Auricula rutunda, Irfan & Zhang & Peng, 2022

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2022, Survey of Linyphiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) spiders from Yunnan, China, Megataxa 8 (1), pp. 1-292 : 23-25

Auricula rutunda sp. nov. (ṆḦĄḋƦ)

Figures 20 , 21 , 29

Types. Holotype ♀, CHINA, Yunnan, Tengchong County: Manbang Township, Hongdoushu Village , 24.91805°N, 98.59597°E, alt. 1790m, 6 June 2006, Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu and Ming-wei Yang, Shaoxian He leg. ( YHY33 ) ; Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype ( YHY33 ) ; 1♀, Puchuan Township , Miguo Village, 24.76133°N, 98.53715°E, alt. 1920m, 5 June 2006, Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu, Ming-wei Yang and Shao-xian He leg. ( YHY30 ) .

Etymology. This epithet derives from the Latin adjective “ rutundus ”, meaning “globular” and referring to the globular spermathecae in epigyne.

Diagnosis. This new species resembles Auricula triangulara sp. nov. in having the globular spermathecae present on lateral side of dorsal plate and copulatory openings present posteriorly at the base of septum ( Fig. 20A–C ; Fig. 27A–C ), but can be distinguished by the dorsal plate posterior end with round outgrowth, about one third of wide of atrium in A. rutunda sp. nov. ( Fig. 20A, B ), whereas wide plate-shaped, almost as wide as atrium in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 27A, B ). Copulatory ducts small, not extending above the spermathecae anteriorly in A. rutunda sp. nov. ( Fig. 20C ), whereas large, extending above the spermathecae anteriorly in A. triangulara sp. nov. ( Fig. 27C ).

Description. Female (holotype, Fig. 21A, B ): Total length: 2.77. Carapace 1.08 long, 0.91 wide, yellow, mid dorsally slightly elevated; fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.24 high. Sternum longer than wide, brown, sparsely covered with microsetae. Labium wider than long. Maxillae long, distal end broad with scopulae. Chelicerae with four promarginal and six retromarginal teeth. Eye region narrow, AER straight, PER procurved slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.10, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.06, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.07, AME–PME 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.36, PLE–PLE 0.41, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 3.56 (1.06, 1.16, 0.79, 0.55), II 3.39 (1, 1.10, 0.77, 0.52), III 2.89 (0.85, 0.92, 0.67, 0.45), IV 3.69 (1.09, 1.24, 0.89, 0.47). Leg formula IV-I-II-III. Tm I 0.41 and Tm IV 0.36. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Abdomen 1.69 long, 1.35 wide, oval, greenish-grey, dorsally with two longitudinal black bands, ventral side greenish-grey.

Epigyne ( Fig. 20A–C ): wider than long, sclerotized; ventral plate connected with dorsal plate by septum to form shallow atrium with copulatory openings; dorsal plate sclerotized, with round edge protruding posteriorly, mid ventrally with a shallow depression; copulatory openings narrow. Vulva with long copulatory ducts, forming pairs of round loop anteriorly, almost equal to the anterior margin of spermathecae; spermathecae globular, on lateral side of dorsal plate, pointing away from each other, separated by a distance of 2/3 of their diameter.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 29 ).

Figures

FIGURE 20. Auricula rutunda sp. nov., female holotype. A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 21. Auricula rutunda sp. nov., female holotype. A Habitus, dorsal view B Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 27. Auricula triangulara sp. nov., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 29. Distribution of Auricula gen. nov. species.