Anelosimus subcrassipes, Zhang, Bao-Shi, Liu, Long & Zhang, Feng, 2011

Zhang, Bao-Shi, Liu, Long & Zhang, Feng, 2011, The cobweb spiders of the genus Anelosimus Simon, 1891 (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 2833, pp. 49-59 : 52-53

Anelosimus subcrassipes new species

( Figs 7 – 9 )

Type material. Female holotype, from Bawangling Mountain (19°07ʹN, 109°04ʹE), Hainan Island, China, 22 May 2009, C. Zhang leg.

Diagnosis. This new species differs from other Anelosimus species except A. crassipes (Boesenberg & Strand, 1906) , A. taiwanicus and A. exiguus by the shape of epigynal atrium. It differs from the three species above by: (1) epigynal atrium obviously wider than long; (2) copulatory openings larger; (3) two copulatory ducts almost touching each other medially ( Figs 8–9 ).

Etymology. The species name refers to its resemblance to A. crassipes .

Description. Female holotype total length 2.15: prosoma 0.92 long, 0.66 wide; opisthosoma 1.28 long, 0.92 wide.

Color. Carapace ( Fig. 7 ) brown. Cervical groove, radial furrows and median furrow dark brown. Eyes with black ring. Clypeus dark brown. Chelicerae and sternum brown. Endites dark brown, gray distally. Labium dark brown. Legs yellow brown, reddish-brown on femora I. Dorsum of opisthosoma gray black, with ripple-shaped lateral striates, covered with small white patches, median stripe gray black with some small white patches concealing under it; venter gray black. Spinnerets gray black.

Prosoma ( Fig. 7 ). Carapace longer than wide, with several black setae anteriorly. AER recurved and PER procurved from dorsal view. Eye measurements: AME 0.08, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.43, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.45, ALE and PLE contiguous. MOA long 0.23, front width 0.22, back width 0.23. Clypeus height 0.14, covered with few setae. Promargin of chelicerae with three teeth, with the third one largest; retromargin with five small teeth. Anterior margin of endites armed with gray scopula. Labium 0.14 long, 0.18 wide, armed with sparse black setae. Sternum 0.54 long, 0.52 wide and covered with sparse black setae, with anterior lightly procurved margin.

Legs. Thin except femora I sturdy. Measurements of legs: leg I 3.70 (1.20, 0.29, 0.99, 0.81, 0.41), II 2.22 (0.65, 0.23, 0.48, 0.54, 0.32), III 1.82 (0.54, 0.16, 0.45, 0.35, 0.32), IV 2.55 (0.92, 0.23, 0.54, 0.54, 0.32). Leg formula: 1423.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 7 ). Oval, longer than wide, covered with sparse brown setae.

Female genitalia ( Figs 8–9 ). Epigynum lightly sclerotized, posterior atrium wider than long, copulatory openings large; spermathecae almost globose; copulatory ducts twisted; the distance between two spermathecae longer than the diameter of spermatheca.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 9. Anelosimus subcrassipes n. sp. 7 – 9, female holotype. 7, body, dorsal view; 8, epigynum, ventral view; 9, vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 7, 0.5 mm; 8 – 9, 0.1 mm.