Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022

Li, Cong-zheng, Yao, Yan-bin, Xiao, Yong-hong & Liu, Ke-ke, 2023, Two new thomisid species (Arachnida, Araneae, Thomisidae) from China and Vietnam, with the first descriptions of the males of Borboropactus longidens Tang & Li, 2010 and Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022, ZooKeys 1159, pp. 169-187 : 169

Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022

Figs 7 , 8 , 9

Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, in Liu et al. 2022c: 64, figs 12A-I, 13A, B (holotype ♀ from Jinggang National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province, deposited in ASM-JGSU, No. Tho-17, examined).

Material examined.

1 ♂, 1 ♀, China, Guangdong, Ruyuan County, Nanling National Natural Reserve, Waterfalls Scenic Spot , 24°54'52.11"N, 113°2'28.67"E, 779 m, 6 September 2020, Qingbo Huo leg. (Tho-295, ASM-JGSU) .

Diagnosis.

The male of this species resembles S. nigra O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 (see Machado et al. 2019: fig. 38C, D) in having a forked retrolateral tibial apophysis, but it can be distinguished by the retrolateral tibial apophysis being longer than tibia (vs. less than tibial length) and the embolus with a hook-shaped apex (vs. flagelliform) (Figs 7F-I , 8 ). The male of this species also resembles S. altifrons O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 (see Machado et al. 2019: 224, fig. 3C-F), S. carcinoides Machado, 2019 (see Machado et al. 2019: 243, fig. 20C, D), and S. lata O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 (see Machado et al. 2019: 253, fig. 29C, D), but it can be easily distinguished from them by the embolus having a hook-shaped apex (vs. flagelliform in all three species) and the retrolateral tibial apophysis with two morphologically different branches (dorsal branch much longer and thicker than the ventral) (vs. ventral branch much longer and thicker than the dorsal in S. altifrons and S. carcinoides ; ventral branch indistinct in S. lata ) (Figs 7F-I , 8 ). Female diagnosis as in Liu et al. (2022c).

Description.

Male. Habitus as in Fig. 7A, B . Total length 4.77, prosoma length 2.17, width 2.29, anteriorly narrowed to 0.37 × its maximum width, covered with numerous strong, short, radially peg-like setae and dense short plumose setae, with three rows of short strong setae along midline. Eye diameters (Fig. 7C ): AME 0.06, ALE 0.13, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10; interdistances: AME-AME 0.09, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.21, PME-PLE 0.09, AME-PME 0.28, AME-PLE 0.34, ALE-ALE 0.13, PLE-PLE 0.60, ALE-PLE 0.13. MOA 0.42 long, front width 0.22, back width 0.41. Chelicerae (Fig. 7D ) three promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Endites (Fig. 7B ) nearly quadrilateral, longer than wide, laterally with long setae. Labium (Fig. 7B ) rectangular, wider than long, anteriorly with strong setae. Sternum round, nearly as long as wide, covered by dense setae. Legs measurements (Fig. 7A, B, E ): I 4.49 (1.62, 0.73, 1.12, 0.67, 0.35); II 4 (1.35, 0.73, 0.98, 0.6, 0.34); III 4.4 (1.37, 0.71, 1.08, 0.67, 0.57); IV 4.6 (1.63, 0.65, 1.06, 0.68, 0.58); spination (Fig. 7A, B, E ): I Fe: v2; Ti: d2, v8; Mt: v8; II Fe: v4; Ti: v8; Mt: d3, v8; III Ti: p1; cusps: I Fe: 11; Pa: 4; Ti: 5; Mt: 2; II Fe: 11; Pa: 4; Ti: 4. Opisthosoma (Fig. 7A, B ) length 2.58, width 2.11, pentagonal with pair of latero-posterior horns; dorsum covered with sparse brown peg-like and small, dense, plumose setae; venter with numerous plumose setae.

Colouration (Fig. 7A, B ). Prosoma reddish brown. Chelicerae, endites, and labium yellow-brown. Sternum yellow, with yellow-brown margin. Legs mottled, I and II yellow to reddish brown, III and IV grey to yellow. Opisthosoma grey to yellow-brown, laterally with numerous irregular guanine spots; venter yellow.

Palp (Figs 7F-I , 8 ). Palp with a long retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA), pincer-like in retrolateral view, longer than tibia; embolus (Em) flatted-shaped, with broad base, less than tegular length, originating at approximately the 8 o’clock position of the tegulum, with a distinct constriction in the subapical part, and a hook-shaped apex.

Female. Description in Liu et al. (2022c) for female sex. Female habitus shown in Fig. 9A, B ; eyes, chelicerae, and leg I in Fig. 9C-E ; and epigyne in Fig. 9F, G .

Distribution.

Known from Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces, China (Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Figure 7. Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022, male, preserved A habitus, dorsal view B same, ventral view C eyes, dorsal view D chelicera, ventral view E leg I, retrolateral view F palp, prolateral view G same, ventral view H same, ventro-retrolateral view I same, retro-dorsal view. Abbreviations: Em - embolus, RTA - retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C); 0.1 mm (D-I).

Figure 8. SEM micrographs of Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022, male palp A ventral view B same, details of embolus C retrolateral view D same, detail of retrolateral tibial apophysis. Abbreviations: Em - embolus, RTA - retrolateral tibial apophysis.

Figure 9. Stephanopis xiangzhouica Liu, 2022, female, preserved A habitus, dorsal view B same, ventral view C eyes, dorsal view D chelicera, ventral view E leg I, prolateral view F epigyne, dorsal view G same, ventral view. Abbreviations: At - atrium, CO - copulatory opening, FD - fertilisation duct, GA - glandular appendage, MS - membranous sac, Sp - spermatheca, TR - transverse ridge of copulatory openings. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C); 0.1 mm (D-G).

Figure 10. Records of Borboropactus longidens Tang & Li, 2010, Pharta xizang sp. nov., Stephanopis qiong sp. nov. and S. xiangzhouica Liu, 2022 from Asia.