Phrynarachne decipiens ( Forbes, 1884 )

Omelko, Mikhail M., 2025, New species and new records of Phrynarachne crab spiders (Araneae, Thomisidae) from Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 1257, pp. 55-70 : 55-70

Phrynarachne decipiens ( Forbes, 1884)

Figs 20–25 , 27 , 28

Thomisus decipiens : Jacobson 1921: 186, pl. 12, f. 1–4 ( ♀).

Phrynarachne decipiens : Das et al. 2024: 63, f. 1–10 ( ♀). 2

Material examined.

Laos • 1 ♀; Vientiane Province, environs of Nam-Lik Eco-Village ; 18°36'N, 102°24'E; 7. 07. 2017; M. M. Omelko leg.; hand-picking from vegetation; IBSS .

Diagnosis.

By the coloration of the carapace and opisthosoma, with small, rounded tubercles, the female of P. decipiens resembles those of P. storozhenkoi sp. nov. For differences between these species, see the diagnosis of the latter.

Description.

Female (Figs 20–22 , 27 ). Total length 11.67. Carapace 4.55 long, 5.05 wide. Opisthosoma 7.62 long, 8.04 wide. Carapace yellowish white with a couple of black spots posteriorly. Clypeus yellowish white. Chelicerae light brown with yellowish-white proximal part. Labium black with yellow distal edge. Endites yellowish. Sternum yellowish white. Dorsal part of opisthosoma yellowish white with light brown spot posteriorly. Lateral sides of opisthosoma yellowish white with some brown spots. Ventral part of opisthosoma yellowish white with two longitudinal brown stripes. Each side of opisthosoma with c. 15 triangular tubercles, each with a clavate seta on the top. Spinnerets light brown.

Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.20, PME 0.14, PLE 0.15; AME – AME 0.35, AME – ALE 0.21, PME – PME 0.53, PME – PLE 0.46, AME – PME 0.35, ALE – PLE 0.33. Clypeus height at AME 0.36, at ALE 0.47.

Leg and palp measurements: Palp: 1.39, 0.95, 0.99, 1.63 (4.96). Leg I: 5.36, 2.48, 3.37, 3.88, 1.58 (16.67). Leg II: 5.48, 2.46, 3.45, 3.67, 1.69 (16.75). Leg III: 2.94, 1.73, 1.81, 1.35, 1.17 (9.00). Leg IV: 3.10, 1.50, 2.28, 1.39, 1.02 (9.29).

Palp coloration: Fe and Pa yellowish white; Ti yellowish white with brown spots; Ta brown. Legs coloration: Fe I – II yellowish white with black irregular spots, III – IV yellowish white with brown spots. Pa I – IV yellowish white with darker dorsal side. Ti I – II black half distally, yellowish-white proximally; III – IV yellowish white with irregular brown spots. Mt I – II dark brown with tiny yellow spots; III – IV yellowish white with irregular brown spots. Ta I – II brown with yellow prolateral side; III yellow with brown distal part; IV yellow. Femora I and II with small tubercles; tibiae I and II with large ventral spines (tibia I – 8; tibia II – 7).

Epigyne as shown in Figs 23–25 , with M-shaped sclerotized margins, width / length ratio 1.3. Median plate ( MP) broad and transversely elongate, with smoothly concave anterior and posterior edges, lateral edges widened and directed anteriorly; hood clearly absent; width / length ratio 2.7. Copulatory openings ( CO) distinct. Receptacles ( Re) kidney-shaped, closely placed to each other anteriorly, with uneven surface, anterior parts almost parallel mesally; anterior / posterior edge width ratio c. 1.75. Fertilization ducts ( FD) diagonal.

Notes.

See the information on the distribution of this species in the Discussion section.

Distribution.

India, Malaysia (Malay Peninsula), Indonesia ( Java, Sumatra) and Laos (new record) (Fig. 28 ).

Figures

Figure 28. Distribution records of Phrynarachne spp. in Asia and Australasia: P. fatalis (1), P. rothschildi (2), P. ceylonica (3), P. tuberosa (4), P. decipiens (5), P. peeliana (6), P. bimaculata (7), P. papulata (8), P. brevis (9), P. lancea (10), P. aspera (11), P. dreepy (12), P. mammillata (13), P. zhengzhongi (14), P. kannegieteri (15), P. dissimilis (16), P. yunhui (17), P. katoi (18), P. coerulescens (19), P. huangshanensis (20), P. storozhenkoi sp. nov. (21), P. xuxiake (22), P. gorochovi sp. nov. (23), P. cucullata (24), P. jobiensis (25), P. tuberculata (26), P. cheesmanae (27). New species are marked with squares; new records with asterisks; dubious records with question marks.

Figures 20–25. Female habitus (20–22) and epigyne (23–25) of Phrynarachne decipiens. 20. Dorsal; 21. Ventral; 22. Anterior; 23. Intact, ventral; 24. Macerated, ventral; 25. Macerated, dorsal. Abbreviations: CO = copulatory opening, FD = fertilization duct, MP = median plate, Re = receptacle. Scale bars: 5 mm (20, 21); 2.5 mm (22); 0.2 mm (23–25).

Figures 26–27. Living female of Phrynarachne ceylonica (26) and P. decipiens (27) in situ.