Pharta tridens sp. nov. (三叉aṣse)

Figs 5–7

Type material. Holotype ♂ (MHBU-ARA- 2023-43-1) from CHINA: Yunnan Province: Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Lianghe County, Kazi Village, 24.602°N, 98.239°E, alt. 1412 m, 13 April 2023, leg. Weihang Wang and Zhiyong Yang.

Paratype: 1♀ (MHBU-ARA- 2023-43-2), with same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Latin word “ tridēns ”, meaning trident, the three-tined spear, reflecting the trident-shaped mark on carapace; noun.

Diagnosis. This new species shares the diagnostic characteristics of Pharta Thorell, 1891,but can be distinguished by following combinations of traits: 1) In males: the basal origin of embolus, the shape of the conductor and the absence of RTA; 2) In females: the shape of CD, relative position of CO and the contiguous spermathecae. This new species resembles Pharta brevipalpus (Simon, 1903) (cf. Ono & Song 1986: 26, figs 2–3; 27, figs 5–6) in having similar palpal bulb, embolus and epigynum, but can be distinguished by the conductor with relatively straight edge (vs. curved edge in P. brevipalpus), the absence of RTA (vs. wide RTA in P. brevipalpus), and the kidney-shaped, closely situated spermathecae (vs. oval and distinctly separated from each other in P. brevipalpus).

Description. Male holotype (Figs 5A, C, E, 6): Measurements. Total length 3.38; carapace 1.80 long, 1.81 wide; opisthosoma 2.00 long, 1.64 wide; clypeus height 0.14; labium 0.25 long, 0.35 wide; sternum 0.94 long, 0.87 wide; chelicerae with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Diameters and interdistances of eyes: AME 0.05, ALE 0.14, PME 0.12, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.18, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.41, ALE–PLE 0.09. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 7.18 (2.13, 0.58, 2.13, 1.71, 0.63), II 8.03 (2.40, 0.81, 2.31, 1.82, 0.69), III 4.63 (1.43, 0.56, 1.20, 1.01, 0.43), IV 5.14 (1.61, 0.58, 1.32, 1.14, 0.49); leg formula: 2143. Coloration in ethanol. Carapace yellow with brown trident-shaped mark and paramedian spots. Eye field brown. Chelicerae brown with two pairs of black stripes. Endites, labium and sternum pale-yellow. Legs pale-yellow, legs Ⅰ darker. Opisthosoma dorsum off-white with brown and white spots, laterally with two pairs of blackish-brown stripes; venter white to pale-yellow.

Palp (Figs 5). Tegulum oval; conductor axe-shaped, anterior part folded into a furrow; embolus thread-like, originating at approximately 6 o’clock, with tip extending inside conductor furrow; VTA digitiform, curving medially and dorsally; ITA and RTA absent.

Female (paratype MHBU-ARA-2023-43-2) (Fig. 5B, D, F): Measurements. Total length 4.9; carapace 0.89 long, 1.82 wide; opisthosoma 2.91 long, 3.24 wide; clypeus height 0.28; labium 0.24 long, 0.31 wide; sternum 0.91 long, 0.78 wide; chelicerae with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth. Diameters and interdistances of eyes: AME 0.04, ALE 0.13, PME 0.09, PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.1, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.24, PME–PME 0.11, PME–PLE 0.1, PLE–PLE 0.48, ALE–PLE 0.11. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 6.95 (2.16, 0.82, 2.02, 1.45, 0.50), II 6.55 (2.06, 0.70, 1.89, 1.41, 0.49), III 3.76 (1.21, 0.49, 0.95, 0.70, 0.41), IV 4.37 (1.37, 0.51, 1.12, 0.89, 0.48); leg formula:1243. Coloration in ethanol. body similar to male, but lighter, legs Ⅰ brown.

Epigynum and vulva (Fig 7A, B). Atrium small, indistinct, copulatory openings originated anteriorly. Copulatory duct curved, C-shaped, spermathecae kidney-shaped, touching each other.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).