Ptocasius Simon, 1885

Yang, Su-Fang & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2023, A review of the Ptocasius Simon, 1885 spiders of Gaoligong Mountains, China (Araneae: Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 903 (1), pp. 1-61 : 3-5

Genus Ptocasius Simon, 1885

Type species

Ptocasius weyersi Simon, 1885 .

Diagnosis

A pair of dark longitudinal bands extending from the back of the ALE to the retromargin of the carapace and with a longitudinal bar-shaped fovea. The epigynum has sclerotized blind pockets that vary in size and position and are located away from the posterior edge. Copulatory ducts are of various lengths, with an internal ridge in the majority of species. Spermathecae vary in shape and size across species. The palpal organ is relatively simple, with the end of the embolus lying in a special groove on the ventral surface of the cymbium, usually more or less expanded laterally. Cymbium densely covered with setae. The tibial apophysis robust and heavily sclerotized. Species differ in the length and shape of the embolus, bulb and cymbium ( Peng 2020).

Key to species of the Gaoligong Mountains

1. Male .................................................................................................................................................. 2

– Female ..............................................................................................................................................11

2. Tibial apophysis beyond the anterior margin of genital bulb ........................................................... 3

– Tibial apophysis bellow the anterior margin of genital bulb ............................................................ 5

3. Tibial apophysis band-shaped in retrolateral view ..................................... P. longapophysis sp. nov.

– Tibial apophysis not band-shaped in retrolateral view ..................................................................... 4

4. Median area of genital bulb with a triangular outgrowth in retrolateral view .................................. 5

– Median area of genital bulb without outgrowth in retrolateral view ................................................ 6

5. Tibial apophysis lamellar ....................................................................................... P. danzhu sp. nov.

– Tibial apophysis needle-shaped ................................................................ P. tengchongensis sp. nov.

6. Tibial apophysis knife-shaped .......................................................................................................... 7

– Tibial apophysis not knife-shaped .................................................................................................... 8

7. Genital lobe as long as wide in ventral view .................................................... P. jietouensis sp. nov.

– Genital lobe much longer than wide in ventral view ........................................... P. geminus sp. nov.

8. Sperm duct originates at about 10:00 o’clock position ........................................... P. zabkai sp. nov.

– Sperm duct originates at about 9:00 o’clock position ...................................................................... 9

9. Embolus originates at about 9:00 o’clock position .......... P. pseudoflexus ( Liu, Yang & Peng, 2016)

– Embolus originates at about 8:00 o’clock position ......................................................................... 10

10. Genital lobe triangular ................................................................................. P. longlingensis sp. nov.

– Genital lobe hook-shaped .................................................................................. P. filiformus sp. nov.

11. Pockets located at the median area of copulatory openings ........................................................... 12

– Pockets not located at the median area of copulatory openings ..................................................... 15

12. The anterior margin of copulatory openings near the anterior edge of epigynum ......................... 13

– The anterior margin of copulatory openings relatively away from the anterior edge of epigynum ... ......................................................................................................................................................... 14

13. The top of pockets almost above posterior margin of copulatory openings ... P. rectangulus sp. nov.

– The top of pockets distinctly below posterior margin of copulatory openings ... P. robustus sp. nov.

14. Pockets separated from each other ......................................................... P. montanus ( Żabka, 1981)

– Pockets close to each other .................................................................................. P. geminus sp. nov.

15. Pockets near the anterior edge of epigynum ................................................................................... 16

– Pockets relatively away from the anterior edge of epigynum ........................................................ 19

16. Pockets relatively away from the anterior edge of epigynum ........................................................ 17

– Pockets close to copulatory openings ............................................................................................. 18

17. Pockets eyebrow-shaped ............................................................................. P. longapophysis sp. nov.

– Pockets not eyebrow-shaped ............................................ P. pseudoflexus ( Liu, Yang & Peng, 2016)

18. Pockets horn-shaped ................................................................................. P. tengchongensis sp. nov.

– Pockets not horn-shaped .................................................................................... P. angulatus sp. nov.

19. Pockets located at the edge of epigynum ........................................................................................ 20

– Pockets not located at the edge of epigynum .................................................................................. 22

20. Epigynum with a transverse W-shaped band ........................................................ P. circulus sp. nov.

– Epigynum without a transverse W-shaped band ............................................................................. 21

21. Copulatory openings almost parentheses-shaped ............................................... P. foliolatus sp. nov.

– Copulatory openings almost V-shaped .................................................................. P. zonatus sp. nov.

22. Anterior interval of copulatory openings equal with posterior interval ......................................... 23

– Anterior interval of copulatory openings narrower than posterior interval .................................... 24

23. Copulatory ducts thin and S-shaped .................................................................. P. filiformus sp. nov.

– Copulatory ducts thick and L-shaped .......................................................... P. longlingensis sp. nov.

24. The top margins of spermathecae close to copulatory openings .................................................... 25

– The top margins of spermathecae relatively away from copulatory openings ................................... ....................................................................................................................... P. umbellulatus sp. nov.

25. Interdistance of pockets almost as wide as pocket width ............................................................... 26

– Interdistance of pockets almost four times as wide as pocket width ................ P. jietouensis sp. nov.

26. Spermathecae close to each other ................................................................................................... 27

– Spermathecae separated from each other ................................................................ P. davidi sp. nov.

27. Copulatory openings ()-shaped .............................................................................. P. danzhu sp. nov.

– Copulatory openings V-shaped ................................................................................ P. zabkai sp. nov.