Araneus ethani, Mi & Li & Pham, 2023

Mi, Xiaoqi, Li, Shuqiang & Pham, Dinh-Sac, 2023, On five new species of the genera Araneus and Hypsosinga (Araneae, Araneidae) from Vietnam, ZooKeys 1161, pp. 69-87 : 69

Araneus ethani sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 9E-H

Type material.

Holotype ♀ (IZCAS-Ar44132), Vietnam: Ninh Binh Province, Cuc Phuong National Park, disturbed forest (20°16.38'N, 105°41.10'E, ca 280 m), 3.IV.2007, Dinh-Sac Pham leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44133), same locality and collector as holotype (20°15.30'N, 105°42.55'E, ca 250 m), 4.XII.2007; 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar44134), Hai Phong Province, Cat Ba National Park, disturbed forest (20°48.25'N, 107°00.02'E, ca 80 m), 16.VII.2008, Dinh-Sac Pham leg.

Etymology.

The species name is a boy’s name from Vietnam; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles A. eugenei sp. nov. in appearance but differs in having: 1) the scape truncated (Fig. 3A-D ) vs triangular (Fig. 1B, D ); 2) the copulatory openings situated on the ventral surface of the epigyne (Fig. 3A, C ) vs on the posterior surface (Fig. 1B ); and 3) the spermathecae spaced by about one diameter (Fig. 3D ) vs about one radius (Fig. 1C ).

Description.

Female (holotype, Figs 3 , 9E-H ). Total length 4.10. Carapace 2.25 long, 1.55 wide. Abdomen 2.60 long, 1.75 wide. Clypeus 0.08 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.13, AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 0.15, PME-PLE 0.30, MOA length 0.48, anterior width 0.43, posterior width 0.43. Leg measurements: I 5.80 (1.75, 2.15, 1.25, 0.65), II 5.15 (1.55, 1.85, 1.10, 0.65), III 3.90 (1.25, 1.35, 0.70, 0.60), IV 5.35 (1.70, 1.90, 1.10, 0.65). Carapace brown, with yellow anteriorly to fovea and yellow edges in thoracic region, with pale setae. Chelicerae brown with five promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium brown at base, paler distally. Sternum with short, longitudinal, yellow patch. Legs yellow with yellowish-brown annuli. Abdomen elliptical, ~1.25 × longer than wide, pointed anteriorly and with pair of lateral humps posteriorly, covered with pale setae, dorsum grayish brown with white spots; venter brown with yellow patches. Spinnerets yellowish brown.

Epigyne (Fig. 3A-D ): ~2.8 × wider than long in ventral view; scape truncated, ~6.0 × wider than long in anterior view; copulatory openings slit-like, situated on ventral surface; copulatory ducts longer than spermatheca diameter, curved about 90°; spermathecae globular, about one diameter apart.

Male. Unknown.

Variation.

Total length: ♀♀ 3.9-4.3.

Distribution.

Vietnam (Ninh Binh and Hai Phong Provinces).

Figures

Figure 1. Araneus eugenei sp. nov. A-G female paratype IZCAS-Ar 44131 H, I male holotype A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., posterior view C vulva, dorsal view D ibid., posterior view E habitus, dorsal view F ibid., ventral view G ibid., lateral view H ibid., dorsal view I ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D); 1 mm (E-I).

Figure 3. Araneus ethani sp. nov., female holotype A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., anterior view C ibid., posterior view D vulva, posterior view E habitus, dorsal view F ibid., ventral view G ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-D); 1 mm (E-G).

Figure 9. Legs of the new species, holotypes, prolateral view A-D Araneus eugenei sp. nov. E-H Araneus ethani sp. nov. I-L Araneus liami sp. nov. A, E, I legs I B, F, J legs II C, G, K legs III D, H, L legs IV. Scale bars: 1 mm.