Heriaeus concavus, Tang & Li, 2010

Tang, Guo & Li, Shuqiang, 2010, Crab spiders from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China (Araneae, Thomisidae) 2703, Zootaxa 2703, pp. 1-105 : 12

Heriaeus concavus sp. nov.

Figs 4–6

Type material. Holotype: ♂, CHINA: Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town , Menglun Nature Reserve , rubber-tea plantation (about 20 years old, N21º54.463', E101º15.978', 569 m), 5–12 September 2007, leg. G. Zheng (J-CII-1-02).

Paratypes: CHINA: Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town , Menglun Nature Reserve , leg. G. Zheng ( Paramichelia baillonii Plantation , searching) : 1 ♀, (N21º54.772', E101º16.043', 556 m), 19–25 November 2006 (RZI-4-07). 1 ♀, 5–12 September 2006 (RZI-3-02); 1 ♀, 5–12 October 2006 (RZI-1-04); 1 ♀, 5– 12 December 2006 (RZI-1-08); 1 ♀, 19–25 October 2006 (RZI-3-05); 1 ♀, 19–25 January 2007 (RZI-3-11); 1 ♀, 19–25 February 2007 (RZIII-4-13); 1 ♀, (N21º54.200', E101º16.923', 608 m), 1–9 November 2006 (RZIII-2-07); 1 ♀, (N21º54.772', E101º16.043', 556 m), 16–24 October 2006 (RZI-3-06); 1 ♀, (N21º54.200', E101º16.923', 608 m), 16–31 January 2007 (RZII-5-12); 1 ♀, (N21º53.823', E101º17.072', 613 m), 16–31 February 2007 (RZIII-3- 14); 1 ♀, 5–12 December 2006 (J-CII-2-08).

Etymology. The specific name comes from the Latin word concavus (concave), refers to the retrolaterally concaved palpal cymbium, adjective.

Diagnosis. This new species is characterized by having the grayish black longitudinal markings on dorsal prosoma. This species is similar to H. crassispinus Lawrence, 1942 from South Africa ( Loerbroks 1983: 131, figs 93–94), but can be distinguished by: 1) ITA separated from ventral ramus of RTA (combined in H. crassispinus ); 2) embolus slender, its tip situated distally, ventral of cymbium (lateral of cymbium in H. crassispinus ).

Description. Male (holotype measured): Total length 3.10. Prosoma 1.70 long, 1.65 wide; opisthosoma 1.50 long, 1.20 wide. Prosoma flat, dorsal shield of prosoma grayish black. Head area with long setae. Eye tubercles grayish white. Eye measurements: AME 0.07; ALE 0.12; PME 0.05; PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.08; PME–PME 0.12; PME–PLE 0.22. MOA length 0.26 with front width 0.26 and back width 0.22. Chelicerae gray with black markings, gnathocoxae, labium yellow, sternum yellow with grayish black sides. Legs yellowish brown. Femora with 2 short dorsal spines, femora I with 3 prolateral spines. Leg measurements: I: 7.20 (2.10, 2.60, 1.70, 0.80); II: 7.25 (2.10, 2.65, 1.65, 0.85); III: 3.85 (1.10, 1.50, 0.75, 0.50); IV: 3.90 (1.20, 1.40, 0.80, 0.50), leg formula: 2143. Opisthosoma dorsally yellow with black markings, venter yellow with black stripes posteriorly.

Palp ( Figs 4 B–D, 6 A–B). VTA digitiform, combined with ITA basally; RTA large, bifurcated; tegulum with a small tongue-shaped apophysis; embolus slender, twisted around the hairless retrolateral cymbium.

Female (one of the paratypes measured): Total length 4.20. Prosoma 2.10 long, 2.10 wide. Opisthosoma 2.30 long, 2.40 wide. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow with grayish black markings and some setae. Eye measurements: AME 0.05; ALE 0.12; PME 0.06; PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.22; AME–ALE 0.12; PME–PME 0.16; PME–PLE 0.28. MOA length 0.32 with front width 0.32 and back width 0.28. Leg yellow with thick spines, femora with 1 dorsal short spine; femora I with 4 prolateral spines; tibiae and metatarsi of I, II with 5 pairs of thick ventral spines. Leg measurements: I: 6.80 (2.00, 2.60, 1.50, 0.70); II: 6.85 (2.00, 2.70, 1.45, 0.70); III: 4.00 (1.20, 1.50, 0.75, 0.55); IV: 4.10 (1.30, 1.50, 0.75, 0.55), leg formula: 2143. Opisthosoma dorsally yellow with grayish black markings, dorsally also covered with black setae, the laterals with black lines, venter yellow.

Epigynum ( Figs 5 B–E, 6 C–D). Epigynum with an anteriorly situated, sclerotized plate, which covers the small hood; copulatory ducts slender, twisted, ribbon-shaped, wrinkled anteriorly, wide and flat medially, narrow posteriorly; spermathecae short, small.

Variation. Total length: ♀ 3.50–5.20 (n=12).

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Remarks. The species Diaea implicata Jézéquel, 1966 from Ivory Coast ( Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa) has a similar palp as this new species ( Jézéquel 1966: 625). Diaea implicata could be a member of Heriaeus .