Chrysilla acerosa, Zhang, 2012

Zhang, Lu-Yu Wang Zhi-Sheng, 2012, A new species of Chrysilla Thorell, 1887 from China (Araneae: Salticidae), Zootaxa 3243, pp. 65-68 : 65-67

Chrysilla acerosa sp. nov.

Figs 1–19

Type material. Holotype: Male, China, Chongqing City, Beibei District , Jinyun Mountain National Natural Reserve , Yunhe Administrative Station , 29°50΄30" N, 106°21΄31" E, Alt. 248m, 12 December 2010, Z.S. Zhang leg. Paratypes: 2 males, 2 females, with same data as for the holotype ; 4 males, 1 female, Jinyun Mountain Natural Reserve, Guankou Administrative Station, 29°42΄010" N, 106°17΄25" E, Alt. 517m, 12 January 2011, Z.X. Li & L.Y. Wang leg. ; 1 male, SWUC campus, 29°49΄20" N, 106°25΄38" E, Alt. 238m, 4 September 2008, X. T. Zhao leg. ; 1 male, SWUC campus, 13 June 2009, Z. Cao leg. ; 3 males, 10 females, Sichuan Province, Changning County, Zhuhai Town, Sansonghu Village , 28°31΄05" N, 104°56΄29" E, Alt. 316m, 27–29 September 2008, L.Y. Wang & Z.S. Zhang leg.

Etymology. The specific name is a Latin word, meaning needle-like, and refers to the shape of embolus; adjective.

Diagnosis. Male of the new species is similar to C. lauta and C. deelemani (see Prószyṅski & Deeleman-Reinhold 2010: 159, figs 30–37), but differs from the others by the wider than long RTA with a ventral tip and the much longer embolus ( Figs 4–5, 13–14). Female of this new species is the first known female of a true Chrysilla , but can be distinguished from those of other species presently included in the genus by anteriorly located copulatory openings with the same distance as the diameter of them and the piriform spermathecae ( Figs 6–7, 15–18).

Description. Male. Total length 6.71–9.70. Holotype ( Figs 2–3, 8, 10–12) total length 7.41. Prosoma 2.77 long, 2.02 wide; opisthosoma 4.60 long, 1.38 wide. Dorsum of prosoma dark brown, oval, fairly broad and longer than wide, iridescent setae locating on head region. Thorax region covering with short, dense, brown hairs. Six spines and a notch locating near the pedicel ( Fig 10). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.64, ALE 0.34, PME 0.09, PLE 0.35; AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.02, PME– PME 1.55, PME–PLE 0.35, ALE–PLE 0.78. MOA 0.95 long, front width 1.20, back width 1.69. Clypeus height 0.11. Chelicerae elongate, brown, with two promarginal and one retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium brown, longer than wide. Sternum orange, oval-shaped, with sparse orange hairs. Legs long and slender, yellowish brown. Femur I with black anterolateral surface and beautifully blue metal luster when live. Ventral spines locating on the surface of forelegs. Leg measurements: I 7.56 (2.27, 3.03, 1.49, 0.77); II 5.34 (1.69, 1.97, 1.26, 0.42); III 5.72 (1.68, 1.93, 1.42, 0.69); IV 6.87 (1.97, 2.37, 1.86, 0.67). Leg formula: 1432. Opisthosoma long, much narrower than prosoma. Dorsum brown, with a white longitudinal marking on the mid-line and several brick red small markings on the lateral side of white marking centrally when live.

Male palp ( Figs 4–5, 13–14). RTA wider than long, with a ventral tip. Genital bulb longer than wide, with a very long embolus anteriorly, needle-like and extending forward.

Female (paratype, Figs 1, 9) somewhat smaller than male. Total length 7.16. Prosoma 2.74 long, 2.01 wide; opisthosoma 4.53 long, 1.75 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.59, ALE 0.32, PME 0.07, PLE 0.35; AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 1.63, PME–PLE 0.32, ALE–PLE 0.83. MOA 0.93 long, front width 1.16, back width 1.87. Clypeus height 0.12. Leg measurements: I 5.76 (1.74, 2.32, 1.06, 0.64); II 4.70 (1.49, 1.80, 0.90, 0.51); III 5.23 (1.59, 1.68, 1.27, 0.69); IV 6.60 (1.92, 2.32, 1.67, 0.69). Leg formula: 4132. Opisthosoma relatively stronger than that of male. Dorsum brown, with three white and two brick red markings when live.

Epigyne ( Figs 6–7, 15–18). Copulatory openings anteriorly located, separated by the diameter of the opening. Copulatory ducts extending backward. Spermathecae piriform, connecting with fertilization ducts anteriorly.

Distribution. China (Chongqing and Sichuan) ( Fig. 19).