Erigone brevipes, Tu & Li, 2004

Tu, Lihong & Li, Shuqiang, 2004, A Preliminary Study Of Erigonine Spiders (Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) From Vietnam, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52 (2), pp. 419-433 : 420

Erigone brevipes , new species

( Fig. 1 )

Material examined. – Holotype - male, Gao Bao Village , Ha Jiang Province, Vietnam (017), 9 Dec.2000.

Paratypes – 6 males, 13 females, same data as holotype ; 2 males, 4 females, Gao Bao Village , Ha Jiang Province, Vietnam (015), 9 Dec.2000 .

Diagnosis. – This new species can be easily distinguished from other Erigone species by the conspicuous short and stout male palp, the small patella, the short tibia, and the large terminal apophysis (TA) of male ( Fig. 1D ); and by the pentagon atrium, and the triangular, curved dorsal epigynal plate of female.

Description of male. – Total length: 1.33. Carapace: 0.70 long, 0.50 wide. Abdomen: 0.73 long, 0.50 wide. Carapace ( Figs. 1A, B ) yellowish brown, both sexes are similar in general appearance and without any conspicuous modifications. Eyes subequal, with black surroundings; AER recurved, anterior eyes separated by AMEr; PER straight, intervals of posterior eyes longer than PMEr; ALE and PLE juxtaposed. Chelicerae with tooth on frontal face, fang groove with six promarginal and five small retromarginal teeth ( Fig. 1C ). Leg pale white, lengths of legs: I 1.88 (0.53+ 0.60+ 0.33+ 0.37), II 1.51 (0.43+ 0.47+ 0.33+ 0.28), III 1.29 (0.33+ 0.43+ 0.25+ 0.28), IV 1.76 (0.53+ 0.60+ 0.33+ 0.30); tibia spines: 2-2-2-1; Tm I: 0.39; Tm IV absent. Sternum grayish brown. Abdomen gray.

Male palp ( Figs. 1 D- F): Short and stout. Femur with two big teeth from retrolateral view. Patella shorter than tibia, with a small ventral apophysis (PA). Tibia short, widening abruptly without spindle basic portion which usually exists in other Erigone species, two dorsal tibia apophyses, with retrolateral one (RTA) round and extending outwards, prolateral one (PrTA) cap-shaped with sclerotic “visor” at tip ( Fig. 1H ). Tibia trichobothria: one prolateral, two retrolateral. Embolic division ( Fig. 1G ) prominently characterized by large terminal apophysis (TA) with proximal lobe (PL).

Description of female. – Total length: 1.20. Carapace: 0.58 long, 0.40 wide. Abdomen: 0.73 long, 0.57 wide. Chelicerae without frontal tooth. Lengths of legs: I 1.41 (0.40+ 0.47+ 0.27+ 0.27), II 1.23 (0.37+ 0.40+ 0.23+ 0.23), III 1.13 (0.30+ 0.37+ 0.23+ 0.23), IV 1.40 (0.43+ 0.47+ 0.27+ 0.23); tibia spines: 2-2-2-1; Tm I: 0.39; Tm IV absent. Other somatic characters as in male.

Epigynum ( Fig. 1I ): Ventral plate slightly chitinized with fine transversal striation, concave in posterior part and with triangular posterior tip slightly turning up. Spermatheca and copulatory ducts can be seen through transparent body wall. Atrium pentagonally shaped in dorsal view ( Fig. 1J ). Dorsal plate triangular and curved dorsally.

Etymology. – The specific name comes from the Latin brevipes (short foot) in reference to the male palp that is distinctly shorter than that of most Erigone species.

Distribution. – Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 1, Erigone brevipes, new species. A, carapace, lateral view; B, carapace, dorsal view; C, male left chelicera, frontal view; D, left male palp, retrolateral view; E, left male palp, prolateral view; F, left male palp, ventral view; G, embolic division, ventral view; H, palpal tibia, dorsal view; I, epigynum, ventral view; J, vulva, dorsal view. [Scale bars: 0.1mm].