Pholcus subwan Yao & Li, 2017

Dong, Tingting, Zheng, Guo, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2017, Ten new species of the spider genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4306 (3), pp. 339-369 : 357-362

Pholcus subwan Yao & Li sp. nov.

Figs 15–16

Type material. Holotype: male (Ar29670), Urai Thong Cave (6°56.227′N, 99°45.880′E, elevation 23 m), La Ngu District , Satun, Thailand, 16 October 2015, Q. Zhao, G. Zhou and Z. Chen leg. Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females (Ar 29671–29673), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name refers to its similarity to P. wan Yao & Li, 2016 ; adjective.

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. wan Yao & Li, 2016 (see Dong et al. 2016: 12, figs 17–18) with similar procursus ( Figs 15 C–D) and female genitalia ( Figs 16 A–B) but can be distinguished by the small and weakly sclerotized uncus ( Fig. 16 C) and by the thin and marginally curved appendix ( Fig. 16 C).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 5.80 (6.07 with clypeus), carapace 1.70 long, 1.80 wide, opisthosoma 4.10 long, 1.60 wide. Leg I missing, leg II: – (10.83 + 0.88 + 11.28 +17.37+ –), leg III: 27.01 (7.50 + 0.80 +6.73 + 10.58 + 1.40), leg IV: 35.39 (10.06 + 0.78 + 8.91 + 13.91 + 1.73). Distance PME-PME 0.48; diameter PME 0.14; distance PME-ALE 0.03; distance AME-AME 0.05; diameter AME 0.06. Sternum wider than long (1.20/0.95). Habitus as in Figs 16 E–F. Carapace yellowish, with brown marks extending to ocular area; ocular area brown; sternum brown. Legs yellowish, distal parts of femora and tibiae whitish, darker rings absent. Opisthosoma yellowish, with brown spots dorsally and laterally. Ocular area elevated, each eye triad on top of a laterally directed eye-stalk. Thoracic furrow absent. Chelicerae as in Fig. 16 D, with a pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, a pair of distal apophyses, each with two cone-shaped teeth. Pedipalps as in Figs 15 A–B; trochanter with a short retrolateroventral apophysis; femur with a distinct ventral hump; procursus long and strongly curved; bulbal apophyses as in Fig. 16 C; uncus small and weakly sclerotized; appendix with two large distal apophyses directed towards laterally; embolus weakly sclerotized. Legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 16 G–H. Total length 6.17 (6.44 with clypeus), carapace 1.55 long, 1.80 wide, opisthosoma 4.62 long, 1.88 wide; Leg I: 61.47 (14.27 + 0.85 + 14.23 + 29.39 + 2.73); tibia I L/d: 70. Distance PME-PME 0.27; diameter PME 0.17; distance PME-ALE 0.03; distance AME-AME 0.05; diameter AME 0.06. Sternum wider than long (1.20/1.10). Opisthosoma without spots. Ocular area without eye-stalks. Epigynum ( Fig. 16 A) with a knob, weakly sclerotized area elongate, posteriorly area highly sclerotized. Vulva ( Fig. 16 B) with a sclerotized anterior arch and two elliptic pore plates. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 5%; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae; tarsus I with 17 distinct pseudosegments.

Variation: Leg I lost in male paratype. Tibia I in another female paratype: 12.82.

Distribution. Thailand (Satun, type locality; Fig. 21 ).

Natural History. The species was found in the entrance zone of the cave.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Pholcus subwan Yao & Li sp. nov., holotype male. A – B. Pedipalp (A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view); C – D. Distal part of procursus (C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view). a = appendix, b = bulb, e = embolus, pr = procursus, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.30 (A – B), 0.10 (C – D).

FIGURE 16. Pholcus subwan Yao & Li sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A – B, G – H). A. Epigynum, ventral view; B. Vulva, dorsal view; C. Bulbal apophyses, prolateral view; D. Chelicerae, frontal view; E – H. Habitus (E, G. Dorsal view; F. Lateral view; H. Ventral view). a = appendix, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate, u = uncus. Scale bars: 0.20 (A – B, D), 0.10 (C), 1.00 (E – H).

FIGURE 21. Distribution records of new Pholcus species from Southeast Asia. 1. Pholcus bulacanensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. bicornutus species group; 2. P. duan Yao & Li sp. nov., 3. P. ping Yao & Li sp. nov. and 4. P. vietnamensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. bidentatus species group; 5. P. fuza Yao & Li sp. nov. and 6. P. mueangensis Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. buatong species group; 7. P. cheni Yao & Li sp. nov. and 8. P. subwan Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. halabala species group; 9. P. shuye Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. krabi species group; 10. P. dongxue Yao & Li sp. nov. from the P. yichengicus species group.