Chikunia subrapulum ( Zhu, 1998 ) Brindha & Prabhu & Jones & Janaki & Sheriff & Kumar & Kalaivani & Lakshmi, 2023

Brindha, T R, Prabhu, K, Jones, Sumathi, Janaki, C S, Sheriff, Dhastangir, Kumar, Hayagreva Muttevi, Kalaivani, S & Lakshmi, Deepa, 2023, New Records of Chikunia subrapulum (Zhu, 1998), n. comb., (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan, with Taxonomical and Nomenclatural Notes, Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science. Series A, Zoology 49 (4), pp. 123-127 : 124-126

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.50826/bnmnszool.49.4_123

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12552928

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E8787-FFB0-9E63-FAAC-FD99FBB47B45

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Chikunia subrapulum ( Zhu, 1998 )
status

comb. nov.

Chikunia subrapulum ( Zhu, 1998) View in CoL , n. comb.

[Japanese name: Kabura-himegumo]

( Figs. 1–9 View Figs )

Chrysso subrapulum Zhu, 1998, p. 47 View in CoL , 65, 361, 390, fig. 37 A–C,

♂ holotype from Hefeng County (29.48N, 110.00E), Hubei Province, China, 1–VI–1989, M.-S. Zhu leg., preserved in the Chinese Academy of Sciences , not examined. — Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999, p. 107, fig. 50 M–N; Zhu et al. 2005, p. 496 GoogleMaps .

Chrysso subrapula Zhu and Zhang, 2011, p. 88 View in CoL , fig. 49 A–C; WSC, ver. 24, 2023, the list for Theridiidae View in CoL . — Incorrect emendation of the species name. New synonymy.

Theridiidae sp.: View in CoL Bando, 2021, p. 3, fig. 14,

1 ♀, Nakao, Funatsu, 30–VII–2020, 1 ♀, Kamikaitsu, Aikawa, 3– VIII–2020, both from Kaiyo-cho, Kaifu-gun, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan, H. Bando leg., preserved in the Tokushima Prefectural Museum ( TKPM), not examined.

Etymology. The modification of the ending of the species name made by Zhu and Zhang (2011) was grammatically incorrect and was regarded as the suggestion of a new name by an incorrect emendation. The present authors have changed the species name back to the original spelling in accordance with the terms (article 11.9, 33.2 and others) of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature ( ICZN). In detail, Zhu (1998) named it sub- + rapulum because of its resemblance to Theridion rapulum Yaginuma, 1960 , originally described from Japan. However, the Japanese spider has a different name (a senior synonym), Chikunia albipes ( Saito, 1935) , at the present, and its distributional range extends to Korea, China and the Russian Far East as well as Japan. Theridion rapulum was transferred from its original genus Theridion Walckenaer, 1805 to Chrysso O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1882 by Yoshida (1993) and synonymized with Theridula albipes Saito, 1935 by Yoshida (2001), and finally, further transferred to the genus Chikunia established with this species as the type species by Yoshida (2009 a). Although the motive for naming of Theridion rapulum was not stated in the original description, Yaginuma explained its etymology on another occasion. In Yaginuma, Hirashima and Okuma (1990), p. 142, they stated that rapulum is a Latin word (a neuter noun) meaning a little turnip (rapum with diminutive) because the shape of the abdomen of the spider resembled the shape of the vegetable. Therefore, the species name made by a noun in apposition does not change its ending when the gender of the genus changes. The problem would not have arisen if the genitive case of the noun, rapuli, or the adjective rapinus, -a, -um or rapiformis, -is, -e had been used, but the word used in reality is clearly the nominative of a noun. Moreover, because Latin grammar indicates that the prefix sub- changes to sur- when attached to a word beginning with r, the species name made by sub - + rapulum should be expressed as surrapulum in the nominative case, and surrapuli in the genitive case. Unfortunately, this grammatically correct change is not permissible under the agreement of ICZN, thus the original spelling subrapulum has to be maintained.

Specimens examined. 1 ♀, 10–IX–2015, 1 ♀1 ♂, 11– VIII –2016, 2 ♂, 12– VI –2017, 3 ♀, 24– VIII –2017, 1 ♀, 7–IX–2018, 1 ♂, 3– VI –2020, Ikenotaira   GoogleMaps , Tatsue   GoogleMaps , Iida-shi   GoogleMaps , Nagano Pref., Honshu, Japan (35.4502N, 137.8422E); 1 ♂, 17– VI –2021, Shimo-hisakata-kakinosawa, Iida-shi   GoogleMaps , Nagano Pref., Honshu, Japan (35.4607N, 137.8499E); 1 ♀, 21– VIII –1990, Sagasawa   GoogleMaps , Kadonohara   GoogleMaps , Amagi-yugashima-cho, Tagata-gun, Shizuoka Pref., Honshu, Japan (34.9007N, 138.9239E); 7 ♀, 7–IX–2013, Takitaniike   GoogleMaps , Makiyama   GoogleMaps , Iga-shi, Mie Pref., Honshu, Japan (34.8840N, 136.1117E); 7♀juv. 2♂juv., 12–IV–2008, 1 ♀, 27–IV–2008, 1 ♀1 ♂, 9– V – 2008, 6 ♀1 ♂, 23– V –2008, 1 ♀, 12– VI –2009, 8 ♀, 13– VI –2009, 9 ♀1 ♂, 9– VII –2010, Higashi-iketani   GoogleMaps , Hojo-cho-higashitakamuro, Kasai-shi, Hyogo Pref., Honshu, Japan (34.9159N, 134.8485E); 1 ♀1 ♂, 13– VIII –2011, Tsurarakannon   GoogleMaps , Wajikigo   GoogleMaps , Naka-cho   GoogleMaps , Naka-gun, Tokushima Pref., Shikoku, Japan (33.8672N, 134.4962E); 3 ♀, 19–IX–2011, Oto   GoogleMaps , Kitagawauchi   GoogleMaps , Minami-cho   GoogleMaps , Kaifu-gun, Tokushima Pref., Shikoku, Japan (33.7669N, 134.5400E); 1 ♀, 30–IX–2013, Ikenouchi   GoogleMaps , Awai-cho   GoogleMaps , Kanonji-shi, Kagawa Pref., Shikoku, Japan (34.0711N, 133.7136E), all the above specimens were collected by K. Kumada; 1 ♀, 21– VIII –1989, Imuta-ike   GoogleMaps , Imuta   GoogleMaps , Kedoin-cho   GoogleMaps , Satsuma-gun   GoogleMaps , Kagoshima Pref., Kyushu   GoogleMaps , Japan (31.8144N, 130.4659E), S. Inaba leg. Of these, voucher specimens are deposited in the arachnid collection of the Department of Zoology   GoogleMaps , National Museum of Nature   GoogleMaps and Science, Tsukuba, Japan.

Diagnosis. The species is transferred from its original genus Chrysso O. Pickard Cambridge, 1882 to the genus Chikunia Yoshida, 2009 based on the following characteristics: Legs of the females of this species are short, the total length of the first patella and tibia of the palp is 1.4 times the length of the carapace in dorsal view, whereas that of Chrysso species is more than 1.8 times. The shoulders of each side of the female abdomen are rounded, projected and expanded horizontally, the posterior end (tail) of the abdomen is long, pointed and projecting beyond the spinnerets. The male abdomen is ovoid, unscaled, and the shape of embolic part with the embolus and the conductor is triangular. This species is closest to Chikunia albipes .

Description based on the Japanese specimens (1 ♀1 ♂ from Higashi-iketani, Hojocho-higashitakamuro, Kasai-shi, Hyogo Pref., Honshu, Japan, 9–VII–2010). Female ( Fig. 1 View Figs , left): total length 2.78 mm. Carapace 0.84 mm long and 0.76 mm wide. Abdomen 2.10 mm long and 2.24 mm wide. Length of leg segments (in mm): [femur+patella+tibia+metatarsus+tarsus=total]: I, 1.28+0.32+0.84+0.96+0.40=3.80; II, 0.86+ 0.28+0.44+0.58+0.34=2.50; III, 0.56+0.24+ 0.24+0.34+0.28=1.66; IV, 1.10+0.30+0.62+ 0.66+0.40=3.08. Leg formula: 1-4-2-3. Prosoma oval. Eyes almost same in size except PLE smaller than the others. AME=ALE=PME> PLE (5: 5: 5: 4). AME–AME>AME–ALE (3: 1), PME–PME>PME–PLE (4: 5). The anterior eye row recurved and the posterior eye row slightly recurved in dorsal view. Median ocular area: anterior side>posterior=length (6: 5: 5). Clypeus longer than AME–AME (2: 1). Chelicerae not very long and thick (1.90 mm), with two projections (possibly teeth) near the apex. Labium transverse, longer (5: 3), fused with sternum. Sternum inverted triangular, equal in length and width. Shoulders on both sides of abdomen rounded, swollen and expanded laterally; abdomen with long caudal end, projecting beyond the spinnerets and pointed. The length of first patella and tibia 1.4 times the carapace length. Epigynum ( Figs. 5–8 View Figs ) expanded and protruding ventrad.

Male ( Fig.1 View Figs right): total length 1.81 mm. Carapace 0.80 mm long and 0.66 mm wide. Abdomen 1.00 mm long and 1.02 mm wide. Length of leg segments (in mm): I, 1.50+0.36+0.94+1.18+0.41 =4.39; II, 1.05+0.32+0.59+0.73+0.38=3.07; III, 0.60+0.24+0.33+0.46+0.26=1.89; IV, 1.18+ 0.28+0.75+0.82+0.40=3.43. Leg formula: 1-4- 2-3. Prosoma oval. Eyes almost equal in size except PLE smaller than the others. AME= ALE=PME>PLE (5: 5: 5: 4). AME–AME> AME–ALE (4: 1), PME–PME>PME–PLE (3: 4). The anterior eye row recurved and the posterior eye row slightly recurved in dorsal view. Median ocular area: anterior side> posterior side=length (6: 5: 5). Clypeus longer than AME–AME (2: 1). Chelicerae not very long and thick (1.90 mm), with two projections (possibly teeth) near the apex. Labium transverse, longer (2: 1), fused with sternum. Sternum inverted triangular, equal in length and width. Abdomen spherical. The conductor of palp and embolus forming a triangle ( Figs. 3–4 View Figs ).

Distribution. Japan (Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu), China (Hubei, Henan, Guizhou and Yunnan).

Remark. By the reviewer`s suggestion, the authors confirmed that the unknown theridiid spider recorded by Bando (2021) from Tokushima Prefecture was the same species as the present one. Its collection record has been added to the transition list of scientific names above.

WSC

Westfield State College, Museum and Herbarium

TKPM

Tokushima Prefectural Museum

VI

Mykotektet, National Veterinary Institute

V

Royal British Columbia Museum - Herbarium

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Theridiidae

Genus

Chikunia

Loc

Chikunia subrapulum ( Zhu, 1998 )

Brindha, T R, Prabhu, K, Jones, Sumathi, Janaki, C S, Sheriff, Dhastangir, Kumar, Hayagreva Muttevi, Kalaivani, S & Lakshmi, Deepa 2023
2023
Loc

Chrysso subrapula

Zhu, M. S. & B. S. Zhang 2011: 88
2011
Loc

Chrysso subrapulum

Zhu, M. S. 1998: 47
1998
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