Gaoligonga taeniata, Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2014, Mysmenidae (Arachnida, Araneae), a spider family newly recorded from Vietnam, Zootaxa 3826 (1), pp. 169-194 : 178-186

Gaoligonga taeniata new species

Figs 8–14 , 20

Type material: Holotype: male ( IZCAS), VIETNAM: Ninh Binh, Cuc Phuong National Park (20°21.216′N, 105°37.025′E; Alt.: 436 m), natural forest, by sieving leaf litter, 8 October 2007, D.S. Pham leg. Paratypes: 1 male and 5 females, same data as holotype ( IZCAS); 1 male and 13 females ( IZCAS), Cuc Phuong National Park (20°21.440′N, 105°34.210′E; Alt.: 409 m), by sieving leaf litter, 5 July 2007; 1 male and 3 females ( IZCAS), Cuc Phuong National Park (20°19.582′N, 105°37.375′E; Alt.: 295 m), by sieving leaf litter, 17 August 2007; 14 females ( IZCAS), Cuc Phuong National Park (20°20.228′N, 105°36.227′E; Alt.: 386 m), by sieving leaf litter, 3 March 2008, D.S. Pham leg.

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin adjective “ taeniatus ” (taenioid), in reference to the ribbon-like embolus.

Diagnosis. Males of this new species can be distinguished from Gaoligonga changya ( Miller, Griswold & Yin 2009: 48, figs 38A–E, 39A–B, 40A–F, 41A–B, 43A–B) and G. zhusun ( Miller, Griswold & Yin 2009: 50, figs 43D–E, 44A–E, 45A–B, 46A–D, 47D) by the “S”-shaped cymbium with a serrate distal process (i.e. cymbial process) ( Figs 9 A–B, 10D, 13D), the strong, spiral embolus with a tortuous end ( Figs 10 C, 13A, 13C) and the presence of 3 distal-prolateral spines on the tibia III ( Fig. 8 B). Females are distinguished by the large, long central knob-shaped scape ( Figs 11 A, 14A), the clubbed spermathecae ( Figs 11 B, 14B) and the broad, complicated copulatory ducts ( Figs 11 B, 14B).

Description. Male (holotype). Somatic characters see Fig 8 A–C. Coloration: Prosoma dark medially, yellow laterally. Sternum yellow medially, grey laterally. Opisthosoma pale yellow, with irregular grey darkish speckles dorsally and ventrally.

Measurements: Total length 0.86. Prosoma 0.33 long, 0.34 wide, 0.40 high. Opisthosoma 0.45 long, 0.41 wide, 0.52 high. Clypeus 0.17 high. Sternum 0.22 long, 0.21 wide. Length of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: I 1.22 (0.39, 0.16, 0.27, 0.20, 0.20); II 1.00 (0.32, 0.13, 0.22, 0.16, 0.17); III 0.71 (0.21, 0.11, 0.13, 0.13, 0.13); IV 0.90 (0.29, 0.12, 0.18, 0.16, 0.15).

Prosoma: Carapace nearly rounded. Cephalic region elevated, with vertical clypeus. Ocular area black. Eight eyes in two rows. AME black, others white. ALE and PLE contiguous. AER procurved, PER straight. Chelicerae brown, small, shorter than endites, a cluster of long setae on frontal surface ( Fig. 8 C), fang furrow with 4 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth. Endites with tiny serrula. Sternum heart-shaped, slightly plump. Legs: Femora pale yellow, other segments yellow proximally, grey distally. Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Leg I with a submesal metatarsal clasping macroseta prolaterally. Patellae I–IV with stiff dorsal seta distally. Tibiae I–IV with a stiff dorsal seta proximally, and 3 prolateral long spines on tibia III distally ( Fig. 8 B). Tibiae I–III with 3 trichobothria, tibia IV with 4 trichobothria. Metatarsi I–IV with a single trichobothrium. Opisthosoma: Globular dorsally. Spinnerets dark, anteriors larger than posteriors. Colulus small, tongue-shaped, black. Pedipalp ( Figs 9–10 , 12–13 ): Large, strongly sclerotized. Femur narrow proximally and wide distally, 1.5x longer than patella ( Fig. 9 A, B). Patella short, with a few setae. Tibia swollen, bowl-shaped, attached with long setae on distal brim prolaterally ( Figs 10 D, 13D). Cymbium membranous, narrow, nearly “S”-shaped ( Fig. 13 D), attached with long setae mesally, with a semilunar paracymbium, a sclerotized cymbial process basally and a serrate process distally ( Figs 10 D, 13D). Tegulum smooth, sclerotized ( Figs 10 A, 10C, 13A, 13C). Spermatic duct visible through subtegulum ( Figs 10 B, 13B). Embolus wide, band-shaped, long ( Fig. 10 A, C), coiling into two loops around tegulum ( Fig. 13 C) and extended to basal cymbium ( Figs 10 A, 13A), embolic end tortuous downward ( Figs 10 C, 13C).

Female (paratype). Somatic characters as in Fig. 8 D–F. Coloration: Prosoma dark medially, brown yellow laterally. Sternum yellow medially, grey laterally. Opisthosoma with yellow round spots, with irregular grey darkish pattern.

Measurements: Total length 0.88. Prosoma 0.36 long, 0.36 wide, 0.36 high. Opisthosoma as in male, 0.63 long, 0.58 wide, 0.65 high. Clypeus 0.06 high, distinctly lower than in male. Sternum 0.25 long, 0.24 wide. Length of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: I 1.21 (0.38, 0.16, 0.25, 0.21, 0.21); II 1.05 (0.32, 0.15, 0.22, 0.18, 0.18); III 0.78 (0.23, 0.13, 0.13, 0.14, 0.15); IV 0.94 (0.29, 0.13, 0.19, 0.17, 0.16).

Prosoma: Carapace pyriform. Cephalic part flat. Ocular area black. Eight eyes in two rows, with black bases. AME black, other eyes white. ALE and PLE contiguous. AER procurved, PER recurved. Chelicerae, endites and sternum as in male. Legs: Color, number of trichobothria and setae same as in male, except, tibia III without distal long setae prolaterally. Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Sclerotized femoral spots absent. Opisthosoma: Globular dorsally. Spinnerets grey, anteriors larger than posteriors. Colulus small, dark. Epigynum ( Figs 11 , 14 ): Large, strongly sclerotized, with a broad, rugose and saccate epigynal plate ( Figs 11 A, 14A). A translucent, rugose scape originates from the medial epigynum, with sparse long setae ( Figs 11 A, 14A). Distal end of the scape not beyond the posterior margin of epigynal plate ( Fig. 14 A). Spermathecae short club-shaped, distinctly sclerotized, separated by about their length ( Figs 11 B, 14B). Fertilization ducts short, thin and curved proximally, extending from the interior corner of spermathecae ( Fig. 14 B). Copulatory ducts swollen, saclike, weakly sclerotized, surrounding the whole spermathecae and the fertilization ducts ( Figs. 11 B, 14B).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., male holotype (A – C) and female paratype (D – F). A – F, habitus. A, D, dorsal; B, E, ventral; C, F, lateral. Scale bars: 0.20.

FIGURE 9. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., male holotype. A – B, left pedipalp. A, prolateral; B, retrolateral. Scale bar: 0.10.

FIGURE 10. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., male holotype. A – B, left pedipalp; C, pedipalpal bulb; D, pedipalpal tibia and cymbium. A, D, ventral; B, dorsal; C, apical. Scale bars: 0.10, A, B and D; 0.05, C.

FIGURE 11. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., female paratype. A, epigynum, ventral; B, vulva (lactic acid-treated), dorsal. Scale bar: 0.10.

FIGURE 12. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., male holotype. A – B, left pedipalp. A, prolateral; B, retrolateral. Scale bar: 0.10.

FIGURE 13. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., male holotype. A – B, left pedipalp; C, pedipalpal bulb; D, pedipalpal tibia and cymbium. A, D, ventral; B, dorsal; C, apical. Scale bars: 0.10, A, B and D; 0.05, C.

FIGURE 14. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp., female paratype. A, epigynum, ventral; B, vulva (lactic acid-treated), dorsal. Scale bar: 0.10.

FIGURE 20. Locality records of three new mysmenids from Vietnam. 1. Calodipoena tamdaoensis n. sp.; 2. Gaoligonga taeniata n. sp.; 3. Mysmena maculosa n. sp.