Atypus heterothecus Zhang 1985

Zhu, Ming-Sheng, Zhang, Feng, Song, Daxiang & Qu, Ping, 2006, A revision of the genus Atypus in China (Araneae: Atypidae), Zootaxa 1118, pp. 1-42 : 10-13

Atypus heterothecus Zhang 1985

( Figs 16–25 )

Atypus heterothecus Zhang 1985: 143 , pl. 3, figs 1–9, pl. 4, figs 1–8 (male holotype, 2 male and 95 female paratypes from Hunan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, China, HNU, not examined). — Schwendinger 1990: 355, figs 6, 11, 21 (only female). — Chen & Gao 1990: 19, figs 21a–c. — Chen & Zhang 1991: 35, figs 27.1–4. — Song, Zhu & Chen 1999: 35, figs 15Q, V–W. — Yin 2001: 2, figs 5A–P.

Material examined. CHINA: Henan Province, Neixiang County, 33°00’N, 111°48’E, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 1 female, 25 July 2004, M. S. Zhu, J. X. Zhang, S . J. Dong and W. G. Lian leg. ( MHBU); Anhui Province, Mt Qiyun , 29°48’N, 118°00’E, 7 females and 2 juvenile females, 3 May 1995 , M. S. Zhu leg. ( MHBU); Hubei Province, Xianning County, 29°48’N, E 114°12’E, 2 females, 13 October 1978 , J. Z. Zhao leg. ( MHBU); Hunan Province, Sangzhi County, 29°18’N, 110°06’E, 5 females, 5 May 2002 , Z. S. Zhang and J. Y. Yang leg. ( MHBU); Suining County, 26°30’N, 110°06’E, 1 female, 2 September 2004 , M. S. Zhu, F. Zhang and J. X. Zhang leg. ( MHBU); Guizhou Province, Mt Fanjing , 27°54’N, 108°36’E, 2 females, 30 May 2002 , J. X. Zhang leg. ( MHBU); Meitan County, 27°42’N, E 107°24’E, 1 male, 3 females and 8 juvenile females, 2 August 2003 , J. X. Zhang leg. ( MHBU); Sichuan Province, Mt Emei, 29°30’N, 103°18’E, Fuhu Temple , 1 female and 1 juvenile female, 27 July 2003 , J. X. Zhang and D. Li leg. ( MHBU); 1 female, 3 juvenile females, 17 September 2004 , Z. S. Zhang leg. ( MHBU); Fujian Province, Chong’an County, 27°42’N, 118°E, Jiuqu Town , 2 females and 2 males, 15 July 1986 , C. M. Yin leg. ( HNU); Chong’an County, Mt Wuyi , 1 male, 19 July 2003 , C. Zhang leg. ( MHBU).

Diagnosis. A. heterothecus and A. tibetensis sp. nov. differ from other species by the chevron­shaped fovea in females. Males of A. heterothecus differ from those of A. tibetensis sp. nov. in the rounded upper distal corner of the conductor being close to the tegular process in retrolateral view ( Figs 24–25 ); and females differ by the digitiform median pair of receptacula ( Figs 19–20 ) and kidney­shaped fourth pair of sternal sigilla ( Fig. 18 ).

Redescription.

Male. Total length (including chelicerae) 11.88. Carapace 4.05 long, 3.60 wide; abdomen 4.86 long, 3.06 wide. Carapace similar to that of A. karschi , but distinctly longer than wide and more elevated. Eyes set on elevated black tubercle; eye region occupying nearly one­third of width of pars cephalica. Anterior eye row distinctly recurved, posterior eye row slightly recurved, both eye rows almost equal in width. Eye diameters: AME 0.33, ALE 0.33, PME 0.33, PLE 0.20. Distances AME–AME 0.34, AME–ALE 0.20, PME– PME 1.08, PME–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.63 long, front width 1.00, back width 1.50. Fovea strongly recurved, occupying about 1/10 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae redbrown, with 12 teeth on promargin and granular texture on pro­ and retrolateral faces. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa red­brown, with rows of cuspules. Sternum dark redbrown, with black border, 2.38 long and 2.31 wide. Fourth pair of sigilla oval, separated from each other by more than their long diameter.

Abdomen oval, brown­grey, with dorsal scutum dark brown. ALS 0.38 long, PMS 0.68 long, PLS 1.91 long (basal joint 0.50, median 0.53, subapical 0.48, apical 0.40).

Legs thin, covered with short and thin hairs, and with few short and thin spines. Palpal femur with furrow. Legs I, II red­brown, legs III, IV dark yellow­brown. Femora I, II with granular texture. Metatarsus IV with 6 dorsal spines. Leg formula: 4123.

Male palp ( Figs 23–25 ): upper margin of conductor strongly curved, upper corner rounded and slightly folded downwards in prolateral view.

Female. Total length (including chelicerae) 23.40. Carapace 7.74 long, 6.30 wide; abdomen 11.70 long, 7.20 wide. Carapace similar to that of male in shape, coloration and pattern. Eye tubercle lower than those of male. Eye region occupying nearly one­third width of pars cephalica. Eye diameters: AME 0.33, ALE 0.33, PME 0.33, PLE 0.20. Distances AME–AME 0.34, AME–ALE 0.20, PME–PME 1.08, PME–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.63 long, front width 1.00, back width 1.50. Fovea occupying about 1/10 of carapace width at that point. Chelicerae red­brown, with 14 teeth on promargin. Anterior lobe of pedipalp coxa red­brown, with cuspules at inner margin and inner half side of ventral surface. Sternum yellow­brown, with black border, 5.40 long and 4.68 wide. Fourth pair of sigilla kidney­shaped, separated from each other by about their width.

Abdomen oval, light brown, with dorsal tergite orange. ALS 0.63 long, PMS 1.53 long, PLS 4.50 long (basal joint 0.90, median 1.44, subapical 1.08, apical 1.08).

Legs light brown, shorter and thicker than those of male, with thin hairs and few short spines. Metatarsus IV with 7 dorsal spines. Leg formula: 1423.

Vulva ( Figs 19–20 ): atrium long, with two almost round lateral patches of pores; median pair of receptacula digitiform.

Variation. Carapace length 4.60, width 4.20, total length 15.10 in the male described by Zhang (1985); range of mature females: carapace length 6.12–7.74, width 5.13–6.30, total length 17.55–23.40, n=20.

Habitat. Found in pursewebs attached to the base of China firs, pines and tea plants.

Distribution. China: Henan, Anhui, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Fujian, Guangxi.

Remarks. In the original description, Zhang (1985: 143, pl. 3, figs 1–9, pl. 4, figs 1–8) pointed out that the vulvae he examined showed great variation, but the typical pattern was that the median pair of receptacula are finger­like. Other characters that he provided are irrelevant for identification. Schwendinger (1990) redescribed this species based on specimens collected from Xinxiang, Henan Province, China, and illustrated palpal bulb, vulvae and sternum. Judging from these illustrations, the female he described might be A. heterothecus , but the male seems to be misidentified because the upper distal corner of its conductor is strongly folded downwards, which is similar as in A. flexus sp. nov. described here. A. heterothecus is widely distributed around China from Henan in the north to Guangxi in the south.

Figures

FIGURES 16–25. Atypus heterothecus Zhang 1985. 16–20, females. 16, carapace, dorsal view; 17, left chelicera, inner­lateral view; 18, labium and sternum, ventral view; 19–20, vulvae, dorsal view (19, from Mt Qiyun, Anhui; 20, from Sangzhi, Hunan). 21–25, male. 21, left chelicera, inner­lateral view; 22, labium and sternum, ventral view; 23, left palp, prolateral view (from Meitan, Guizhou); 24, male left palpal bulb, prolateral view; 25, same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 16–18, 21–22, 1.0mm; 19–20, 23, 0.2mm; 24–25, 0.1mm.