Althepus gouci Li & Li

Li, Fengyuan, Liu, Chang & Li, Shuqiang, 2018, Ten new species of the spider genus Althepus Thorell, 1898 from Southeast Asia (Araneae, Ochyroceratidae), ZooKeys 776, pp. 27-60 : 32-33

Althepus gouci Li & Li sp. n. Figs 5, 6, 20, 21

Types.

Holotype: ♂, Myanmar, Taninthayi Nature Reserve, 14°44.117'N, 98°11.554'E, 307 m a.s.l., 24.X.2017, Z. Chen. Paratypes: 2♀, same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin 'gou ci’, which means 'hooked spine’, referring to the medially positioned hook-like projection on conductor (Figure 5); noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

A. gouci Li & Li, sp. n. can be distinguished from all other known species of the genus by the short embolus and by the hook-like projection on the widened conductor in males (Figure 5); females have two types of spermathecae: one spermatheca with 5-6 curved, long branches, and 5-6 short, thick spermathecae, on each side (two spermathecae with stalks on the left side and four spermathecae with stalks on the right side) (Figure 6A).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 3.44; carapace 1.10 length, 1.15 width; abdomen 1.90 length, 0.88 width. Carapace round, yellow, with brown lateral margins and one wide, brown median band, the middle one wider than the others (Figure 6C). Anterior margin of cephalic region distinctly elevated. Clypeus light-brown. Cheliceral promargin with two teeth, followed by a lamina, retromargin with two small teeth (Figure 20C), posterior surface of fang with 18 small denticles. Labium brown. Sternum yellow, with some small brown spots. Abdomen elongate, with complex patterns dorsally and ventrally (Figure 6C). Legs all missing. Male palp (Figure 5 A–D): tarsus with three slightly curved, serrated bristles at the top of the cymbial protrusion (one of them was missing, Figure 5A), and one hooked spine with the tip directed proximally (Figure 5D); bulb light yellow, ovate; embolus arising retrolatero-proximally from bulb, slightly sigmoid, distad; conductor arising distally from bulb, slightly sigmoid, distad, with wide base; embolus and conductor widely separated (distance less than diameter of bulb).

Female (one of the paratypes). Total length 3.80; carapace 1.10 length, 1.11 width; abdomen 2.30 length, 1.50 width. Similar to male in colour and general features (Figure 6D, E), but larger. Internal genitalia with two types of spermathecae on each side (Figure 6A). Leg measurements: I 24.61 (5.83, 0.43, 6.09, 10.26, 2.00), II missing, III 10.54 (3.00, 0.40, 2.70, 3.50, 0.94), IV - (4.232, 0.40, 4.17, 5.00, -).

Variation.

Females: carapace 0.90-1.10 length, 1.02-1.11 width, femur I 5.83 (the number of specimens = 2; leg I lost in the other specimen).

Distribution.

Myanmar. Known only from the type locality (Figure 21).

Natural history.

Collected in a tropical evergreen forest at an altitude of 307 m.