Belisana colubrina, Zhang, Feng & Peng, Yan-Qiu, 2011

Zhang, Feng & Peng, Yan-Qiu, 2011, Eleven new species of the genus Belisana Thorell (Araneae: Pholcidae) from South China, Zootaxa 2989, pp. 51-68 : 62-65

Belisana colubrina sp. nov.

( Fig. 9 )

Type material. Holotype male, China: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tianlin County (24°19'N, 106°14'E), Langping Town, 1 June 2001, Chao Zhang leg.; paratypes: 7Ƥ, 23, same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word “ colubrina ”, meaning snake-shaped, and refers to the shape of the bulbal hooked apophysis.

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to B. lamellaris Tong & Li, 2008 , but can be distinguished by the shapes of the procursus and embolus, by the palpal femur with ventral humps ( Figs 9 C–E), and also by the female internal genitalia.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 1.56 (1.64 with clypeus), carapace length 0.56, width 0.49. Leg I: 10.05 (2.80 + 0.18 + 3.12 + 3.44 + 0.55), tibia II: 2.13, tibia III: 1.20, tibia IV: 1.55; tibia I L/d: 60. Habitus as in Fig. 9 A, carapace pale ochre-yellow, with brown margins laterally; abdomen ochre-grey, with three pairs large spots dorsally. Ocular area not elevated, thoracic furrow absent. Clypeus brown, unmodified. Sternum nearly as long as wide (0.47). Chelicerae as in Fig. 9 B, with pair of proximal small rounded projections laterally, and distally a pair of long and curved apophyses. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 15%; legs yellowish without spines and curved hairs, with vertical hairs proximally on all metatarsi; tarsus I with 18 pseudosegments, quite distinct distally. Palps as in Figs 9 C–E, trochanter with short and rounded retrolateral apophysis and long ventral apophysis; femur with proximo-dorsal and ventral humps; procursus complicated distally, with ventral membranous flap and hooked dorsal spine; bulb with snake-shaped apophysis and complicated embolus.

Female: In general similar to male. Tibia I in 7 females: 3.39–3.34 (mean 3.37). Epigynum simple externally ( Fig. 9 F), anteriorly with dark internal semicircular shade. Dorsal view as in Fig. 9 G, with wavy sclerotized arch anteriorly, and a pair of hooked and narrow plates.

Variation. Body length in the other two males: 1.85, 1.88. Tibia I in the other two males: 4.50, 4.41.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Belisana colubrina sp. nov. A. male, dorsal view; B. male chelicerae, frontal view; C. male left procursus, prolateral view; D. male left palp, prolateral view; E. same, retrolateral view; F. epigynum, ventral view; G. vulva, dorsal view. Scale lines: A = 0.2 mm; B – G = 0.1 mm.