Phycosoma digitula, Zhang, Feng & Zhang, Bao-Shi, 2012

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 : 31-33

Phycosoma digitula new species

( Figs 1 – 5 )

Type material. Holotype 3, CHINA, Hainan Island: Bawangling Town (19°09ʹN, 109°13ʹE), 23 May 2009, C. Zhang leg. Paratypes: 1 Ƥ, same data as holotype; CHINA, Hainan Island: 1 3, Bawangling Town, 20 May 2009, C. Zhang leg.; 1 3, Jianfengling Mountain (19°07ʹN, 109°10ʹE), 30 May 2009, C. Zhang leg.

Diagnosis. Males can be distinguished from all other Phycosoma species by the wide apical cymbium ( Figs 2–3 ). Female can be distinguished from all other Phycosoma species except P. flavomarginatum (Boesenberg & Strand, 1906) , P. hainanensis and P. hana by the wide, U-shaped scapus and is separated from these three species by the long copulatory ducts ( Figs 4–5 ).

Etymology. The species name refers to digitiform apophysis of the tegulum.

Description. Male holotype total length 3.15: prosoma 1.49 long, 1.22 wide, 0.95 high; opisthosoma 1.71 long, 0.99 wide. Size range: Male total body length 3.05 – 3.15 (n=3).

Color. Carapace ( Fig. 1 ) yellowish, median part yellow-brown. Cervical groove black. Each eye with a black ring. Clypeus, chelicerae, endites, labium and sternum yellowish; endites gray distally. Legs yellowish, distal part of patellae, tibiae and metatarsi yellow-brown. Dorsum of opisthosoma yellowish with many black stripes; venter yellowish. Spinnerets yellowish.

Prosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Carapace oval, longer than wide, with several black setae anteriorly. Thoracic groove wide and deep. AER recurved and PER almost straight in dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.16, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.12; AME – AME 0.18, AME – ALE 0.03, ALE – ALE 0.60, PME – PME 0.13, PME – PLE 0.13, PLE – PLE 0.66, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA 0.27 long, anterior width 0.40, posterior width 0.34. Clypeus 0.59 high, with a few black setae. Anterior margin of endites covered with black scopulae. Labium 0.14 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.77 long, 0.68 wide, with scattered black setae.

Legs. Thin, with scattered long black spines. Measurements: leg 4.73 (1.49, 0.45, 1.26, 1.17, 0.36), 4.28 (1.40, 0.45, 0.99, 0.99, 0.45), 3.84 (1.17, 0.32, 0.95, 0.99, 0.41), 5.18 (1.80, 0.54, 1.44, 0.95, 0.45). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Oval, longer than wide, covered with sparse and long black setae.

Male palp ( Figs 2 – 3 ). Cymbium wide, apical part with an apophysis; tegulum with a sclerotized digitiform apophysis; conductor membranous; embolus thin and concealed behind the TTA.

Female. Paratype total length 3.15: prosoma 1.08 long, 1.08 wide, 0.63 high; opisthosoma 2.25 long, 1.71 wide.

Color. Cervical groove and radial furrow brown. Sternum yellow. Chelicerae, endites and labium yellowbrown. Legs yellowish, patellae distally and tibiae with black annulations.

Prosoma. Carapace with high head region and without distinct groove. Both the eye rows recurved in dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.09, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.13, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.50, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.10, PLE–PLE 0.55, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA 0.23 long, anterior width 0.34, posterior width 0.25. Clypeus 0.41 high. Labium 0.14 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.81 long, 0.72 wide.

Legs. Measurements: leg I 4.06 (1.58, 0.36, 1.08, 0.68, 0.36), II 4.01 (1.35, 0.36, 0.95, 0.99, 0.36), III 3.47 (0.95, 0.36, 0.90, 0.90, 0.36), IV 5.40 (1.53, 0.45, 1.44, 1.44, 0.54). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma. The characters identical to holotype.

Female genitalia ( Figs 4–5 ). Epigynum lightly sclerotized, posterior part with a scapus extending slightly beyond epigastric furrow; copulatory openings small; the diameter of first seminal receptacle more than twice that of second seminal receptacle; copulatory ducts long, thin and bent slightly; subcopulatory ducts short.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Phycosoma digitula n. sp. 1 – 3, male holotype. 1, body, dorsal; 2, male left palp, ventral; 3, same, prolateral; 4 – 5, female paratype. 4, epigynum, ventral; 5, vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: 1, 0.5 mm; 2 – 5, 0.2 mm.