Savarna thungsong Yao & Li, 2020

Lan, Tianqi, Yao, Zhiyuan, Zheng, Guo, Wongprom, Prasit & Li, Shuqiang, 2020, Five new species of the spider genus Savarna Huber, 2005 (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 4778 (2), pp. 311-328 : 324

Savarna thungsong Yao & Li sp. nov.

Figs 9–10

Type material. Holotype: ♂ (IZCAS-Ar39743), Khao Plu Cave (8°1’22.0’’N, 99°34’35.3’’E, elevation 55 m), Khao Ro Subdistrict , Thung Song District, Nakhon Srithammarat, Thailand, 13 October 2015, P. Wongprom leg. Paratype: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar39744), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis. This species resembles S. thaleban Huber, 2005 (see Huber 2005: 77, figs 124–126, 131–134; Huber et al. 2015b: 11, figs 8–10, 30–31, 42–43, 55–62) with similar male chelicerae ( Fig. 10D ) and procursus ( Figs 9 C–D) but can be distinguished by S-shaped embolus ( Fig. 10C ), more elongated male palpal tibia ( Figs 9 A–B), and by presence of two large protrusions on ectal epigynal plate (arrow in Fig. 10A ) and by discrete pores on vulval pore plates ( Fig. 10B ).

Description. Male (holotype, IZCAS-Ar39743): Total length 2.66 (2.80 with clypeus), prosoma 0.82 long, 1.00 wide, opisthosoma 1.84 long, 1.24 wide. Leg I: 29.67 (7.68 + 0.49 + 6.61 + 11.92 + 2.97), leg II: 19.01 (5.32 + 0.42 + 4.47 + 7.11 + 1.69), leg III: 13.05 (3.84 + 0.41 + 3.13 + 4.64 + 1.03), leg IV: 17.34 (5.13 + 0.42 + 4.17 + 6.56 + 1.06); tibia I L/d: 42; leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Distance PME-PME 0.25, diameter PME 0.12, distance PME- ALE 0.04, AME absent. Sternum wider than long (0.76/0.56). Habitus as in Figs 10 E–F. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, with wide, black median stripe behind ocular area; ocular area and clypeus dark brown; sternum black. Legs brown, but slightly whitish on distal parts of femora and tibiae, with darker rings on subdistal parts of femora and proximal and subdistal parts of tibiae. Opisthosoma yellowish, with black subcuticular spots lying above deeper white spots dorsally and laterally and distinct ventral pattern consisting of three interconnected black marks. Ocular area elevated, each eye triad on top of short, laterally directed hump. Thoracic furrow deep. Clypeus with pair of small lateral processes at rim furnished with strong and long hairs. Chelicerae as in Fig. 10D , with pair of proximolateral apophyses. Palps as in Figs 9 A–B, trochanter with small dorsal apophysis (arrow in Fig. 9A ) and long ventral apophysis proximally attached to femur; procursus ( Figs 9 C–D) simple proximally but complex distally, with distinctive membranous and sclerotized elements; bulb ( Fig. 10C ) with proximal sclerite and sclerotized embolus apparently containing sperm duct (sperm duct opening visible, arrow in Fig. 10C ). Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 7% proximally; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia I, present on other tibiae; legs with vertical hairs in higher than usual density on all tibiae, without short spines and curved hairs; tarsus I with 15 distinct pseudosegments.

Female (paratype, IZCAS-Ar39744): Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 10 G–H. Total length 2.98 (3.10 with clypeus), prosoma 0.86 long, 0.94 wide, opisthosoma 2.12 long, 1.32 wide. Leg I: 23.25 (5.44 + 0.39 + 5.26 + 9.51 + 2.65), leg II missing, leg III: 11.71 (3.63 + 0.36 + 2.62 + 4.09 + 1.01), leg IV: 14.77 (4.49 + 0.36 + 3.42 + 5.37 + 1.13); tibia I L/d: 40. Distance PME-PME 0.20, diameter PME 0.11, distance PME-ALE 0.04, AME absent. Sternum slightly wider than long (0.76/0.64). Clypeus unmodified. Epigynum ( Fig. 10A ) slightly protruding, with two large protrusions on ectal surface (arrow in Fig. 10A ). Vulva ( Fig. 10B ) with ridge-shaped anterior arch and pair of large pore plates (pores discrete).

Variation: Unknown.

Natural history. The species was found in the twilight zone of the Khao Plu Cave (karst area).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 11 ).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Savarna thungsong sp. nov., holotype male. A–B. Palp (A. Prolateral view, arrow points at dorsal apophysis; B. Retrolateral view); C–D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view). b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, tr = trochanter. Scale bars: 0.10 (A–B), 0.05 (C–D).

FIGURE 10. Savarna thungsong sp. nov., holotype male (C–F) and paratype female (A–B, G–H). A. Epigynum, ventral view, arrow points at large protrusion on ectal surface; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal process, prolateral view, arrow points at sperm duct opening; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E–H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F. Lateral view; H. Ventral view). b = bulb, e = embolus, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.10 (A–D), 0.50 (E–H).

FIGURE 11. Known distribution records of new Savarna species from Thailand. 1. Savarna bannang sp. nov.; 2. S. chiangmai sp. nov.; 3. S. huahin sp. nov.; 4. S. satun sp. nov.; 5. S. thungsong sp. nov.