Araneus breviscapus new species

Figures 1, 2, 7

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunan province: Tengchong County, Houqiao Township, Gaoshidong Village, 25.39859°N, 98.30531°E, 2374 m, 27.V.2006, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu leg. (Wang060527-2) . Paratypes: 1♂ 6♀, same data as holotype (Wang060527-2); Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village: 2♂ 1♀, 25.74556°N, 98.69630°E, 2030 m, 15.V.2006 (Peng060515), 2♂ 1♀, 25.42018°N, 98.40946°E, 1878 m, 19.V.2006 (Peng060519), 1♂ 2♀, 25.75720°N, 98.69459°E, 2078 m, 16.V.2006 (Peng060516), 1♀, 25.42018°N, 98.40946°E, 1870 m, night, 17.V.2006 (Peng060517 night), Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu leg .; 1♀, Fugong County, Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village, 27.14490°N, 98.81453°E, 2530 m, 7.V.2004, Heng-mei Yan leg. (20040507-2) ; 1♀, Longyang County, Bawan Township, Sanchahe Village, 24.94755°N, 98.75564°E, 2300 m, 3.VI.2005, Heng-mei Yan, Ke-ji Guo and Hong-bin Liang leg.(GKJ 039) ; 1♀, Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve, 24.82886°N, 98.75917°E, 2010 m, 26.V.2005, Heng-mei Yan leg. (GKJ026) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is the combination of the Latin “ brevis ” (short) and “ scapus ” (scape), referring to the thick and short scape; adjective.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles A. wulongensis Song & Zhu, 1992 (Liu et al. 2019, figs 9 – 11), but can be distinguished by: 1) dorsal ramus of median apophysis hook-shaped, ventral ramus of median apophysis with blunt tip in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2A, C) vs. dorsal ramus finger-shaped, ventral ramus with many teeth in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 10A); 2) conductor with swollen tip in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2A) vs. with truncated tip in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 10A); 3) distal end of subterminal apophysis truncated in ventral view in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2F) vs. with a protuberance at the center in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 10G); 4) embolus almost L-shaped, embolic lamella almost leaf-like in lateral view in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2E) vs. embolus C-shaped, embolic lamella finger-shaped in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 10F); 5) scape straight, wider than long, tip as wide as base in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2G) vs. S-shaped, much longer than wide, tip expanded distinctly in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 11A, B); 6) copulatory openings located on the posterio-lateral sides of epigynum in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2H) vs. located on the anterodorsal side of epigynum in A. wulongensis (Liu et al. 2019: fig. 11C, D).

Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 1A, B, E): total length 2.67. Carapace 1.36 long, 1.20 wide, yellow; fovea, cervical, and radial grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.06; ALE, 0.07; PME, 0.07; PLE, 0.07; AME–AME, 0.10; AME–ALE, 0.14; PME–PME, 0.07; PME–PLE, 0.20; MOL, 0.21; MOA, 0.23; MOP, 0.19. Sternum yellowish brown. Chelicerae yellow, with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites yellowish brown, distal end pale. Labium yellowish brown, distal part pale. Legs yellow to yellowish brown, without annulus. Tibia I with several strong spines: 4d, 4p, 1v. Leg lengths: I, 5.29 (1.60, 1.86, 1.24, 0.59); II, 4.63 (1.43, 1.65, 1.03, 0.52); III, 3.74 (1.17, 1.27, 0.88, 0.42); IV, 2.76 (0.92, 0.89, 0.58, 0.37). Abdomen 1.50 long, 1.14 wide, oval; dorsum grayish yellow, with three herringbones medially, four pairs of white crescentic markings laterally and four pairs of sigillae; ventral median band grayish yellow, lateral sides yellowish. Spinnerets grayish brown.

Palp (Fig. 2A–F). Cymbium longer than wide, paracymbium hook-shaped with blunt tip. Tegulum wider than long. Median apophysis bifurcated, dorsal ramus hook-shaped with pointed tip, ventral ramus weakened with blunt tip. Conductor membranous, with swollen tip. Subterminal apophysis sclerotized, band-shaped, with truncate tip in ventral view, invisible on unexpanded palp. Terminal apophysis wide and sclerotized, with rounded tip. Embolus almost L-shaped, with pointed tip, embolic lamella membranous, almost leaf-like, cap broken trails at the middle.

Female (one paratype of Wang060527-2, Fig. 1C, D, F): total length 4.85. Carapace 1.60 long, 1.50 wide, yellowish brown; fovea concave. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.08; ALE, 0.09; PME, 0.10; PLE, 0.09; AME–AME, 0.15; AME–ALE, 0.19; PME–PME, 0.08; PME–PLE, 0.25; MOL, 0.28; MOA, 0.28; MOP, 0.21. Legs yellowish brown. Spines of tibia I: 3d, 2p, 1r. Leg lengths: I, 5.7 (1.80, 2.07, 1.21, 0.62); II, 4.93 (1.58, 1.76, 1.11, 0.48); III, 3.01 (0.97, 1.00, 0.62, 0.42); IV, 4.48 (1.45, 1.56, 1.02, 0.45). Abdomen 3.43 long, 2.77 wide. Other color and pattern as in male.

Epigynum (Fig. 2G, H). About three times wider than long; scape straight, almost rectangular, wider than long and shorter than epigynum; lateral plates almost ear-shaped, expanded laterally; median plate wider than long; basal lamellae absent. Copulatory openings located on the posterolateral sides of the epigynum. Copulatory ducts twisted. Spermathecae oval, almost touching each other.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 7).