Simaetha cheni, Wang & Li, 2021

Wang, Cheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2021, On ten species of jumping spiders from Xishuangbanna, China (Araneae, Salticidae), ZooKeys 1062, pp. 123-155 : 123

Simaetha cheni sp. nov.

Figs 18 , 19

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar42629), China: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, site #1 of garbage dump off G213 roadside (21°54.28'N, 101°16.75'E, ca. 630 m), 25.iv.2019, Z. Chen leg. Paratypes 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar42630), same data as holotype; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar42631), site #4 of garbage dump off G213 roadside (21°54.34'N, 101°16.79'E, ca. 618 m), 3.v.2019, Y. Tong leg.; 1♀1♂ (IZCAS-Ar42632-42633), site #6 of garbage dump off G213 roadside (21°54.33'N, 101°16.79'E, ca. 620 m), 7.v.2019, Y. Tong leg.

Etymology.

The species name is a patronym in honor of Mr. Zhigang Chen (Beijing, China), one of the collectors of the new species; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis.

The male of Simaetha cheni sp. nov. resembles that of S. menglun Wang & Li, 2020 by the similar palp, but it can be easily distinguished by the following: 1) the embolus is slightly curved into a blunt tip directed anteriorly in ventral view (Fig. 18B ) vs. strongly curved into a pointed tip directed prolaterally in S. menglun (Wang and Li 2020: fig. 11C); 2) the chelicerae have a process mediolaterally on the anterior surface of the paturon (Fig. 19G, H ) vs. process absent in S. menglun (Wang and Li 2020: fig. 12G). The female of this species resembles that of S. broomei Żabka, 1994 in having a similar epigyne, but it can be easily distinguished by the epigynal hood, which is less than 2/3 the width of the posterior chamber of the spermathecae (Fig. 19A-C ) vs. about 8/6 the width of the posterior chamber of the spermathecae ( Żabka 1994: fig. 18B, C).

Description.

Male (Figs 18 , 19D, E, G, H ). Total length 2.18. Carapace 1.11 long, 0.82 wide. Abdomen 1.10 long, 0.79 wide. Clypeus 0.01 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.24, ALE 0.12, PLE 0.11, AERW 0.71, PERW 0.80, EFL 0.56. Legs: I 1.66 (0.60, 0.63, 0.23, 0.20), II 1.35 (0.45, 0.45, 0.25, 0.20), III 1.25 (0.40, 0.40, 0.25, 0.20), IV 1.63 (0.58, 0.55, 0.30, 0.20). Carapace red-brown, with pair of round, dark spots mediolaterally in eye field, covered with short, brown setae and off-white scales. Chelicerae yellow-red, with a process mediolaterally on anterior surface of paturon, 2 promarginal teeth, 1 pillar-shaped tooth with 2 pointed tips. Endites red-brown. Labium darker than endites. Sternum elongate, 2 times longer than wide. Legs I red-brown to dark brown except tarsi yellow, with inflated femora, and fluorescent-green scales dorsally and laterally on patellae and tibiae; other legs yellow-brown, femora darker prolaterally. Abdomen sub-oval, dorsum dark brown, covered entirely by a large scutum with dense scales; venter brown, mingled with green.

Palp (Fig. 18A-C ): femur about 2.5 times longer than wide; tibia wider than long, with a tapered dorsal apophysis slightly shorter than tibial length, directed towards about 1:30 o’clock apically in retrolateral view; cymbium about 1.5 times longer than wide in ventral view, with a sub-triangular baso-retrolateral process; bulb almost round; embolus originating at 10: 30 o’clock position of bulb, slightly curved distally, with a rather blunt tip.

Female (Fig. 19A-C, F ). Total length 2.22. Carapace 0.98 long, 0.81 wide. Abdomen 1.32 long, 0.84 wide. Clypeus 0.01 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.24, ALE 0.12, PLE 0.11, AERW 0.72, PERW 0.79, EFL 0.54. Legs: I 1.69 (0.60, 0.66, 0.23, 0.20), II 1.35 (0.45, 0.45, 0.25, 0.20), III 1.33 (0.45, 0.43, 0.25, 0.20), IV 2.04 (0.68, 0.68, 0.45, 0.23). Habitus similar to that of male except with a longer abdomen.

Epigyne (Fig. 19A-C ) with central triangular hood almost 1.5 × wider than long; copulatory openings arc shaped; copulatory ducts short; spermathecae divided into two chambers, anterior chamber bigger, almost reniform, posterior chamber almost spherical, separated by less than the width of hood; fertilization ducts originate from the apical portion of the posterior chamber of spermathecae.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality in Yunnan, China.

Figures

Figure 18. Male palp of Simaetha cheni sp. nov., holotype A prolateral B ventral C retrolateral. Scale bars: 0.1.

Figure 19. Female paratype and male holotype of Simaetha cheni sp. nov. A, B epigyne, ventral C vulva, dorsal D holotype habitus, dorsal E ventral F female paratype habitus, dorsal G holotype carapace, frontal H holotype right chelicera, anterior. Scale bars: 0.1 (A-C, H); 0.5 (D-F); 0.2 (G).