Cheiracanthium bawanglingense, Li & Zhang, 2024

Li, Zhao-Yi & Zhang, Feng, 2024, A survey of cheiracanthiid spiders (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae) from Hainan Island, China, Journal of Natural History 58 (1 - 4), pp. 167-188 : 172-175

Cheiracanthium bawanglingense sp. n.

( Figures 2–3 , 9 )

Type material

Holotype ♂, CHINA, Hainan, Changjiang County, Bawangling Nature Reserve , 23 May 2009, Chao Zhang leg ; Paratypes: 3♂ 2♀, same data as holotype; 1♂ 1♀, same data as holotype but collected 9 May 2009; 1♂, Qiongzhong County, Limu Mountain Nature Reserve , 19 August 2007, Feng Zhang leg; 1♂ 3♀, Danzhou City, Fanjia Nature Reserve , 15 May 2009, Chao Zhang leg; 1♀, Ledong County , Jianfengling Nature Reserve , Mingfeng Valley , 27 May 2009, Chao Zhang leg; 1♀, Jianfengling Nature Reserve, Tianchi, 29 May 2009, Guangxin Han leg.

Etymology

The species name is a toponym in apposition referring to the type locality.

Diagnosis

The males of the new species ( Figures 2a–b , 3c–e ) are similar to those of Cheiracanthium taiwanicum Chen, Huang, Chen and Wang, 2006 ( Chen et al. 2006, p. 10, fig. 1D–E; Zhang et al. 2018, p. 41, fig. 3A–B, E) in having a hook-shaped median apophysis and circular embolus, both originating on the tegular tip, and a finger-shaped RTA, but can be distinguished as follows: (1) the carapace has no distinct colour pattern in C. bawanglingense sp. n. ( Figure 2a ), but has 2 broad, longitudinal greenish-brown bands at the submargins in C taiwanicum ; (2) the dorsum of abdomen has dense white freckles in C. bawanglingense sp. n. ( Figure 2a ), whereas the white freckles are sparsely scattered in C taiwanicum ; (3) the longer cymbial spur and RTA in ventral view and retrolateral view; (4) the wider distal part of conductor in ventral view (vs beak-shaped in C. taiwanicum ). The females ( Figure 3a–b ) are similar to those of C. taiwanicum Chen, Huang, Chen and Wang, 2006 ( Chen et al. 2006, p. 10, fig. 1B–C; Zhang et al. 2018, p. 41, fig. 3C–D) and C. daofeng Yu and Li, 2020 ( Zhang et al. 2020, p. 56, fig. 2A–D) in having an eyebrow-shaped atrial anterior margin and coiled copulatory ducts, but can be distinguished by the thicker copulatory ducts and by the shape of copulatory openings and spermathecae (transverse oval copulatory openings in C. bawanglingense sp. n. vs nearly circular in C. daofeng ; kidney-shaped spermathecae in C. bawanglingense sp. n. vs globular in C. taiwanicum ).

Description

Male. ( Figure 2a–b ) Holotype: total length 4.52: carapace length 2.17, width 1.54; abdomen length 2.35, width 1.17. Carapace pale yellow with indistinct radial striaes. All eyes with black rings, eye area colour slightly dark than carapace, AER slightly recurved, PER slightly wider than AER, almost straight in dorsal view. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11 ALE 0.11, PME 0.12, PLE 0.11; AME–AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.17, PME–PLE 0.14; MOA 0.33 long, front width 0.36, back width 0.40. Chelicerae reddish brown, with 4 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth, with dense scopula in both margins. Sternum yellowish white, 1.50 long, 1.22 wide. Labium and endites coloured the same as chelicerae, anterior edge with clearly scopula. Legs pale yellow, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 12.82 (4.26, 0.62, 3.10, 3.22, 1.62), II 11.07 (3.24, 0.52, 2.93, 3.43, 0.95), III 7.42 (2.11, 0.60, 1.72, 2.40, 0.59), IV 11.66 (3.25, 0.45, 2.82, 4.25, 0.89). Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsally pale grey, with numerous white freckles and a narrow medial longitudinal band enclosed by light spots, 2 pairs of muscular impressions; venter greyish, with scattered white spots.

Palp as illustrated. ( Figure 3c–e ) Tibia short, ca. 1/2 of cymbium length, RTA is relatively long and sclerotised, ca. 1/2 of tibia length, thorn-shaped, DTA short and thin, with a sharp apex; cymbium almost 2 times longer than wide; tip of cymbium long, ca. 1/4 of cymbium length; cymbial furrow strongly developed and conspicuous, about 3/4 cymbium length; cymbial spur slighter shorter than tibia length; tegulum oval, ca. 1.5 times longer than wide; median apophysis long and membranous, more than 1/2 of tegulum length, with wider base and hook-shaped tip in ventral view; embolus originating on the tegular tip, about 12 o’clock position, extending clockwise along the tegular margin, then curving to the tip of conductor; conductor membranous, base wide, gradually tapering towards apex, lying at tegular tip; sperm duct circling.

Female. ( Figure 2c–d ) One of paratypes: total length 4.84; carapace length 2.13, width 1.50; abdomen length 2.71, width 1.73. Carapace pale brown, with pair of brown lateral bands extending from behind PLE, almost reaching posterior margin, fused, forming a U-shaped patch. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.11, PME 0.09, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.16, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.23; MOA 0.29 long, front width 0.35, back width 0.40. Legs pale brown. Leg measurements: I 16.51 (4.23, 0.78, 4.62, 4.94, 1.94), II 8.47 (3.25, 0.46, 2.02, 2.01, 0.73), III 5.56 (1.67, 0.40, 1.31, 1.61, 0.57), IV 9.69 (2.79, 0.53, 2.52, 3.06, 0.79). Abdomen greyish brown, with scattered white spots. Other characters as in male.

Epigyne. ( Figure 3a–b ) Atrium ca. 1.2 times wider than long, atrial anterior margin eyebrow-shaped and heavily sclerotised, posterior and lateral margins inconspicuous; 2 copulatory openings located at posterior portion of epigynal plate; part of dark copulatory duct and spermathecae visible through tegument of epigynal plate in ventral view; spermathecae reniform, ca. 2 times longer than wide, connected with complicatedly spiral-coiled copulatory duct (with 4 entwined loops).

Distribution

Presently known from type locality only, Hainan, China .

Figures

Figure 2. Cheiracanthium bawanglingense sp. n., male holotype and female paratype. (a) male habitus, dorsal view; (b) same, ventral view; (c) female habitus, dorsal view; (d) same, ventral view.

Figure 3. Cheiracanthium bawanglingense sp. n., (a) epigyne, ventral view; (b) vulva, dorsal view; (c) left male palp, prolateral view; (d) same, ventral view; (e) same, retrolateral view.

Figure 9. Distribution records of six cheiracanthiid spiders from Hainan Island, China. (a–b) Cheiracanthium adjacensoides Song, Chen and Hou, 1990; (a, c–e) C. bawanglingense sp. n.; (a, c–g) C. exquestitum Zhang and Zhu, 1993; (a, d–f) C. insigne O. Pickard-Cambridge 1874; (e) C. taegense Paik, 1990 and Eutittha hainanensis sp. n.