Milema nuichua Zhao & Li, 2022

Lin, Yejie, Zhao, Huifeng, Koh, Joseph K H & Li, Shuqiang, 2022, Taxonomy notes on twenty-eight spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from Asia, Zoological Systematics 47 (3), pp. 198-270 : 245-246

Milema nuichua Zhao & Li , sp. nov. ( Figs 44–45 )

Diagnosis. This species resembles M. sai Zhao & Li , sp. nov., but can be distinguished by the following characters: the distal tibia is wider than the basal cymbium of male palp, the irregular bulb as shown in Figs 44C–D (vs. nearly ellipsoidal), tip of embolus sclerotized (vs. membranous); spermatheca membranous with no tube inside (vs. many membranous tubes and one sclerotized tube).

Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 44A ). Total length 0.90. Carapace 0.40 long, 0.36 wide. Abdomen 0.50 long, 0.40 wide. Carapace brown. Six eyes ringed with black, clypeus height 0.12. Chelicerae, legs, labium, and endites light brown. Leg measurements: I 2.06 (0.63, 0.16, 0.56, 0.40, 0.31), II 1.72 (0.49, 0.12, 0.48, 0.32, 0.31), III 1.38 (0.44, 0.12, 0.35, 0.24, 0.23), IV 1.43 (0.41, 0.12, 0.40, 0.25, 0.25). Abdomen dark blue.

Palp ( Figs 44B–D ). Tibia 2.28 times longer than patella, cymbium 1.63 times longer than tibia, length of cymbial apophysis as wide as cymbial base; bulb shaped as shown in Figs 44C–D , curved dorso-medially; embolus as shown in Figs 44B–D , short relative to bulb, sclerotized distally.

Female (IZCAS-Ar43306, Figs 45A–B ). Total length 0.95. Carapace 0.52 long, 0.44 wide. Abdomen 0.44 long, 0.48 wide. Six eyes ringed with black, clypeus height 0.10. Carapace brown with black radial stripes. Sternum, endites and labium dark brown, legs yellow marked by brown dots. Leg measurements: I 1.78 (0.52, 0.12, 0.52, 0.31, 0.31), II 1.51 (0.44, 0.12, 0.40, 0.27, 0.28), III 1.16 (0.31, 0.12, 0.28, 0.23, 0.22), IV 1.48 (0.47, 0.12, 0.38, 0.27, 0.24). Abdomen brown.

Genitalia ( Fig. 45C ). Endogyne sac-like without tube, short relative to epigyne.

Material examined. Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar43308), Vietnam: Ninh Thuan, Nui Chua National Park , leaf litter (11.7261°N, 109.1856°E, elev. 70 m), 30 August 2015, Q. Zhao, Y. Li leg. Paratypes. 1♂ 2♀ (IZCAS-Ar43309–Ar43311), same data as holotype .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 44. Milema nuichua Zhao & Li, sp. nov., holotype male.A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Embolus, apical view; C. Palp, prolateral view; D. Palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: Ca—cymbial apophysis; E—embolus. Scale bars: A =0.2mm; B= 0.05mm; C–D = 0.1mm.

Figure 45. Milema nuichua Zhao & Li, sp. nov., paratype female. A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Habitus, ventral view; C. Endogyne, lateral view.Abbreviations: S—spermatheca. Scale bars: A–B=0.2mm; C=0.05mm.