. a – e ♂ holotype (BS 04), f-g ♀ paratype (BS 24). a – d palp (a ventral, b prolateral, c – d retrolateral); e palpal femur, retrolateral; f epigyne, ventral; g vulva, dorsal.

FIGURES 13 a – e. Psechrus spatulatus sp. nov. a – c ♂ holotype (BS 04), d – e ♀ paratype (BS 24). a – c palp (a ventral, b prolateral, c retrolateral); d epigyne, ventral; e vulva, dorsal.

FIGURES 14 a – h. Psechrus spatulatus sp. nov. Intraspecific variation of paratype females. ♀ a – b (BS 01), c – d (FQ 06), e – f (SD 02), g – h (MJ 03). a, c, e, g epigyne, ventral; b, d, f, h vulva, dorsal.

FIGURES 15 a – c. Psechrus spatulatus sp. nov. Intraspecific variation of paratype males a – b (MJ 01), c (FQ 01). Palp (a ventral, b – c prolateral).