Neriene orthocera, Li & Liu & Chen, 2018

Li, Jian Yong, Liu, Jie & Chen, Jian, 2018, A review of some Neriene spiders (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from China, Zootaxa 4513 (1), pp. 1-90 : 58-59

Neriene orthocera new species

Figs 53–55 , 69

Type Material. holotype. Sichuan: Leshan City, Emeishan Mt. , 29.58°N, 103.45°E, 1483m, 21.vii.2003, J.X. Zhang leg., 1M ( HEBU) . Paratype. same data as holotype, 3FF ( HEBU) .

Diagnosis: This new species is similar to N. poculiforma in having narrower paracymbium without broad and flattened distal arm, distal suprategular apophysis with hook-shaped tip of dorsal arm and membranous ventral tip, the small terminal apophysis, and the semicircular scape, but can be distinguished from them by the following characters: 1, the embolus simple, without spermduct-tooth and appendage in this new species, but developed, with small spermduct-tooth and cup-shaped embolic end in N. poculiforma ; 2, the terminal apophysis short, about one and a half coils in this new species, but slightly long, about two and a half coils in N. poculiforma ; 3, the lateral projection of lamella short, broad, with blunt end in this new species, but long, slender, with sharp end in N. poculiforma ; 4, atrium opening triangular, with anterior margin almost orthogonal in this new species, but semicircular, with anterior margin notched mesally in N. poculiforma ( Figs 53–54 , 55 C–E, 56–57, 58C–E).

Description: Male: Total length: 3.71. Carapace: 1.84 long, 1.24 wide. Abdomen: 1.87 long, 1.01 wide. Carapace brown, unmodified. Eyes subequal. AER recurved, AME-AME shorter than AMEd, AME-ALE slightly longer than AMEd; PER straight, PME-PME about PMEd, PME-PLE slightly longer than PMEd; ALE and PLE juxtaposed. Chelicerae brown, furnished with small warty granulations anterolaterally, stridulatory ridges absent, promargin of fang furrow with two teeth, first much bigger than second, retromargin with six equally big teeth. Lengths of legs: I - (1.89+2.17+1.05+-), II 6.58 (1.8+1.95+1.94+0.89), III 5.19 (1.51+1.53+1.51+0.64), IV - (1.96+1.95+1.86+-). Tibia, patella and femur with two dorsal spines each. Tm I: 0.11. Tm IV absent. Abdomen cylindriform, without tubercle, gray with whitish and black spots laterally and dorsally ( Fig. 55B ). Male palp ( Figs 53 A–B, 54): Patella short, with long spine dorsally. Tibia shorter than cymbium, with several long spines on lateral and ventral surfaces, and one prodorsal, two retrodorsal trichobothria. Paracymbium U-shaped, simple, without branches distally. Distal suprategular apophysis straight, rather broad, distally bifurcate, dorsal part with narrow hooked tip, ventral membranous part much broader than dorsal part. Lamella well-developed, with four projections: lateral one short, broad; posterior one slightly short, slender, with sharp end; anterior one large, blunt; dorsal one short. Terminal apophysis small, with about one and a half coils. Embolus simple, without spermducttooth and apical appendage.

Female: Total length: 3.12. Carapace: 1.5 long, 1.01 wide. Abdomen: 1.62 long, 1.01 wide. Carapace brown, unmodified. Eyes subequal. AER recurved, AME-AME shorter than AMEd, AME-ALE slightly longer than AMEd; PER straight, PME-PME slightly shorter than PMEd, PME-PLE about equal with PME-PME; ALE and PLE juxtaposed. Chelicerae brown, furnished with small warty granulations anterolaterally, stridulatory ridges absent, promargin of fang furrow with six teeth, first two much smaller than the others, retromargin with seven equally big teeth. Lengths of legs: I 6.6 (1.74+1.94+1.85+1.07), II 5.66 (1.6+1.67+1.55+0.84), III 4.23 (1.26+1.25+1.14+0.58), IV - (1.72+ - + - + -). Tibia, patella and femur with two dorsal spines each. Tm I: 0.12. Tm IV absent. Other somatic characters same as male ( Fig. 55A ). Epigynum ( Figs 53C , 55C ): atrium opening moderately large, triangular. Lateral depression absent. Scape arising from dorsal wall, with a semicircular tip, which has a small depression at its tip. Vulva ( Figs 53 D–E, 55 D–E): Vulva as long as wide; copulatory grooves started laterally, with about one and a half coils; fertilization grooves enter the spermathecae, with about one and a half coils; turning-points pointing situated laterally, towards sides; spermathecae long, slender, curved and pointing towards sides.

Distribution: China (Sichuan) ( Fig. 69 ).

Figures

FIGURE 53. Neriene orthocera n. sp., drawings based on specimens from Emeishan Mt., Sichuan. A–B, Pedipalp. A, Prolateral. B, Retrolateral. C–E, Epigynum. C, Ventral. D, Ventral, cleared. E, Dorsal, cleared. Scale bars, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 54. Neriene orthocera n. sp., photos based on specimen from Emeishan Mt. A, Pedipalp, prolateral. B, Terminal apophysis, retrolateral. C–D, Pedipalp. C, Retrolateral. D, Ventral. E–G, Embolic division. E, Ventral. F, Retrolateral. G, Prolateral. H, Embolus, retrolateral. I, Suprategulum, retrolateral. Scale bars, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 55. Neriene orthocera n. sp., photos based on specimens from Emeishan Mt., Sichuan. A, Female habitus, dorsal. B, Male habitus, dorsal. C–E, Epigynum. C, Ventral, on the body. D, Ventral, cleared. E, Dorsal, cleared. Scale bars, A, B, 1 mm; C, D, E, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 69. Map with sampling localities for each Neriene species. TTZ: Tiantangzai National Forest Park, Luotian County, Hubei Province; BWL: Bawangling Mountain National Nature Reserve, Hainan Province.