Phycosoma stellaris ( Zhu, 1998 ) Zhu, 1998

Zhang, Feng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2012, Spiders of the genus Phycosoma O. P. - Cambridge, 1879 (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 3339, pp. 30-43 : 34-36

Phycosoma stellaris ( Zhu, 1998) new combination

( Figs 9 – 14 )

Dipoena stellaris Zhu, 1998: 230 , f. 149A – D; Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 112, f. 56G – H.

Type material. Holotype Ƥ, CHINA, Hainan Island: Qionghai County (19°00ʹN, 109°08ʹE), 5 August 1990, M. B. Gu leg., deposited in MHBU, examined.

Other material examined. CHINA, Hainan Island: 1 3, 3 Ƥ, Jianfengling Mountain, 2 June 2009, C. Zhang leg.; 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Diaoluo Mountain, 6 June 2009, C. Zhang leg.; 1 Ƥ, Wuzhishan City (18°39ʹN, 109°19ʹE), 8 November 2008, G. X. Han leg.; 1 3, Qixianling Mountain (18°14ʹN, 109°37ʹE), Baoting County, 8 June 2009, C. Zhang leg.; 1 Ƥ, Xichang Town (19°10ʹN, 109°53ʹE), Tunchang County, 11 June 2009, C. Zhang leg.; 1 Ƥ, Huangzhu Town (19°32ʹN, 110°24ʹE), Ding’an County, 22 November 2008, G. X. Han leg.

Diagnosis. Males can be distinguished from other Phycosoma species except P. nigromaculatum (Yoshida, 1987) by the wholly sclerotized dorsum of the opisthosoma. It differs from P. nigromaculatum in conductor and embolus positioning ( Figs 9 – 11 ). Females can be distinguished from all other Phycosoma species except P. m a r t i - nae ( Roberts, 1983) by the small scapus extending slightly beyond the epigastric furrow. It is separated from P. martinae by the oval first seminal receptacle ( Figs 13 – 14 ).

Redescription. Male (Jianfengling Mountain) total length 1.58: prosoma 0.70 long, 0.53 wide, 0.31 high; opisthosoma 0.90 long, 0.65 wide. Size range: Male total body length 1.54 – 1.58 (n=3).

Color. Carapace ( Fig. 9 ) yellow-brown, median part darker than other parts, and with thin annular brown patch around each seta. Each eye with a black ring. Chelicerae yellow. Endites yellow, black distally. Labium yellowbrown, gray distally. Sternum yellow-brown, with annular brown patch around each seta. Legs brown. Opisthosoma with scattered setae surround by annular brown patches; dorsum of opisthosoma covered by a dorsal scutum and with four dark brown muscle impressions centrally, the posterior part with two black lateral patches and a median black patch; laterally yellow-brown with a few large black patches; venter yellowish. Spinnerets yellowbrown.

Prosoma ( Fig. 9 ). Carapace longer than wide, highest medially, head protruding forward and beyond clypeus, anterior margin with several black setae. Both eye rows recurved in dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.09, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07; AME – AME 0.08, AME – ALE 0.02, ALE – ALE 0.29, PME – PME 0.05, PME – PLE 0.05, PLE – PLE 0.31, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA 0.13 long, anterior posterior 0.18, back width 0.13. Clypeus 0.21 high, with a few gray setae. Endites with gray scopulae. Labium 0.08 long, 0.13 wide. Sternum 0.36 long, 0.36 wide, with scattered short black setae.

Legs. Thin, with sparse setae and thin spines. Measurements: leg I 1.34 (0.44, 0.13, 0.31, 0.23, 0.23), II 1.25 (0.39, 0.13, 0.29, 0.22, 0.22), III 1.01 (0.36, 0.13, 0.18, 0.17, 0.17), IV 1.55 (0.52, 0.13, 0.39, 0.25, 0.26). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 9 ). Oval, longer than wide, with scattered short black setae.

Male palp ( Figs 10 – 11 ). Tegulum slightly inflated; embolus short and pointed in ventral view; conductor small and C-shaped in prolateral view.

Female (Jianfengling Mountain). Total length 2.02: prosoma 0.63 long, 0.63 wide, 0.45 high; opisthosoma 1.44 long, 1.04 wide.Size range: Female total body length 1.98 – 2.02 (n=8).

Color ( Fig. 12 ). Opisthosoma yellow-brown, without dorsal scutum; anterior part with two pairs of dark brown muscle impressions, and posterior part with an inverted V-shaped marking.

Prosoma. Both eye rows recurved in dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.10, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08; AME – AME 0.09, AME – ALE 0.02, ALE – ALE 0.36, PME – PME 0.08, PME – PLE 0.09, PLE – PLE 0.39, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA 0.18 long, anterior width 0.26, posterior width 0.18. Clypeus 0.27 a few. Labium 0.09 long, 0.14 wide. Sternum 0.41 long, 0.36 wide.

Legs. Measurements: leg I 1.61(0.52, 0.27, 0.32, 0.27, 0.23), II 1.59 (0.50, 0.27, 0.32, 0.27, 0.23), III 1.45 (0.45, 0.23, 0.27, 0.27, 0.23), IV 1.99 (0.77, 0.27, 0.36, 0.32, 0.27). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma. The characters identical to holotype.

Female genitalia ( Figs 13 – 14 ). Epigynum slightly sclerotized, posterior part with a small epigynal atrium, copulatory openings concealed within atrium; second seminal receptacle globose and first seminal receptacle oval; copulatory ducts long and bent.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Comments. While examining specimens from Hainan Island we found two samples where males were captured together with females, the color pattern and setae arrangement of both sexes are the same except the more sclerotized dorsum of the male opisthosoma. As the females are P. stellaris , the males can reasonably be expected to be conspecific. The male is described here for the first time.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 14. Phycosoma stellaris (Zhu, 1998) 9 – 11, male holotype. 9, body, dorsal; 10, male left palp, ventral; 11, same, prolateral; 12 – 14, female paratype. 12, opisthosoma of female, dorsal; 13, epigynum, ventral; 13, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 9, 12, 0.5 mm; 10 – 11, 13 – 14, 0.1 mm.