Pseudopoda huanglianensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023

Pseudopoda huanglianensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 View in CoL

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 28 A View Figure 28

Pseudopoda huanglianensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, in Zhang et al. 2023 a: 138, figs 124 A, C, 125 A, B (♀). View in CoL

Holotype.

♀ ( CBEE, LJ 202002838 ), China: • Yunnan Prov.: Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Luechun Co., Huanglianshan Mt. , 22.99 ° N, 102.46 ° E, c. 1940 m, by hand, 13 VII 2020, R. Zhong et al. leg. Examined. GoogleMaps

Material examined.

• 2 ♂ 2 ♀ ( YNZY 013 , YNZY 014 , YNZY 024 , YNZY 025 ). Same locality as holotype, by hand, 16 IV 2024, Y. Zhong & S. Yang leg. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis.

Males of this species can be easily distinguished from those of all other congeners by the embolus (E) shaped like the lowercase letter ‘ y’ in ventral view, the embolic tip (ET) strongly torqued along its length, with distinct subterminal torsion, and by the rhombic tip of conductor (C) (Figs 4 A View Figure 4 , 5 A, B View Figure 5 , 6 A – C View Figure 6 ). In contrast, the embolus (E) and conductor (C) of all other species do not exhibit these characteristics. In most Pseudopoda species, such as P. mamillaris and P. yangae sp. nov., the embolic tip (ET) is not torqued (as shown in Figs 8 A View Figure 8 , 9 A, B View Figure 9 , 10 A – C View Figure 10 , 20 A View Figure 20 , 21 A, B View Figure 21 , 22 A – C View Figure 22 ), or the embolic tip (ET) is moderately torqued with no distinct subterminal torsion, as in a few species like P. oliviformis and P. xiaozhua sp. nov. (as shown in Figs 12 A View Figure 12 , 13 A, B View Figure 13 , 14 A – C View Figure 14 , 17 A, B View Figure 17 , 18 C View Figure 18 ). Female of P. huanglianensis resembles that of P. anfracta Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 , in having the similarly shaped median field (MF) and the relatively sclerotized, nearly funnel-shaped first windings (FD), but can be recognised by the median field (MF) relatively narrower, ca. 2 / 5 epigyne width (vs. wider, more than 2 / 3 epigyne width) (cf. Fig. 7 A, B View Figure 7 and Zhang et al. 2023 a: fig. 12 A). Female also resembles that of P. cangschana Jäger & Vedel, 2007 ( Zhang et al. 2023 a: 50, figs 39 A, B, 40 C, D); see Zhang et al. (2023 a) for the diagnosis.

Description.

Male ( YNZY 013). Total length 7.1. Carapace 3.6 long, 3.5 wide, anterior width 1.7. Opisthosoma 3.5 long, 2.2 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.30, PME 0.24, PLE 0.30, AME – AME 0.10, AME – ALE 0.06, PME – PME 0.22, PME – PLE 0.24, AME – PME 0.25, ALE – PLE 0.25, CH AME 0.32, CH ALE 0.25. Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2111; Fe: I – II 323, III 322, IV 321; Pa: I – IV 101; Ti: I – II 2228, III 2226, IV 2126; Mt: I – II 2024, III – IV 3036. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 4.9 (1.6, 0.7, 0.8, 1.8), I 15.3 (4.3, 1.9, 4.1, 3.6, 1.4), II 16.5 (4.5, 1.9, 4.3, 4.2, 1.6), III 12.8 (3.9, 1.3, 3.3, 3.2, 1.1), IV 14.9 (4.4, 1.4, 3.6, 4.1, 1.4). Cheliceral furrow with ~ 34 denticles.

Colouration in ethanol

(Fig. 6 D, E View Figure 6 ). DS light brown, lateral bands and margin slightly darker, clothed with fine setae; median band bright yellowish-brown, not distinctly delimited to lateral bands, with indistinct Ψ-shaped markings starting from behind PER, almost reaching indistinct cervical groove; fovea and striae distinctly marked. Cheliceral base coloured similarly to median band, with red fangs. Sternum uniformly light brown. Endites light brown. Labium coloured similarly to endites. Legs yellowish-brown, with numerous brown spots, and covered with short spines. OS elongate-oval; dorsum with median band starting from behind pedicel, reaching 4 / 5 of abdomen length, with two pairs of circular dots on each side; median band with diamond-shaped anterior part, cross-shaped stem, and ‘ ˽ ’ - shaped, black posterior part, all three parts fused; dorsum with transverse yellow line located posterior to median band; ventral OS marked with numerous brown spots.

Palp (Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 A – C View Figure 6 , 28 A View Figure 28 ). Femur and patella unmodified. Tibia (Ti) relatively long, ca. 1 / 2 cymbium length, with retrolateral apophysis (RTA) arising mesially to distally; RTA bifurcated, with ventral part (vRTA) and dorsal branch (dRTA): dRTA finger-like, slightly curved and tapering, ca. 3 / 4 tibia length, extending to cymbial base; vRTA laminar, humble, and broad in retrolateral view, with blunt, round apex. Cymbium (Cy) approximately 2.4 times as long as wide, retrolaterally with indistinct bulge (CB). Tegulum (T) nearly egg-shaped, ca. 1.3 × longer than wide, relatively flat, marginally with distinct, ɔ-shaped spermophor (Sp) in ventral view. Embolus (E) shaped like the lowercase letter ‘ y’ in ventral view, ca. as long as tegulum (T), arising from tegulum at nearly the 8–9 o’clock position, terminating at ca. 11: 30 o’clock position; the proximal first half of embolus (E) columnar, while the second half thin and flat, ribbon-shaped; embolic tip (ET) strongly torqued along its length, with subterminal torsion and distal, rostrate bend. Conductor (C) membranous, ca. 1 / 2 of embolus length, inserted anterodorsally on tegulum, extending obliquely, the latter half of conductor (C) widens and diamond-shaped, directing prolaterally.

Female ( YNZY 025). Total length 9.1. Carapace 4.1 long, 3.8 wide, anterior width 2.3. Opisthosoma 5.0 long, 3.6 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.22, ALE 0.34, PME 0.25, PLE 0.34, AME – AME 0.14, AME – ALE 0.08, PME – PME 0.32, PME – PLE 0.34, AME – PME 0.32, ALE – PLE 0.32, CH AME 0.35, CH ALE 0.26. Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe: I – II 323, III 322, IV 321; Pa: I – IV 101; Ti: I – II 2228, III – IV 2126; Mt: I – II 2024, III – IV 3036. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 5.4 (1.7, 0.9, 1.1, 1.7), I 14.4 (4.3, 1.8, 3.3, 3.7, 1.3), II 15.1 (4.4, 2.0, 3.8, 3.6, 1.3), III 12.0 (3.7, 1.5, 2.9, 2.8, 1.1), IV 14.0 (3.9, 1.8, 3.6, 3.4, 1.3). Cheliceral furrow with ~ 50 denticles. Colouration in ethanol as in males, but body slightly darker (Fig. 7 D, E View Figure 7 ; see Zhang et al. (2023 a) for others described).

Epigyne (Fig. 7 A – C View Figure 7 ). Epigynal field ca. 1.25 × wider than long; anterior margin (aEF) distinctly delimited, mesially distinctly recurved; anterior bands (AB) indistinct. Median field (MF) shaped like a ginkgo leaf (more or less fan-shaped), ca. 2 / 5 epigyne length and 2 / 5 epigyne width. Lateral lobes (LL) nearly as wide as long, slightly converged along the axis; anterior margins (amLL) slightly recurved; median margins (mmLL) touching each other along middle line in anterior half; posterior margins (pmLL) with distinct incision (PI). Copulatory openings (CO) indistinct, located at basolateral borders of median field (MF). First windings (FW) weakly sclerotized, nearly funnel-shaped; starting from near copulatory openings (CO), descending obliquely, posteriorly with U-turns; two first windings (FW) separated by ca. 0.75 × diameters. Spermathecae (S) represented by thick, ‘ ∩ ’ - shaped tubes, forming letter ‘ m’; laterally covered by first windings (FW) and with globular appendage (SA), medially exposed and touching each other along middle line in posterior half. Membranous sac (MS) nearly trapeziform, located at posterior portion of vulva; anterior margin recurved, separated from epigastric fold by ca. 1 / 4 epigyne length, reaching contact point of spermathecae; posterior margin nearly straight, close to epigastric fold. Fertilization ducts (FD) acicular, membranous, ca. 1 / 2 length of first windings.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).