Araneus minisculus, Mi & Li, 2022

Mi, Xiaoqi & Li, Shuqiang, 2022, On eleven new species of the orb-weaver spider genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China, ZooKeys 1137, pp. 75-108 : 75

Araneus minisculus sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 19A, B

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar43112), China: Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Mohan Township, Shanggang Village, Xiaolongha, seasonal rainforest (21°24.19'N, 101°36.26'E, ca 720 m), 4.VII.2012, Q.Y. Zhao & Z.G. Chen leg. Paratypes: 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar43113), Menghai County, Menghai Township, Manzhen Village, Mandazhai, secondary forest (22°1.70'N, 100°23.70'E, ca 1190 m), 28.VII.2012, Q.Y. Zhao & Z.G. Chen leg.; 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar43114), Mengla County, Menglun Township, Menglun Nature Reserve, secondary tropical forest, Anogeissus acuminate plantation (about 20 years old), G213 roadside (21°54.03'N, 101°16.89'E, ca 610 m), 2.VIII.2018, Z.L. Bai leg.

Etymology.

The specific name is from the Latin word “minisculus”, meaning “small”, referring to the relatively small total length of the habitus.

Diagnosis.

The new species can be distinguished from any other congeners by the following combination of characters: 1) male palp with a cluster of tibial bristles; 2) dorsal abdomen with 2 pairs of longitudinal, narrow, pale patches; and 3) small total body length.

Description.

Male (holotype, Figs 11 , 19A, B ). Total length 1.90. Carapace 1.05 long, 0.85 wide. Abdomen 1.05 long, 0.90 wide. Clypeus 0.05 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.05, PME 0.08, PLE 0.05, AME-AME 0.10, AME-ALE 0.13, PME-PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.05, MOA length 0.25, anterior width 0.23, posterior width 0.20. Leg measurements: I 3.50 (1.05, 1.20, 0.80, 0.45), II 2.90 (0.85, 1.00, 0.65, 0.40), III 1.70 (0.55, 0.55, 0.30, 0.30), IV 2.35 (0.75, 0.75, 0.50, 0.35). Carapace pear-shaped, dark brown, with pale setae, cervical groove inconspicuous. Chelicerae grayish brown, 4 promarginal teeth, 3 retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium grayish brown at base, paler distally, endites square, labium triangular. Sternum cordiform, dark brown with yellow patch anteriorly, with pale setae. Legs yellow to yellowish brown, without annulus. Abdomen broadly oval, covered with pale setae, dorsum grayish brown with two pairs of longitudinal, narrow, pale patches; venter grayish brown with a pair of yellow patches. Spinnerets grayish brown.

Palp (Fig. 11A-D ): with 1 patellar bristle and a cluster of tibial bristles; median apophysis transverse, with long, tapered spur; embolus short, broad at base; conductor large, heavily sclerotized, curved; terminal apophysis small, about equal length to embolus.

Variation. Total length: ♂♂ 1.80-1.90.

Distribution.

Known only from type localities (Yunnan, China).

Figures

Figure 11. Araneus minisculus sp. nov. holotype A male palp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., apical view D ibid., expanded, apical view E habitus, dorsal view F ibid., ventral view G ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D); 1 mm (E-G).

Figure 19. Legs of Araneus spp. A, B A. minisculus sp. nov., male holotype A leg I B leg II C, D A. ovoideus sp. nov., female holotype C leg I D leg II E-H A. pseudodigitatus sp. nov., male holotype E leg I F leg II G leg III H leg IV I, J Araneus semiorbiculatus sp. nov., female holotype I leg I J leg II K-N A. tetracanthus sp. nov., male holotype K leg I L leg II M leg III N leg IV. Scale bars: 1 mm.