Scyloxes zhaoi ( Wu & Li, 2017 ) Zamani & Stockmann & Magalhaes & Rheims, 2022

Zamani, Alireza, Stockmann, Mark, Magalhaes, Ivan L. F. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2022, New taxonomic considerations in the spitting spider family Scytodidae (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 5092 (2), pp. 151-175 : 171

Scyloxes zhaoi ( Wu & Li, 2017) comb. n.

Fig. 13C–H

Stedocys zhaoi Wu & Li in Wu et al., 2017: 232, figs 16–17, 20C–D (♂ holotype from THAILAND, Sai Yok , Wang Krachae Subdistrict, unnamed cave, (14°12'11.3"N 99°01'12.1"E), 185 m a.s.l., 1 October 2014, H. Zhao, Y. Li & Z. Chen leg., deposited in IZCAS; 5♀ paratypes, same data as holotype, deposited in IZCAS, not examined).

Additional material examined. THAILAND: Chumphon: 1♂ 2♀ Lang Suan district, Tham Khao Kriab (09°49'10.0"N 99°02'23.0"E), 130 m, dark part of limestone cave, 16 December 2013, P. Schwendinger leg. ( MHNG) .

Diagnosis. Scyloxes zhaoi comb. n. resembles S. magna comb. n. ( Bristowe 1952: figs 9–10, Brignoli 1976: fig. 55) by the male palp with long, distally coiled embolus ( Fig. 13E–F ) and by the female vulva with two pairs of spermathecae on very long stalks ( Fig. 13G–H ;). Males are distinguished from the latter species by the cymbium wider than long, embolus medially twisted and strongly arched before coil ( Fig. 13E–F ; Wu et al. 2017: fig. 16A–F) (vs. cymbium longer than wide, embolus lacking medial twist and gently arched before coil in S. magna comb. n.). Females are distinguished by the epigyne with pair of sclerotized pre-epigastric fovea (absent in S. magna comb. n.) and by the vulva with two pairs of rounded spermathecae ( Fig. 13G , Wu et al. 2017: fig. 17B) (vs. one pair rounded and one tubular in S. magna comb. n.).

Description. See Wu et al. (2017: 232).

Note. Specimens examined in this study show some variation, when compared to the type specimens depicted in the original description (for comparison see Wu et al. 2017: figs 16–17, 20C–D). Males have the embolus tip loop distally extended, while the type specimens have it almost flat, and females have the pre-epigastric plates closer to each other and extending laterally from the epigastric plate, farther apart and not extending laterally in the type specimens. However, we believe that a denser sampling is necessary to raise a new name for this population and consider these differences as intraspecific variations.

Distribution. Thailand ( Fig. 17 ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. A–B Scyloxes magna (Bristowe) comb. n., female (MHNG). A habitus, anterior; B vulva, dorsal; C–H Scyloxes zhaoi (Wu & Li) comb. n. C–D habitus, dorsal (C female, MNHG, D male, MHNG); E–F male, left palp (E prolateral, F retrolateral); G–H epigyne, ventral (G cleared, H intact). Scale bars:A, C–D = 2 mm; B, E–H = 0.5 mm. IS = inner spermathecae; OS outer spermathecae; pEF = pre-epigastric fovea.

FIGURE 17. Distribution map of Scyloxes asiatica (red circles), Scyloxes magna comb. n. (green star) and Scyloxes zhaoi comb. n. (yellow squares).