Patu bispina, Lin & Pham & Li, 2009

Lin, Yucheng, Pham, Dinh-Sac & Li, Shuqiang, 2009, Six New Spiders From Caves Of Northern Vietnam (Araneae: Tetrablemmidae: Ochyroceratidae: Telemidae: Symphytognathidae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57 (2), pp. 323-342 : 332-338

Patu bispina new species

( Figs. 9 A−E, 10A−F and 11A−F)

Material examined. – Holotype - Male ( IZCAS), Mat Cave (20°21´N, 105°42´E; Alt: 18 m), Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam, coll. S. Li, 22 July 2008.

Paratypes – 13 males and 20 females ( IZCAS), same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. – This new species is similar to Patu silho from Seychelles ( Saaristo, 1996) and Patu vitiensis from Fiji ( Marples, 1951), but can be distinguished by the presence of two large spurs on distal-ventral tibia II in male, the absence of a posterior protuberance on the globular abdomen, the modified spines and different shapes of palpal cymbium, the short and robust of embolus, the coiled copulatory ducts, the presence of a ventral plate, and the epigine with a wide lobe on posterior margin.

Etymology. – The specific epithet of the new species derives from Latin bi - = two, spina = spine, in reference to the presence of two strong spines on ventrally tibia II of male.

Description. – Holotype male. Total length 0.67. Carapace 0.30 long, 0.30 wide, 0.21 high. Sternum 0.22 long, 0.23 wide. Abdomen 0.44 long, 0.44 wide, 0.55 high. body pale yellow, without markings. Carapace bears two setae at the ocular area and thoracic area separately, with smooth margin. Six eyes in three diads; ALE diameter subequal to PLE’s, smaller than PME’s. Posterior eye row slightly recurved. Ocular area distinctly elevated. Clypeus width equal to three times ALE diameter. Chelicerae slender, fused at midline pars, shorter than endites, promargin with a pair of adnate teeth. Labium wider than long (length/ width 0.29). Sternum wider than long (length/width 0.96), plump, bears tenuous hairs. Legs pale yellow, clothed with setae and bristles. Tibia II bears two strongly ventral spurs at distal end. Each tibia with three dorsal trichobothria. Legs measurement: I 1.31 (0.41, 0.12, 0.32, 0.19, 0.27); II 1.09 (0.33, 0.12, 0.25, 0.15, 0.24); III 0.87 (0.25, 0.10, 0.18, 0.13, 0.21); IV 1.01 (0.33, 0.11, 0.23, 0.13, 0.21). Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Abdomen high (height/length 1.25), sparsely covered with long hairs, globular in dorsal view, posterior rear extended beyond spinnerets. Book lung absent. Anterior spinnerets larger than posterior ones, median spinnerets smallest; colulus absent.

Palp large. Femur, patella and tibia without any process. Tibia bears four short spines. Thin sclerotized cymbium with two outspread processes, two long hairs present on apex of a large process. Palpal bulb large, almost ovate. Radix haematodocha swollen with rugous membrane. Tegulum nearly rectangular and distinctly sclerotized. Embolus long, coiled and strongly sclerotized, intertwisted with conductor. Proximal conductor and most of embolus embedded in the radix haematodocha. Terminal apophysis large, smooth and sclerotized. Embolus arising from bottom of terminal apophysis ( Fig. 9 A-C; 10 A, B).

Female. Total length 0.75. Carapace 0.32 long, 0.31 wide, 0.16 high. Sternum 0.23 long, 0.24 wide. Abdomen 0.45 long, 0.46 wide, 0.58 high. Coloration and modification of body and legs same as in male. Palp absent. Ocular area upheaved. Posterior median eye smaller than in male. Posterior eyes row straight. Clypeus lower than in male. Legs measurement: I 1.24 (0.39, 0.12, 0.31, 0.17, 0.25); II 1.05 (0.33, 0.12, 0.23, 0.14, 0.23); III 0.90 (0.26, 0.10, 0.19, 0.13, 0.22); IV 1.01 (0.32, 0.11, 0.22, 0.13, 0.23). Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Abdomen covered with long hairs, globular, slightly longer than wide (length/width 0.98), very high (height/length 1.29) and posterior rear extending beyond spinnerets. Book lung absent. A pair of spiracles near epiginal furrow. Colulus absent.

Epigine surface smooth, bears three pairs of long hairs, with a broad, short lobe. Vulva complex. Fertilization ducts straight, short and thin, spermathecae widely spaced, globose, strongly sclerotized. Copulatory ducts long, coiled, with broad distal ends. Ventral plate rhombic, smooth, membranous, covered partially fertilization ducts and end of copulatory ducts ( Fig. 11 A-C).

Distribution. – Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Fig. 9. Patu bispina new species: A. Male left palp, prolateral view; B. Palpal bulb, prolateral view; C. Palpal cymbium, dorsal view; D. Male body, dorsal view; E. Ditto, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.05 mm for A-C; 0.1 mm for D, E.view; C-F. Male leg I-IV, prolateral view. Scale bars: 0.05 mm for A, B; 0.2 mm for C-F.

Fig. 11. Patu bispina new species: A. Female epigine, ventral view; B. Cleared vulva, ventral view; C. Ditto, dorsal view; D. Female body, dorsal view; E. Ditto, lateral view; F. Male chelicerae, frontal view. Scale bars: 0.05 mm for A, B, C and F; 0.1 mm for D and E.

Fig. 13. Locality records of cave spiders in Vietnam.