Tricholathys chenzhenningi sp. nov. (陈氏毛隐蛛)

Wang, Lu-Yu, Peng, Xian-Jin & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2023, The first record of Tricholathys Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (Araneae, Dictynidae) from China, with a new combination and descriptions of seven new species, ZooKeys 1185, pp. 255-267 : 255

Tricholathys chenzhenningi sp. nov. (陈氏毛隐蛛)

Figs 1 , 4 , 5 , 16

Type materials.

Holotype male: China, Qinghai, Menyuan County, Huangcheng Township, Liuhuanggou, 37°47′50.69″N, 101°16′48.23″E, elev. 3491 m, 13 August 2019, L.Y. Wang and Z.J. Shi leg. (SWUC-T-DI-08-01). Paratypes: 5 males and 5 females (SWUC-T-DI-08-02~11), with same data as holotype; 1 male (SWUC-T-DI-08-12), Qilian County, Ebao Town, Jiangyangling, 37°50′21.27″N, 101°6′47.75″E, elev. 3733 m, L.Y. Wang and Z.J. Shi leg.

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym in honor of Prof. Zhenning Chen from Qinghai Normal University in Xining.

Diagnosis.

The new species is similar to T. ovtchinnikovi ( Marusik et al. 2017: 258, figs 2E, F, 4G-I, 5A-E, 6J-L) in having the embolus originating at about 7:30 o’clock position, the anterior arm of the conductor tapering gradually and terminating at about 9:30 o’clock, the posterior arm of conductor spiral, distal, and with a small tooth at the center, the copulatory ducts semicircular, the spermathecae spherical, and the fertilization ducts thin and hook-shaped; the new species differs from T. ovtchinnikovi in having the posterior arm of the conductor wide (narrow in T. subnivalis ), the retrolateral tibial apophysis fat and as wide as the tibia (slender in T. subnivalis and narrower than the tibia) (Figs 4A, B , 5C, E-G ), and the copulatory ducts rounded (oval in T. subnivalis ) (Figs 4C, D , 5H-I ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 5A . Total length 3.73 (3.40-4.57 in male paratypes). Prosoma 1.77 long, 1.36 wide; opisthosoma 2.12 long, 1.36 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.09, PME 0.06, PLE 0.08; AME-AME 0.05, AME-ALE 0.04, PME-PME 0.12, PME-PLE 0.09, ALE-PLE 0.05. MOA 0.20 long, anterior width 0.18, posterior width 0.24. Clypeus height 0.12. Chelicerae with 4 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 4.08 (1.12, 1.55, 0.84, 0.57); II 3.29 (0.95, 1.09, 0.73, 0.52); III 2.92 (0.94, 0.91, 0.63, 0.44); IV 4.26 (1.24, 1.47, 1.00, 0.55). Leg formula: 4123.

Palp (Figs 4A, B , 5C, E-G ). Tip of cymbium with shorter tip and 4 spines. Anterior arm of conductor tapering gradually and terminating at about 9:30 o’clock position; posterior arm with small spine (Fig. 5C, F, G ; 4A, B ). Embolus originating at about 7:30 o’clock position; distal part covered by conductor.

Female (paratype). Habitus as in Fig. 5B . Total length 3.84 (3.33-4.72 in other female paratypes). Prosoma 1.74 long, 1.35 wide; opisthosoma 2.37 long, 1.50 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.10, PME 0.07, PLE, 0.07; AME-AME 0.07, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.11, PME-PLE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.05. MOA 0.22 long, anterior width 0.20, posterior width 0.25. Clypeus height 0.10. Leg measurements: I 3.78 (1.11, 1.37, 0.75, 0.55); II 3.31 (1.00, 1.12, 0.70, 0.49); III 2.71 (0.81, 0.79, 0.67, 0.44); IV 4.03 (1.17, 1.37, 0.99, 0.50). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne (Figs 4C, D , 5H, I ). Copulatory openings cochleate, space between them wider than the diameter of the copulatory openings. Weakly sclerotized parts of copulatory ducts S-shaped, and strongly sclerotized part forming almost an entire circle. Spermathecae small, comma-shaped, nearly two times longer than its width. Space between spermathecae slightly narrower than space between copulatory ducts, nearly two times of the width of spermathecae.

Distribution.

China (Qinghai).

Figures

Figure 1. Photos of living specimens and living environment A-C Tricholathys chenzhenningi sp. nov. A male B female C collection site D Tricholathys lhunzeensis sp. nov. collection site.

Figure 4. Tricholathys chenzhenningi sp. nov. A, B holotype male C, D paratype female A left male palp, ventral view B same, retrolateral view C epigyne, ventral view D same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: AA = anterior arm of conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; Em = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; PA = posterior arm of conductor; RTA = retrolaterial tibial apophysis; Sp = spermatheca.

Figure 5. Tricholathys chenzhenningi sp. nov. A, C-G holotype male B, H, I paratype female A male habitus, dorsal view B female habitus, dorsal view C posterior arm of conductor, ventral view D cribellum, ventral view E left male palp, prolateral view F same, ventral view G same, retrolateral view H epigyne, ventral view I same, dorsal view.

Figure 16. Distribution of Tricholathys in China.