Lycopus primus, Tang, Guo & Li, Shuqiang, 2009

Tang, Guo & Li, Shuqiang, 2009, Three new crab spiders from Xishuangbanna Rainforest, southwestern China (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 2109, pp. 45-58 : 51-52

Lycopus primus sp. nov.

Figs 4–6

Type material: Holotype: male, CHINA: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, secondary tropical seasonal moist forest (21º54.718'N, 101º16.940'E, alt. 645 m), 27 July 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS, Zheng_sp100). Paratypes: 2 males, 4 females, same data as holotype. 2 males, 1 female, secondary tropical seasonal moist forest (21º54.607'N, 101º17.005'E, alt. 633 m), 28 July 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS); 1 male, 2 females, primary tropical seasonal rain forest (21º57.445'N, 101º12.997'E, alt. 744 m), 30 July 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS); 1 male, secondary tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest (21º54.813'N, 101º12.634'E, alt. 876 m), 5 August 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS); 1 male, secondary tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest (21º54.767'N, 101º11.431'E, alt. 880 m), 6 August 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS); 2 females, primary tropical seasonal rain forest (21º54.725'N, 101º13.261'E, alt. 734 m), 8 August 2007, G. Zheng ( IZCAS).

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin adjective primus and means first, referring to the first description of the male specimen in the genus Lycopus , adjective.

Generic identification. Generic placement is difficult due to the limited taxonomic work on the genus Lycopus , although the illustrations provided by Workman (1896), Chrysanthus (1964), Simon (1895) and Murphy and Murphy (2000) are helpful. The examined specimens share similar morphology with Lycopus edax in having the green habitus when alive, the convex prosoma, the relative large eyes and conspicuous eye tubercles, and the clypeus that has about the same width as the ocular area. This genus has the bright green habitus and should belong to Dietini sensu Lehtinen (2005). Lycopus can be separated from Loxobates Thorell, 1877 by the width of ocular area/head which is 1.0 vs. 0.5 in Loxobates , and the less oval abdomen of Lycopus with an anterior obtuse edge (sharp in Loxobates , see Simon 1895; Murphy & Murphy 2000).

Diagnosis. The female can be distinguished from Lycopus edax Thorell, 1895 by the larger body size (male: 3.90–4.50, female: 6.10–6.60) (female L. edax : 4.00) and the absence of markings on abdomen (with a pattern of darker, transverse marks in L. edax ).

Description. Male (measurements of the holotype): Total length 4.50. Prosoma 2.00 long, 1.80 wide; opisthosoma 2.80 long, 1.30 wide. Prosoma convex, greenish brown, with sparse setae. Tubercle of ALE and PLE grayish white, large and continuous. Eye measurements: AME 0.08; ALE 0.13; PME 0.07; PLE 0.11; AME–AME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.12; PME–PME 0.10; PME–PLE 0.36. MOA length 0.40 with front width 0.30 and back width 0.28. Chelicerae, gnathocoxae and labium light brown. Sternum yellow. Legs yellow with many spines. Leg spination: Femur I prolateral 0-0-1-1-1, dorsal 0-1(weak)-1-1-1, II–IV dorsal 1(weak)- 1(weak)-1-1-1, I–II retrolateral 1 (apical), II prolateral 1(apical); patella I–IV, pro- and retrolateral 1, dorsal 1(weak)-1; tibia I–II dorsal, pro- and retrolateral 1-1-1, ventral 2-2-2, III–IV dorsal, pro- and retrolateral 1-1; metatarsus I–II pro- and retrolateral 1-1-1, ventral 2-2, III–IV, pro- and retrolateral 1-1, ventral 2. Leg formula: 2143; leg measurements: I: 9.90 (2.80, 3.50, 2.40, 1.20); II: 10.00 (2.80, 3.50, 2.50, 1.20); III: 4.40 (1.50, 1.50, 0.80, 0.60); IV: 4.80 (1.60, 1.60, 0.90, 0.70). Opisthosoma tubular, dorsum yellow with silvery spots and setae, venter with silvery spots.

Palp ( Figs 4 C–E, 6A–B). Palp with ventral and retrolateral tibial apophyses. VTA wide proximately, long, beak-shaped; RTA long, bifid apically; bulb flat; embolus slender.

Female (measurements of paratype collected in secondary tropical seasonal moist forest): Total length 6.00. Prosoma length 2.30, width 2.00. Opisthosoma length 3.70, width 1.90. Prosoma convex, greenish brown. Eye measurements: AME 0.10; ALE 0.17; PME 0.09; PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.15; PME–PME 0.16; PME–PLE 0.44. MOA length 0.48 with front width 0.35 and back width 0.31. Spines of legs weaker than those of male. Spination: Femur I prolateral 0-1-1-1, dorsal 1, II–III dorsal 1- 1, IV dorsal 1-1-1; patella I–IV, dorsal 1(apical), I–II pro- and retrolateral 1; tibia I–II dorsal 1-1, pro- and retrolateral 1-1-1, ventral 2-2-2-2, III–IV dorsal, pro-, and retrolateral 1-1, ventral 1; metatarsus I–II pro- and retrolateral 1-1-1, ventral 2-2-2-2, III–IV pro- and retrolateral 1-1, ventral 2. Leg formula: 2143; leg measurements: I: 8.70 (2.60, 3.20, 1.90, 1.00); II: 8.80 (2.70, 3.20, 1.90, 1.00); III: 4.00 (1.40, 1.50, 0.60, 0.50); IV: 4.90 (1.70, 1.70, 0.90, 0.60). Opisthosoma dorsum with broken silvery spots, setae weaker than in male.

Epigynum ( Figs 5 B–C, 6C–E). Epigynum with an anterior hood; copulatory opening slit like; copulatory ducts slender, twisted, complicated; spermathecae globular.

Variation. Total length, male: 3.90–4.50 (n=8). Female: 6.10–6.60 (n=9).

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Lycopus primus sp. nov. A – B male habitus (A dorsal, B lateral); C – E male palp (C ventral, D prolateral, E retrolateral). Scale bars: A – B = 1.0 mm; C – E = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 5. Lycopus primus sp. nov. A female habitus, dorsal; B epigynum, ventral view; C vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm; B – C = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 6. Lycopus primus sp. nov. A – B left male palp (A ventral, B retrolateral); C epigynum, ventral view; D – E vulva (D ventral, E dorsal). Scale bar: A – E = 0.05 mm.