Tetrablemma ziyaoensis, Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014, New cave-dwelling armored spiders (Araneae, Tetrablemmidae) from Southwest China, ZooKeys 388, pp. 35-67 : 42-44

Tetrablemma ziyaoensis sp. n. Figs 13-15, 18 A–B, 19A, 22

Material.

Holotype ♂, paratypes 1♂ and 1♀ (IZCAS), CHINA, Guangxi: Chongzuo City, Fusui County, Dongmen Town, Ziyao Village, Yinhe Cave, 22°19.763'N, 107°47.526'E, elevation ca. 154 m, 13 July 2011, Xiaoxiao Wang leg.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis.

This new species is similar to Tetrablemma thamin Labarque & Grismado, 2009 (see Labarque and Grismado 2009: figs 1-4, 6-11), Tetrablemma marawula (see Lehtinen 1981: 61, figs 255-256, 266, 281), and Tetrablemma manggarai Lehtinen, 1981 (see Lehtinen 1981: 61, figs 259-260, 269, 282a, 287), but males can be distinguished by the tapering cheliceral horn, the no swollen palpal tibia, the deflective pear-shape bulb (Figs 14C, D) and the medial forked embolus (Figs 14A, B, 18B vs. Labarque and Grismado 2009: figs 1, 3, but not forked in Tetrablemma marawula and Tetrablemma manggarai ). Females differ by the presence of a triangular dorsal plate (absent in Tetrablemma thamin , Tetrablemma marawula and Tetrablemma manggarai ), the basally contracted central plate, the wide postepigastral scutum, and the presence of a long and distinct anterior fold on the preanal scutum (Figs 15B, C; 19A) (absent in Tetrablemma thamin and Tetrablemma marawula , unknown in Tetrablemma manggarai ).

Description. Male (holotype). Coloration: body yellowish-brown; legs light brown.

Measurements: total length 1.13; carapace 0.50 long, 0.39 wide, 0.26 high; abdomen 0.75 long, 0.55 wide, 0.44 high; clypeus 0.26 high; sternum 0.29 long, 0.30 wide. Length of legs: I 1.29 (0.41, 0.13, 0.30, 0.22, 0.23); II 1.18 (0.38, 0.11, 0.27, 0.21, 0.22); III 1.07 (0.32, 0.11, 0.23, 0.20, 0.21); IV 1.47 (0.45, 0.13, 0.38, 0.29, 0.24).

Carapace (Figs 13 A–B, E and G): most of surface reticulated, marginally rugose; ocular area slightly raised, located at center, with two long setae between PLEs; clypeal area distinctly convex, margin rounded; cheliceral horn thin, sharp, distally curved; sternum finely reticulated, strongly sclerotized at margin. Legs: cuticle striated and granular; femur I not swollen; tibiae I–III with 3 trichobothria, 4 on tibia IV, and metatarsi I–IV with one trichobothrium.

Abdomen (Figs 13 A–B, E): dorsal scutum short, oval, slightly granulated; ventral episgastric scutum centrally reticulated, laterally striated; lateral scutum I short; postepigastral scutum narrow, approximate 1/2 times width of preanal scutum, but same length.

Palp (Figs 14 A–D; 18 A–B): femur ventrally granulated (Figs 14C, D); tibia smooth, not swollen, approx. as long as 2/3 times femur; bulb deflective pear-shape, smooth; embolus long, needle-like, slightly sclerotized, medially forked (Figs 14A, B; 18B).

Female (paratype). Coloration as in male.

Measurements: total length 1.21; carapace 0.54 long, 0.41 wide, 0.23 high; abdomen 0.84 long, 0.63 wide, 0.45 high; clypeus 0.16 high; sternum 0.30 long, 0.31 wide. Length of legs: I 1.36 (0.45, 0.13, 0.30, 0.23, 0.25); II 1.25 (0.39, 0.12, 0.28, 0.22, 0.24); III 1.13 (0.32, 0.13, 0.23, 0.21, 0.23); IV 1.54 (0.47, 0.13, 0.39, 0.29, 0.25).

Carapace (Figs 13 C–D, F and H): cephalic part flat, smooth; ocular area anterior; clypeal area smooth, anteriorly upright; thoracic area reticulated; chelicerae with a small baso-lateral tubercle; sternum reticulated, covered with sparse setae. Legs: chaetotaxy and number of trichobothria as in male.

Abdomen (Figs 13 C–D, F; 15A): lateral scutum I anteriorly long, extending beyond the anterior rim of operculum; ventral episgastric scutum reticulated, laterally rugose; postepigastral scutum straight, medially narrow, laterally wide, as wide as preanal scutum; preanal scutum long oval, covered with serrated setae, a distinct furrow near anterior margin (Fig. 15B).

Genitalia (Figs 15 B–C; 19A): epigynal fold wide (Fig. 15B), epigynal pit small, rift-shaped; vulval stem wide “V” -shaped, strongly sclerotized; lateral horns slightly sclerotized, supporting the base of vulval ducts of spermathecae; dorsal plate broad, triangular, distal margin extending to form a long inner vulval plate; inner vulval plate narrow, slightly sclerotized, longer than central process (Figs 15C; 19A); central process contracted at base (Fig. 19A).

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 22).