Pseudopoda tadungensis, Zhang & Hoang & Lei, 2025

Pseudopoda tadungensis sp. nov.

Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7

Type material.

Holotype female: Vietnam • Dak Nong Province: Dak Glong District, Ta Dung National Park , 11.8616°N, 107.9923°E, elevation 953 m, 1 February 2024, Quang Duy Hoang leg. ( MHU, LJ 20240005 ). GoogleMaps

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the type locality, the Ta Dung National Park; adjective.

Diagnosis.

The female of P. tadungensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by the medially incompletely fused lateral lobes in ventral view, and the internal duct system twisted into a wing shape.

Description.

Female (holotype): Measurements: Medium-sized. TL 10.1, PL 4.4, PW 4.0, OL 5.7, OW 2.7. Eyes: AME 0.14, ALE 0.24, PME 0.17, PLE 0.23, AME – AME 0.16, AME – ALE 0.09, PME – PME 0.20, PME – PLE 0.35, AME – PME 0.27, ALE – PLE 0.25, CH AME 0.37, CH ALE 0.30. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2101, 1014; Fe I 323, II – III 322, IV 331; Pa I – III 101, IV 000; Ti I – II 2228, III 2226, IV 2126; Mt I – II 3034, III – IV 3036. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 7.6 (1.6, 0.7, 1.4, –, 2.3); I 19.3 (5.5, 1.9, 5.5, 5.0, 1.4); II 22.0 (6.1, 2.2, 6.4, 5.6, 1.7); III 16.0 (4.9, 1.7, 4.4, 4.0, 1.0); IV 18.8 (5.6, 1.1, 5.1, 5.5, 1.5). Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Cheliceral furrow with ca. 20 denticles.

Epigyne (Fig. 4 A – C View Figure 4 ): As in diagnosis. Epigynal field wider than long. Anterior bands short. Anterior margins of lateral lobes slightly curved, posterior margins of lateral lobes with median indentation. Posterior part of internal duct system with loops. Fertilization duct long and narrow, situated postero-laterally.

Colouration (Fig. 5 A, B View Figure 5 ): DS reddish brown, with dark spots. Fovea and radial marks distinct. OS dorsally with reddish-brown patches, arranged symmetrically in two longitudinal lines. OS ventrally yellow with a longitudinal brown region, margins with few small marks.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ).

Note.

Pseudopoda tadungensis sp. nov. exhibits subtle differences in genital morphology compared to most other species of the genus. To confirm its generic placement, we amplified the COI sequence of the holotype and conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on currently available COI sequences of the genus. The resulting tree supports the placement of P. tadungensis sp. nov. within Pseudopoda (Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ). These molecular data provide an additional line of evidence for the validity and generic assignment of the new species.

Up to now, four Pseudopoda species from Vietnam are known only from males. The collection sites of these four species are located at a considerable distance from P. tadungensis sp. nov. (all exceeding 200 km, outside the endemic range of most Pseudopoda species; personal observation, Zhang et al. 2023), and their size and patterns do not match. Therefore, P. tadungensis sp. nov. is currently regarded as a distinct species. Further studies are required to address this ambiguity conclusively.