Habrocestoides shuqiangi Wang & Mi, 2025

Habrocestoides shuqiangi Wang & Mi , sp. nov.

Figures 1A–C View FIGURE 1 , 2A–G View FIGURE 2

Type material. Holotype: ♂ ( TRU-JS 0853 ), CHINA: Xizang Autonomous Region: Dinggye County, Chentang Township , Natang Village ( 27°52.43'N, 87°24.87'E, 2390 m a.s.l.), 27.V.2025, leg. C. Wang et al. GoogleMaps

Paratype: 1♀ ( TRU-JS 0854 ), same data as for holotype GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of Dr Shuqiang Li , one of the leading spider taxonomists worldwide; noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. The male of the new species resembles that of H. indicus Prószyński, 1992 in having a similar palpal structure, but can be easily distinguished by the following aspects: (1) the compound terminal apophysis is retrolateral to the embolus and the tip extends beyond the embolic tip ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ) vs mostly overlapping with the embolus and the tip not extending beyond the embolic tip in H. indicus ( Prószyński 1992: fig. 45); and (2) the tegular cleft is transverse ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ) vs oblique in H. indicus ( Prószyński 1992: fig. 45). The female of this new species can be easily distinguished from other congeners by the location of the spermathecae, which are posterior to the origins of the copulatory ducts ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ) vs anterior to the origins of the copulatory ducts in other congeners ( Logunov 1999: figs 18, 20, 23).

Description. Male ( Holotype, Figs 1A–C View FIGURE 1 , 2C, E–G View FIGURE 2 ). Total length 3.91. Carapace 2.02 long, 1.47 wide.Abdomen 1.79 long, 1.28 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.29, PLE 0.26, AERW 1.40, PERW 1.26, EFL 0.91. Legs: I 6.16 (1.83, 1.03, 1.55, 1.10, 0.65), II 4.08 (1.25, 0.73, 0.90, 0.75, 0.45), III 4.11 (1.25, 0.63, 0.90, 0.88, 0.45), IV 5.42 (1.48, 0.93, 1.18, 1.25, 0.58). Carapace dark brown to dark, covered with dense golden and dark setae on cephalon, with central, dark yellow stripe occupying anterior half of thorax; fovea dark red, linear. Chelicerae with typical dentition for most of salticids, two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Endites dark yellow, widened distally, with pale disto-inner areas clothed with dense dark setae. Labium darker than endites. Sternum almost oval, about as long as wide, with straight anterior edge. Legs slender, pale yellow to dark, with three and two pairs of ventral spines on tibiae and metatarsi I, respectively. Dorsum of abdomen spotted, brown mingled with irregular dark patches, with anteromedian scutum, and two pairs of anteromedian muscle depressions; venter mainly dark, with irregular pale grey patches and small dots.

Palp ( Fig. 1A–C View FIGURE 1 ): tibia slightly longer than wide, with almost oval distoprolateral concave; retrolateral tibial apophysis widened at base, then acutely narrowed into strongly sclerotized, subtriangular portion with blunt end; cymbium about 1.9 times longer than wide; tegulum slightly swollen, with posterior lobe extending downward; embolus strongly sclerotized, almost bar-shaped; compound terminal apophysis retrolateral to embolus, somewhat longer than embolus, with prolateral membranous portion, and blunt tip.

Female (TRU-JS 0854, Fig. 2A, B, D View FIGURE 2 ). Total length 3.26. Carapace 1.62 long, 1.26 wide. Abdomen 1.74 long, 1.10 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.38, ALE 0.24, PLE 0.21, AERW 1.15, PERW 1.12, EFL 0.79. Legs: I 3.39 (1.03, 0.63, 0.78, 0.55, 0.40), II 3.03 (0.95, 0.55, 0.65, 0.50, 0.38), III 3.37 (0.98, 0.50, 0.73, 0.73, 0.43), IV 4.22 (1.25, 0.53, 0.98, 0.98, 0.48). Habitus ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ) similar to that of male, except paler in color and without dorsal abdominal scutum.

Epigyne ( Fig. 2A, B View FIGURE 2 ): more than 1.5 times wider than long, with subtriangular basal plate possessing posterior, oval structure; atrium almost 1.8 times wider than long, with pair of anterior, arc-shaped ridges; copulatory openings beneath lateral portions of atrial ridges; copulatory ducts flat, curved to C-shapes at origin, then strongly curved and followed by more sclerotized portions connected to median inner margins of spermathecae; spermathecae oblique bar-shaped, ca 2.8 times longer than wide, almost touching each other; fertilization ducts originate from anterior portions of spermathecae.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ).