Uroctea multiprocessa Yang & Zhang, 2019

Yang, Zi-Zhong, Yang, Zhi-Bin, Zhao, Yu & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2019, Review of the tent-web spider genus Uroctea Dufour, 1820 in China, with descriptions of two new species (Araneae: Oecobiidae), Zootaxa 4679 (1), pp. 126-138 : 132-134

Uroctea multiprocessa Yang & Zhang sp. nov.

Figures 5 , 8

Type material. Holotype male, China, Sichuan Province: Batang County, Xiaqiong Town, Sililong Village , 30°01′22.1ʺN, 99°07′12.0ʺE, elev. 2571 m, 17 Jul. 2016, Zizhong Yang leg. ( SWUC).

Etymology. The specific name comes from the combination of “ multi -” and “ processus ”, referring to the median apophysis of the male palp with many (five) branches.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to U. lesserti ( Figs 3–4 ) but can be distinguished by two pairs of small yellow, dark markings on the dorsum of the opisthosoma ( Fig. 5A ) (three pairs and a single white markings in U. lesserti ), a five-branched median apophysis ( Fig. 5E ) (three-branched in U. lesserti ) and inflated base of the conductor ( Fig. 5E ) (not inflated in U. lesserti ).

Description. Male holotype ( Fig. 5A ): total length 7.03; Prosoma 2.82 long, 3.62 wide; Opisthosoma 5.20 long, 3.67 wide. Carapace almost round, brown, edge with short, black-brown setae. Fovea deep and transverse. Cephalic and radial groove distinct. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.27, ALE 0.23, PME 0.21, PLE 0.22; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–PLE 0.07, PME–PLE 0.03, PME–PME 0.30. MOA 0.50 long, 0.58 wide. Sternum, labium, endites, palps and legs brownish. Sternum heart-shaped, with dense brown hairs. Labium with almost the same length as width, with dense brown hairs. Endites with a few brown hairs. Legs with some blackbrown hairs. Leg measurements: I 10.28 (3.10, 3.37, 2.42, 1.39); II 10.40 (3.19, 3.29, 2.49, 1.43); III 10.17 (2.79, 3.31, 2.63, 1.44); IV 11.97 (3.24, 3.81, 3.27, 1.65). Leg formula: 4213. Opisthosoma long and oval, black-brown, with two pairs of yellowish markings. Anterior lateral spinnerets red-brown, posterior ones black-brown.

Male palp ( Fig. 5 B–E). Embolus originates prolatero-proximally from the tegulum, its end approaching the end of conductor. Conductor less sclerotized, with inflated base and groove-like anterior part. Median apophysis with five branches, b1 gooseneck-like, originating distally and extending forward, b2 stick-like, with blunt end, b3 short, nodular, approaching the base of conductor, with blunt end, b4 slender, spine-like, originating postero-retrolaterally, and b5 located centrally on median apophysis, short, slightly flattened, with blunt end ( Fig. 5E ). Sperm ducts distinct in prolateral and retrolateral view of genital bulb and ventral view of embolic base.

Female unknown.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality, Batang County of Sichuan, China ( Fig. 8 ).

Biology. The new species was collected from Batang, which has the highest elevation of Sichuan Province, where most of the area is more than 4000 m in elevation. The evolution of this species may be related to the uplift of the Tibet Plateau.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Uroctea lesserti Schenkel, 1936, A. Male habitus, dorsal view, B. Female habitus, dorsal view; C. Left male palp, prolateral view; D. Same, ventral view; E. Same, retrolateral view (the red arrow indicates the retrolateral projection of tibia); F. Epigyne, ventral view; G. Same, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Uroctea lesserti Schenkel, 1936, A. Left male palp, SEM photo, ventral view; B. Epigyne, ventral view; C. Same, dorsal view.

FIGURE 5. Uroctea multiprocessa Yang & Zhang sp. nov., A. male holotype, dorsal view of habitus; B. Left male palp, prolateral view; C. Same, ventral view; D. Same, retrolateral view (the red arrow indicates the retrolateral projection of tibia); E. Same, SEM photo, ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Distribution records of Chinese Uroctea specimens examined.