Pholcus luoyang Yang & Yao, 2024

Yang, Lan, Fu, Chang, Zhang, Yaxuan, He, Qiaoqiao & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2024, A survey of Pholcus spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae) from the Qinling Mountains of central China, with descriptions of seven new species, Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (1), pp. 199-221 : 199

Pholcus luoyang Yang & Yao sp. nov.

Figs 6 , 7

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (SYNU-Ar00373) and paratypes 2♂ (SYNU-Ar00374, IAECAS-Ar00375Y) 2♀ (SYNU-Ar00376, IAECAS-Ar00377Y), China, Henan, Luoyang, Luanchuan County, Jiaohe Town, Tianhe Grand Canyon Scenic Spot (33°49.43'N, 111°18.82'E, 1140 m elev.), 18/07/2022.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles P. songxian Zhang & Zhu, 2009 ( Yao and Li 2012: 32, figs 159A-D, 160A-C) by having similar male chelicerae and epigyne (Fig. 7A, D ), but can be distinguished by prolatero-distal apophysis of procursus curved (Fig. 6C vs. flat), by uncus narrow, distally pointed (Fig. 7C vs. wide, distally blunt), by appendix with subdistal branch (Fig. 7C vs. median branch), by vulval anterior arch medially sclerotised (Fig. 7B vs. entirely sclerotised) and by vulval pore plates long elliptic (length/width ratio: 5, Fig. 7B vs. elliptic and length/width ratio: 2).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 4.44 (4.55 with clypeus), carapace 1.41 long, 1.66 wide, opisthosoma 3.03 long, 1.34 wide. Leg I: 34.83 (8.95, 0.69, 8.85, 14.10, 2.24), leg II: 23.67 (6.75, 0.66, 5.76, 9.04, 1.46), leg III: 15.75 (4.95, 0.61, 3.95, 5.10, 1.14), leg IV: 22.22 (6.65, 0.62, 5.65, 7.95, 1.35); tibia I L/d: 63. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME-PME 0.20, PME 0.16, PME-ALE 0.04, AME-AME 0.05, AME 0.11. Sternum width/length: 1.06/0.81. Habitus as in Fig. 7E, F . Carapace yellowish, with brown radiating marks and marginal brown bands; ocular area yellowish, with median and lateral brown bands; clypeus brown; sternum yellowish, with brown marks. Legs yellowish, but dark brown on patellae and whitish on distal parts of femora and tibiae, with darker rings on subdistal parts of femora and proximal and subdistal parts of tibiae. Opisthosoma yellowish, with dorsal and lateral spots. Chelicerae (Fig. 7D ) with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses with two teeth each and pair of frontal apophyses. Palp as in Fig. 6A, B ; trochanter with long (4 times longer than wide) ventral apophysis bearing retrolatero-distal branch; femur with small retrolatero-proximal apophysis and distinct ventral protuberance; tibia with prolatero-ventral protuberance; procursus (Fig. 6C, D ) simple proximally, but complex distally, with raised prolatero-subdistal membranous edge bearing distal membranous process, curved sclerotised prolatero-distal apophysis and two strong and one slender dorsal spines; uncus (Fig. 7C ) narrow, distally pointed, with proximal apophysis and scales; appendix (Fig. 7C ) hooked, with angular subdistal branch; embolus (Fig. 7C ) weakly sclerotised, with some indistinct transparent distal projections. Retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia I at 5% proximally; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; tarsus I with 38 distinct pseudosegments.

Female (paratype). Similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 7G, H . Total length 5.00 (5.13 with clypeus), carapace 1.48 long, 1.64 wide, opisthosoma 3.52 long, 2.23 wide; tibia I: 7.05; tibia I L/d: 47. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME-PME 0.20, PME 0.15, PME-ALE 0.04, AME-AME 0.05, AME 0.09. Sternum width/length: 1.03/0.78. Epigyne (Fig. 7A ) nearly trapezoid, slightly sclerotised, with wedge-shaped knob. Vulva (Fig. 7B ) with curved, medially sclerotised anterior arch, pair of long elliptic pore plates and pair of posterior sclerites.

Variation.

Tibia I in two paratype males: 8.78, 9.95. Tibia I in another paratype female: 7.10.

Habitat.

Underside of overhang on rocky cliffs in the mountain area.

Distribution.

China (Henan, type locality; Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution records of Pholcus spiders from the Qinling Mountains in this study. The Pholcus bidentatus group: 1 P. bidentatus; the crypticolens group: 2 P. jingyangensis, 3 P. langensis, 4 P. manueli, 5 P. zichyi; the Pholcus taishan group: 6 P. jiaozuo sp. nov., 7 P. yugong; the Pholcus yichengicus group: 8 P. luonan sp. nov., 9 P. luoyang sp. nov., 10 P. lushan sp. nov., 11 P. ovatus, 12 P. parayichengicus, 13 P. shangluo sp. nov., 14 P. songxian, 15 P. taibaiensis, 16 P. tangyuensis, 17 P. weinan sp. nov., 18 P. yuncheng sp. nov.

Figure 6. Pholcus luoyang sp. nov., holotype male A, B. Palp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C, D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Dorsal view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A, B); 0.10 mm (C, D).

Figure 7. Pholcus luoyang sp. nov., holotype male (C-F) and paratype female (A, B, G, H) A. Epigyne, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E-H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F. Lateral view; H. Ventral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A-D); 1.00 mm (E-H).