Phintella pulcherrima, Huang, Yi, Wang, Cheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2015

Huang, Yi, Wang, Cheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2015, Five new species of Phintella Strand, 1906 (Araneae, Salticidae) from the Wuling Mountains, China, ZooKeys 514, pp. 25-42 : 29-31

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Salticidae

Phintella pulcherrima sp. n. Figs 8, 9, 10

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, China, Guizhou: Tongren City, Wenbi Mountains, (27°43.168'N, 109°10.077'E, 475 m), 26 July 2014, XQ. Mi, Y. Huang, C. Wang, B. Zhou and MY. Liao leg. Paratypes: 3♀7♂, same data as Holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name comes from the Latin pulcherrima (very beautiful), referring to the beautiful appearance of the specimens of this new species in alcohol.

Diagnosis.

This new species is very similar to Phintella linea (Karsch, 1879) in having similar palps and epigynes, but the males can be distinguished from the latter by: 1) tibia slender relatively, longer than wide (Figs 8B, 10A) versus dumpy, wider than long in Phintella linea ; 2) the posterior lobe only extending to tibial terminal in ventral view (Figs 8B, 10A) versus extending to tibial base in Phintella linea ; 3) the distal end of retrolateral tibial apophysis curved in ventral view (Figs 8B, 10A) versus straight in Phintella linea ; 4) dorsum of opisthosoma with several white round markings and covered with light dots (Fig. 8A) versus with dark brown pattern composed of longitudinal and diagonal stripes in Phintella linea . The females can be distinguished from the latter by: 1) spermathecae almost spherical (Figs 9C, 10D) versus pyriform in Phintella linea ; 2) the distance between copulatory openings narrower than spermathecal width in ventral view (Figs 9B, 10C) versus almost equal to spermathecal width in Phintella linea ; 3) epigyne with a broad, band-shaped basal plate (Figs 9B, 10C) versus the basal plate divided into three parts in Phintella linea ; 4) markings on dorsum of opisthosoma (Fig. 9A) also different.

Description.

Male: Total length 4.63. Prosoma 2.37 long, 1.78 wide. Opisthosoma 2.26 long, 1.42 wide. Clypeus 0.15 high. Carapace (Fig. 8A) reddish-brown, widest at coxae II and III. Posterior margins of carapace with yellow curved stripes covered with whiter hair, anterior median of thorax with a quadrangular yellowish area covered by white hair. Eye field with black patches medially, white hair posterior-bilaterally situated, covered with sparse brown hair, denser in eye bases. Fovea reddish-brown, longitudinal, cervical and radial grooves indistinct. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.51, ALE 0.29, PLE 0.29, AERW 1.55, PERW 1.43, EL 1.21. Chelicerae reddish-brown, with 2 promarginal teeth and 1 retromarginal. Endites yellowish-brown, with broader bases, anterior margin with bristles. Labium dark brown, covered with brown thin hair, denser in anterior part. Sternum yellow, anteriorly straight and posteriorly curved. Legs I and II dark brown except middle of patella, metatarsi and tarsus yellow; Legs III and IV yellow except terminal of femur, middle of tibia and terminal of metatarsi dark brown. Leg spinnation: tibiae I and II with three pairs, metatarsi I and II with two pairs of long spines. Measurements of legs: I 7.35 (2.15, 3.05, 1.55, 0.60), II 5.85 (1.80, 2.25, 1.25, 0.55), III 6.05 (1.85, 2.10, 1.55, 0.55), IV 6.45 (1.95, 2.15, 1.75, 0.60). Leg formula: 1432. Dorsum of opisthosoma (Fig. 8A) long oval, anterior-bilateral area with one pair of round white markings, median area with two pairs of muscle impressions and three white markings, posterior end with two white markings separated by a black spot, covered with light dots. Venter pale brown, with four longitudinal lines formed by light dots at middle part.

Palp (Figs 8 B–C, 10 A–B): tibia longer than wide distinctly, retrolateral apophysis thin, with a swollen base and slightly curved tip in ventral view, broad base and sharp tip in retrolateral view. Poster lobe big, terminal curved and the tip blunt. Tegulum bump situated posteriorly, almost at same level with the tip of retrolateral tibial apophysis in ventral view, almost triangular in retrolateral view. Embolus thin, short, originated from top of bulb, the tip about pointed to the position of 1:00 o’clock. Lamellar process small relatively, almost crescent. Sperm ducts visible, running submarginally along retrolateral margin of tegulum in ventral view.

Female: Total length 4.45. Prosoma 2.04 long, 1.48 wide. Opisthosoma 2.31 long, 1.59 wide. Clypeus 0.15 high. Carapace (Fig. 9A) yellowish-brown, darker in cephalic region. Sparse brown bristles on eye field, denser in vicinity of eyes. Posterior bilateral of eye field with white hair and big brown spots between PLE bases. Fovea, cervical and radial grooves indistinct. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.49, ALE 0.28, PLE 0.28, AERW 1.45, PERW 1.36, EL 1.09. Chelicerae, endites, labium, sternum similar to male except the lighter color. Legs yellow. Leg spinnation: as same as male. Measurements of legs: I 4.15 (1.30, 1.70, 0.70, 0.45), II 3.90 (1.25, 1.50, 0.70, 0.45), III 4.45 (1.45, 1.55, 1.00, 0.45), IV 5.00 (1.55, 1.75, 1.25, 0.45). Leg formula: 4312. Dorsum of opisthosoma (Fig. 9A) yellow, the markings similar to male except the white markings around with black area. Venter pale yellow.

Epigyne (Figs 9 B–C, 10 C–D) slightly wider than long. Atrium margins curved, the distance between them less than spermathecal width. Basal plate band-shaped, slightly curved. Copulatory ducts short, curved at middle part and most parts covered by spermathecae and fertilization ducts. Spermathecae almost spherical, close to each other, separated by less than one-twelfth of their width.

Distribution.

China (Guizhou).