Pseudopoda coenobium, Jäger, Peter, Li, Shuqiang & Krehenwinkel, Henrik, 2015

Jäger, Peter, Li, Shuqiang & Krehenwinkel, Henrik, 2015, Morphological and molecular taxonomic analysis of Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropodinae) in Sichuan Province, China, Zootaxa 3999 (3), pp. 363-392 : 370-373

Pseudopoda coenobium spec. nov.

Figs 37–40 , 130

Type material. CHINA: Sichuan: Holotype: male (PJ 1901), Emeishan, Wannian Temple [29°34'53.06"N, 103°22'55.35"E, ca. 1000 m], at wall, P. Jäger leg., by hand, at night, 29 March 1999 ( SMF).

Paratypes: 1 female (PJ 1896), with same data as for holotype, 26 March 1999 ( SMF). 2 females (PJ 1902– 1903), with same data as preceding specimen ( SMF, IZCAS).

Additional material examined. 1 subadult male, 5 subadult females, with same data as for holotype ( SMF). 1 subadult female (PJ 3487), with same data as for holotype, but: W. Schawaller leg. 19–30 March 1999 ( SMF).

Etymology. The species name is taken from the middle age to late Latin word “ coenobium ” meaning “monastery”; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Medium sized Pseudopoda species with body length of males 10.8, of females 11.9–13.1. E of the new species differs from that of the most similar species, P. v i rg at a ( Fox, 1936), in 1) E broader, 2) Tip of embolic apophysis bent, 3) Narrow E tip shorter, 4) dRTA short, not finger-like ( Figs 37–39 ). Females resemble those of P. virgata , P. grahami ( Fox, 1936) , P. obtusa Jäger & Vedel, 2007 , P. digitata Jäger & Vedel, 2007 or P. d al i e n s i s Jäger & Vedel, 2007 with ventral windings of internal duct system laterad, but distinguished from them by the double ventral windings, both laterad, anterior pair extending more laterally ( Figs 41–47 ).

Description. Male (holotype, legs I regenerated, not considered): DS length 5.2, width 4.5, AW 2.4, OS length 5.6, width 3.5. Eyes: AME 0.29, ALE 0.38, PME 0.32, PLE 0.34, AME–AME 0.21, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.33, PME–PLE 0.43, AME–PME 0.34, ALE–PLE 0.32, clypeus height at AME 0.31, at ALE 0.40. Spination: palp: 131, 101(0), 2111; legs: femur II 323, III 333, IV 331; patella II–III 101, IV 100; tibia II 2228, III–IV 2126; metatarsus II 2024, III 3025, IV 3037. Metatarsus IV ventrally with numerous bristles along entire length. Leg formula: 243. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 8.4 (2.8, 1.2, 1.5, -, 2.9), leg II 32.9 (8.5, 2.8, 9.6, 9.0, 3.0), leg III 25.1 (7.0, 2.3, 7.1, 6.6, 2.1), leg IV 27.9 (7.7, 2.4, 7.5, 7.9, 2.4). Cheliceral furrow with ca. 40 denticles in elongated patch. Promargin of chelicerae with 3 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth.

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 37–39 ). RTA arising medially from tibia, with two short apices. Cymbium roughly twice as long as tibia, with strong retrolateral bulge and 5 bristles. Tegulum with proximal bulge. Spermophor wide retrolaterally, narrow within E and intermediate proximo-prolaterally. E arising in 9- to 10-o’clock-position from tegulum, with subdistal two-lobed seam, E tip prolaterad. C arising in 11.30-o’clock-position from tegulum.

Colouration (holotype not fully hardened; Figs 40 , 51–52 ): Pale yellowish with distinct dark reddish-brown markings. DS with fovea marked at its anterior and posterior end, with broken radial striae, marble like pattern behind eye region and at posterio-lateral margin, with eye region dark. Sternum dotted mostly in posterior half and with marginal larger spots at coxae. Coxae ventrally dotted, labium and gnathocoxae without pattern. Chelicerae frontally dotted. Legs spotted and with spine patches, patella and parts of tibia and metatarsus ventrally dark. OS dorsally with heart patch and broader dark patch followed by a light transversal W-marking, behind that again dark, anal tubercle light, spinnerets dorsally dark, ventrally light. OS ventrally dotted, median band with more and larger dots, fused to triangle in front of spinnerets.

Female (paratype, PJ 1896): DS length 5.9, width 5.3, AW 3.1, OS length 7.2, width 5.0. Eyes: AME 0.33, ALE 0.43, PME 0.30, PLE 0.38, AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.34, PME–PLE 0.42, AME– PME 0.33, ALE–PLE 0.35, clypeus height at AME 0.51, at ALE 0.47. Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; legs: femur I–II 323, III 322, IV 322; patella I–III 101, IV 100; tibia I–II 2228, III–IV 2126; metatarsus I–II 2024, III 3025, IV 3037. Metatarsus IV ventrally with numerous bristles along entire length. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 9.3 (2.7, 1.5, 2.2, -, 2.9), leg I 28.5 (7.9, 3.2, 8.1, 7.0, 2.3), leg II 30.0 (8.5, 3.3, 8.4, 7.3, 2.5), leg III 22.7 (7.0, 2.5, 6.0, 5.3, 1.9), leg IV 25.3 (7.7, 2.6, 6.5, 6.3, 2.2). Cheliceral furrow with 55–60 denticles in elongated patch. Promargin of chelicerae with 3 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth. Palpal claw with 6 teeth.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 41–47 ). Epigynal field slightly wider than long, with trilobate anterior margin and short anterior bands. LL with bands of muscle sigilla in their lateral parts. First winding wide, converging posteriorly. Fertilisation duct long, laterad in ventral view. Pre-epigyne with LL not touching each other, pre-vulva with one small and one large pair of lateral protrusions ( Figs 48–50 ).

Colouration ( Figs 53–54 ): As in male but generally slightly darker. Pale reddish- to yellowish brown. Labium proximally dark. Chelicerae distinctly darker than DS. Patella, tibia, metatarsus ventrally not as dark as in male. OS dorsally with white W-mark in posterior half longer. OS ventrally with lateral margins of median band fused.

Variation. Females (n=2) DS length 5.5–6.1, OS length 6.4–7.1. Spination: femur III 323/323(2), IV 331/ 33(2)1. Colouration: both females (PJ 1902–1903) not fully hardened, therefore paler than the paratype described above. OS dorsally with 2 light thin chevrons in broad dark posterior part, lateral ends of “W”-marking marked with light spots.

Distribution. China: Sichuan: Emei Shan (1000 m) (known only from the type locality) ( Fig. 130 ).

Figures

FIGURE 130. Map of Sichuan with records of Pseudopoda spp. (Pseudopoda sp. cf. yunnanensis not mapped). Pseudopoda grahami (Fox, 1936) and P. exigua (Fox, 1938) are included as described from Sichuan although no new records are known and therefore not mentioned in the text.

FIGURES 37 – 40. Pseudopoda coenobium spec. nov. from Emeishan, holotype male. 37 – 39 Left male palp (37 prolateral, 38 ventral, 39 retrolateral); 40 Habitus with colouration pattern, dorsal. dRTA—dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis, EA—embolic apophysis.

FIGURES 41 – 50. Pseudopoda coenobium spec. nov. from Emeishan, female paratypes (41 – 44 PJ 1896, 45 – 46 PJ 1902, 47 PJ 1903) and subadult female (48 – 50 PJ 3487). 41, 45, 47 Epigyne, ventral (41 cleared, 45, 47 not cleared); 22, 44, 46 Vulva (42, 46 dorsal, 44 frontal); 43 Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal; 48 Pre-epigyne, ventral; 49 – 50 Pre-vulva (49 dorsal; 50 frontal)

FIGURES 51 – 54. Pseudopoda coenobium spec. nov. from Emeishan, holotype male (51 – 52), female paratype (53 – 54 PJ 1896). Habitus (51, 53, dorsal, 52, 54 ventral)