Pholcus curvus, Zhang, Bao-Shi, Zhang, Feng & Liu, Jing-Ze, 2016

Zhang, Bao-Shi, Zhang, Feng & Liu, Jing-Ze, 2016, Three new spider species of the genus Pholcus from the Taihang Mountains of China (Araneae, Pholcidae), ZooKeys 600, pp. 53-74 : 56-58

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Pholcidae

Pholcus curvus sp. n. Figs 5, 6, 7, 8

Type material.

Holotype: male (MHBU), CHINA: Hebei Province, Fuping County, Longquanguan Town, Heiyagou Village, 38°16'N, 114°05'E, alt. 900 m, 5 August 2014, B.S. Zhang leg. Paratypes: 2 males and 8 females (MHBU), same data as in holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name is from the Latin word “curvus”, in reference to the shape of the palpal uncus; adjective.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by the S-shaped tip of uncus, the long and curve beak-shaped tip of the procursus, the hat-shaped membranous projection near tip, the small and almost quadrate-shaped epigynal apophysis (Figs 5 A–D, 7 A–D, 6E, 8F).

Description.

Male (holotype): Total length 4.50 (4.63 with clypeus), prosoma 1.36 long, 1.41 wide, opisthosoma 2.85 long, 1.24 wide. Habitus as in Fig. 8 A–C. Dorsal shield of prosoma pale grey, with brown radiated stripes and bands marginally; thoracic groove distinct; ocular area elevated, with short eye-stalks; ocular area yellow-brown, with a median brown band and two lateral brown bands beside PLEs, dorsal prosoma and ocular area both with dispersed brown spots, of them, two distinct spots behind PMEs; clypeus 0.20 high, brown. Diameter AME 0.07, ALE 0.08, PME 0.15, PLE 0.13. Distance AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.24, PME-PLE 0.06, ALE-ALE 0.49, PLE-PLE 0.62. MOA 0.24 long, front width 0.22, back width 0.42. Chelicerae as in Figs 6 C–D and 8 D–E, with pair of black apophyses, pair of unsclerotized thumb-shaped apophyses proximolaterally, and pair of nearly long finger-shaped apophyses frontally. Labium and endites brown, distal part pale, labium wider than long (0.32/0.17). Sternum wider than long (1.00/0.72), brown, median part of sternum light. Legs long, brown, with two dark brown ring spots on proximal parts of femora and four dark brown ring spots on tibiae. Measurements of legs: I 33.98 (9.57 + 0.53 + 9.23 + 13.23 + 1.42), II 24.63 (6.96 + 0.58 + 6.30 + 9.49 + 1.30), III 17.75 (5.22 + 0.41 + 4.32 + 6.79 + 1.01), IV 23.52 (6.90 + 0.47 + 5.89 + 9.16 + 1.10); tibia I L/d: 60. Leg formula: 1243. Opisthosoma pale grey, with dark spots dorsally and laterally. Pedipalpi as in Figs 5 A–D and 7 A–D; trochanter with a moderate ventral apophysis; proximal femur with a small apophysis retrolaterally; tibia with a sheet-shaped projection prolaterally; procursus simple and tip with a narrow process, dorsal spines present; uncus long and bent, with a scaly edge; embolus weakly sclerotized.

Female. Generaly similar to the male. One specimens measured: total length 5.09 (5.26 with clypeus), prosoma 1.27 long, 1.52 wide, opisthosoma 3.59 long, 1.61 wide, clypeus 0.20 high. Diameter AME 0.08, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.12. Distance AME-AME 0.07, AME-ALE 0.07, PME-PME 0.17, PME-PLE 0.05, ALE-ALE 0.45, PLE-PLE 0.59. MOA 0.25 long, front width 0.14, back width 0.36. Labium wider than long (0.31/0.17). Sternum wider than long (1.05/0.79). Measurements of legs: I 32.15 (7.99 + 0.55 + 8.09 + 13.42 + 2.10), II 20.24 (6.31 + 0.42 + 5.60 + 6.55 + 1.36), III 17.40 (4.71 + 0.55 + 3.87 + 6.95 + 1.32), IV 20.12 (6.03 + 0.64 + 5.53 + 6.55 + 1.37); tibia I L/d: 50. Leg formula: 1243. Epigynum (Figs 6E and 8F) brown, roughly striped with distinct patterns and an almost quadrate-shaped apophysis on the top. Dorsal view of vulva (Figs 6F and 8G) with a rainbow-shaped, sclerotized arch anteriorly, two bent pore plates, and two long and bent sclerites.

Variation.

Male: Total body length: 4.38, 4.43, 4.50. Tibia I (n = 3): 9.36, 9.46, 9.57 (mean: 9.46). Female: Total body length 4.78-5.09. Tibia I (n = 8): 7.65-7.99 (mean 7.81).

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality.

Remarks.

Among the Pholcus phungiformes group, the males of the new species resemble Pholcus hamatus Tong & Ji, 2010 by the following: uncus with a narrow, long and bent tip and a robust apophysis, without appendix and pseudo-appendix (Figs 5A, 6 A–B, 7A). The females of the new species are distinguished from those of Pholcus hamatus by the small and almost quadrate-shaped epigynal apophysis (Figs 6E, 8F).