Nesticella semicircularis, Liu, Jie & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Liu, Jie & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New cave-dwelling spiders of the family Nesticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from China, Zootaxa 3613 (6), pp. 501-547 : 521

Nesticella semicircularis new species

Figs 19–22 , 39

Type material: Holotype male, 4 male and 56 female paratypes, CHINA: Guizhou Province, Kaili City, Shankeshu Town, Mianxi Village, Mianxi Cave (26º30.742´N, 107º59.621´E, Altitude: 900 m, Air Temperature: 14 ºC, Air Humidity: 94%), 26 May 2007, Yucheng Lin & Jie Liu leg.

Etymology: The species name is taken from the Latin ajective semicircularis and refers to the semicircular epigynal scape of this species.

Diagnosis: The new species is similar to Nesticella songi Chen and Zhu, 2004 in having a similar paracymbium with five branches and lingulate epigynal scape, but can be distinguished from the latter by the following characters: 1, the abdomen of N. songi has a very distinct pattern not seen in N. semicircularis ; 2, proximal apex of the terminal apophysis is triangular in N. songi , but not in N. semicircularis ; 3, left side of the vulva is almost parallel with the right side in N. songi , but not in N. semicircularis ( Figs 19–22 ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.56. Prosoma length 1.36, width 1.12; Opisthosoma length 1.2, width 1.08. Eye measurements: AME 0.04; ALE 0.08; PME 0.06; PLE 0.07; AME-AME 0.05; AME-ALE 0.06; ALE-PLE 0.01; PME-PME 0.11; PME-PLE 0.06. Clypeus height 0.23. Leg formula: I, IV, II, III; leg measurements: I: 10 (2.92, 0.6, 2.64, 2.72, 1.12); II: 7.8 (2.44, 0.48, 1.96, 1.88, 1.04); III: 5.48 (1.88, 0.36, 1.36, 1.32, 0.56); IV: 7.84 (2.54, 0.64, 1.88, 1.84, 0.94). Somatic characters see Fig. 22 B. Palpal tibia short, with three trichobothria. Paracymbium short, with five branches; ventral process having two branches, proximal one significantly larger than distal one, two branches close to each other; dorsal process having three branches, these branches close to each other. Terminal apophysis developed, with two apexes, the proximal apex small and blunt. Conductor simple, long, trapeziform distally. Embolus filiform, semicircular ( Figs 19 , 20 A–B, 21).

Female (paratype): Total length 2.72. Prosoma length 1.32, width 1.12; Opisthosoma length 1.44, width 1.2. Eye measurements: AME almost absent; ALE 0.07; PME 0.09; PLE 0.07; AME-AME --; AME-ALE --; ALE-PLE 0.01; PME-PME 0.1; PME-PLE 0.04. Clypeus height 0.21. Leg formula: I, IV, II, III; leg measurements: I: 8.96 (2.52, 0.44, 2.56, 2.28, 1.16); II: 6.88 (2.24, 0.48, 1.72, 1.56, 0.88); III: 5.28 (1.84, 0.36, 1.16, 1.24, 0.68); IV: 7.16 (2.36, 0.52, 1.84, 1.56, 0.88). Somatic characters see Fig. 22 A. In ventral view, epigynal scape narrow and lingulate; copulatory openings originating at lateral sides of the scape. Vulva longer than wide; copulatory ducts extending from copulatory openings to the spermathecae, with about three coils; spermathecae global, situated anteriorly and laterally ( Figs 20 C–E, 22C–E).

Distribution: Known only from type locality ( Fig. 39 ).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Nesticella semicircularis n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, prolateral; B. Same, retrolateral. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 20. Nesticella semicircularis n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, ventral; B. Same, dorsal; C. Epigynum, ventral; D. Vulva, dorsal; E. Epigynum, abdominal cuticle removed, ventral. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 21. Nesticella semicircularis n. sp. A. Male pedipalp, prolateral; B. Same, retrolateral; C. Same, ventral; D. Same, dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 22. Nesticella semicircularis n. sp. A. Female body, dorsal; B. Male body, dorsal; C. Epigynum, ventral; D. Epigynum, abdominal cuticle removed, ventral; E. Vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: A – B = 0.5 mm; C – E = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 39. Collection localities in China of the nesticid species described in this paper.