Mimetus niveosignatus, Liu & Xu & Hormiga & Yin, 2021

Liu, Jinxin, Xu, Xiang, Hormiga, Gustavo & Yin, Haiqiang, 2021, New species of the pirate spider genus Mimetus Hentz, 1832 from China with a cladistic hypothesis on their phylogenetic placement (Araneae, Mimetidae), Zootaxa 5020 (1), pp. 1-30 : 18-22

Mimetus niveosignatus new species

http://zoobank.org/ 3D4BCD23-6EA3-48D1-AC6F-BF3CEF474581

Figs 16–19

Type material. Holotype ♂ (Mime-0109- HNU): China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Chongzuo City , Longzhou County, Nonggang National Nature Reserve , Sanlian Site , Longdan , 22°32.10'N, 106°50.22'E, 310 m, 30.X.2017, Ailan He, Keke Liu, Qu Cai, Jihe Liu, Jinxin Liu and Zongguang Huang leg. ; Paratype: 3♂ 1♀ (Mime- 0110- HNU, Mime-0125- HNU, Mime-0126- HNU, Mime-0127- HNU): same data as holotype ; 1♀ (Mime-0112- HNU): China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Chongzuo City , Longzhou County, Nonggang National Nature Reserve , Longrui Site , Huashan Village , 22°14.52'N, 107°03.54'E, 260m, 4.XI.2017, Ailan He, Keke Liu, Qu Cai, Jihe Liu, Jinxin Liu and Zongguang Huang leg.

Etymology. The specific name is a combination of the Latin prefix niveo - (niveous; resembling snow) and signatus (the Latin perfect passive participle of signô (marked)) in reference to the presence of numerous whitish spots in the dorsal opisthosoma.

Diagnosis. The males of M. niveosignatus n. sp. differ from those of all other Mimetus species by the oblong subtegular apophysis and the spatulate cymbial apex ( Figs 16E, F , 18B, C ). To diagnose females of M. niveosignatus n. sp. from those of M. subulatus n. sp., see the diagnosis of M. subulatus n. sp.

Description. Male (Holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 16A . Total length 1.88. Carapace 0.84 long, 0.78 wide. Opisthosoma 0.90 long, 0.93 wide. Sternum 0.48 long and 0.36 wide. Labium wider than long. Clypeus height 0.15. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.05, ALE–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.04. MOA 0.05 long, anterior width 0.03, posterior width 0.04. Leg measurements see Table 6.

Cephalothorax: Carapace ( Fig. 16 A–C ) yellow, oval, slightly longer than wide, widest at coxae II and III; with a large brown and Y-shaped pattern (both lateral margins of pattern are wavelike lines) between ocular area and fovea; two pairs of spots near lateral margins of carapace; fovea inconspicuous. Sternum yellow. Labium yellowish brown. Chelicerae ( Fig. 19C, D ) yellowish brown and darker in apical half, with six promarginal peg teeth and two retromarginal teeth. Endites yellowish brown, longer than wide. Leg color similar to carapace, with irregular dark blotches.

Abdomen ( Fig. 16A, B ): Brown, about as long as wide, nearly tetrahedral, widest in median region, and slightly extended caudally, with whitish and dark patches dorsally.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 16D–G , 18A–D ): tibia long and thin, more than twice the cymbium length, slightly swollen distally, with a few long macrosetae. Cymbium delta-shaped, with several long setae dorsally, strongly projected apically and spatulate. Paracymbium broad, triangular ( Figs 16F , 18B ), with a translucent base. Subtegular apophysis oblong and lamellar, with odontoid prolateral margin. Conductor sclerotized area complex, whorled and rolled up to form several apophyses including one protecting the apical end of embolus. Conductor membranous area with pilose cuticular projections. Embolus tubular, strongly curved around the membranous area of conductor and forming ca. 3/4 circle, proximally swollen.

Female (Paratype from Mime-0127-HNU). Similar to male in general features and somatic coloration ( Fig. 17A ). Total length 2.16. Carapace 0.78 long, 0.68 wide. Opisthosoma 1.20 long, 1.46 wide. Sternum 0.50 long and 0.37 wide. Labium wider than long. Clypeus height 0.13. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.03, ALE–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.03, PME–PLE 0.05. MOA 0.06 long, anterior width 0.03, posterior width 0.03. Leg measurements see Table 7.

Cephalothorax ( Fig. 17A–C ): Similar to male, but with the medial color pattern from eye area to fovea darker.

Abdomen ( Fig. 17A, B ): Similar to male, but the ratio of width / length greater than in male.

Epigynum ( Figs 17D, E , 19A, B ): atrium reduced, divided into two parts, with arc-shaped anterior margin. Basal plate sclerotized, with slightly curved posterior margin and double- hump-shaped anterior margin, twice as wide as high. Copulatory openings and copulatory ducts not to be seen. Spermathecal chambers arranged in a horizontal line; median chambers close to each other and smaller than the lateral chambers. Fertilization ducts could not be discerned.

Distribution. China (Guangxi) ( Fig. 23 )

Figures

FIGURE 16. Mimetus niveosignatus n. sp., male holotype. A, habitus, dorsal view; B, ditto, lateral view; C, cephalothorax, frontal view; D, left palp, prolateral view; E, ditto, ventral view; F, ditto, frontolateral view; G, ditto, retrolateral view; H, left legs III and IV, retrolateral view; I, left legs I and II, retrolateral view; J, femur of left leg I, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A, 0.5mm; B, 0.2mm; C, 0.2mm; D–G, J, 0.1mm; H, I, 1mm.

FIGURE 17. Mimetus niveosignatus n. sp., female paratype. A, habitus, dorsal view; B, ditto, lateral view; C, cephalothorax, frontal view; D, epigynum, ventral view; E, ditto, dorsal view; F, left legs I and II, retrolateral view; G, left legs III and IV, retrolateral view; H, femur of left leg I, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A, B, F, G, 0.5mm; C, 0.2mm; D, E, 0.05mm; H, 0.1mm.

FIGURE 18. Mimetus niveosignatus n. sp., male holotype. A, left palp, prolateral view; B, ditto, frontolateral view; C, ditto, ventral view; D, ditto, retrolateral view.Abbreviations: CA = cymbial apex, Cy = cymbium, E = embolus, MCO = membranous conductor, PC = paracymbium, PCP = pilose cuticular projections, SCO = sclerotized conductor, ST = subtegulum, STA = subtegular apophysis, T = tegulum. Scale bars: A–C, 0.05mm; D, 0.1mm.

FIGURE 19. Mimetus niveosignatus n. sp., female paratype and chelicera of male holotype. A, epigynum, ventral view; B, ditto, dorsal view; C, right chelicera of male holotype, retrolateral view; D, ditto, prolateral view; E, chelicera of female paratype, prolateral view; F, ditto, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: A = atrium, BP = basal plate, Sp = spermathecae. Scale bars: A–F, 0.05mm.

FIGURE 23. Localities of Mimetus spp. found in the area covered in the map.