Taraxella chrisfehni, Ni & Yu & Zhang, 2025

Taraxella chrisfehni sp. nov.

Figs 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 Common name. 克氏塔蛛 View Figure 8

Type material.

Holotype: Malaysia • ♂ ( MHBU-ARA-00021518 ); Kelantan, Gua Musang ; 4.7635°N, 102.0055°E, 199 m elev.; 26. X. 2015; Z. Gao, G. Huang & L. Wang leg. GoogleMaps Paratype: Malaysia • 1 ♀ ( MHBU-ARA-00027418 ); same data as the holotype GoogleMaps .

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from Chris Fehn, the percussionist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Slipknot from 1998 to 2019; the Pinocchio-style mask that Chris Fehn usually wears during his performances resembles the tegular apophysis ‘ Y’ on the palpal bulb of the new species.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles T. solitaria in the pattern of tegular apophyses ‘ X’ and ‘ Y’, but it can be distinguished from T. solitaria by the following: (1) the ‘ Y’ apophysis is slender, originates from the center of the palpal bulb, protrudes at a 45 ° angle toward the ventral distal end, bent in proximal 1 / 3 position from tip (Figs 7 A – C View Figure 7 , 8 A – C View Figure 8 ; vs. in T. solitaria , the apophysis ‘ Y’ is short and stout, originates from the prolateral part of the palpal bulb; see Wanless 1984: fig. 7 G, F); (2) the sharp prong is short and slightly curved, positioned between the retrolateral tibial apophysis and the ventral tibial apophysis (Figs 7 B, C View Figure 7 , 8 B, C View Figure 8 ; vs. in T. solitaria , the sharp prong is long and curved in an “ S ” shape, located dorsally to the retrolateral tibial apophysis; see Wanless 1984: fig. 7 G, F); and (3) the membrane of distal haematodocha forms a fan-shaped structure that resembles an inverted trapezoid in ventral view (Figs 7 B View Figure 7 , 8 B View Figure 8 ; vs. in T. solitaria , the fan-shaped structure resembles a rhomboid in ventral view; see Wanless 1984: fig. 7 G)

Description.

Male. Measurements of holotype: total length 4.75. Carapace 2.24 long, 1.68 wide. Abdomen 2.16 long, 1.28 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.55, ALE 0.28, PME 0.09, PLE 0.28. Leg measurements: I 5.28 (1.50, 0.50, 1.48, 1.22, 0.58), II 4.12 (1.18, 0.48, 1.17, 0.93, 0.36), III 4.49 (1.21, 0.45, 1.10, 1.25, 0.49), IV 4.44 (1.35, 0.41, 1.10, 1.05, 0.53); leg formula 1342. Chelicera (Fig. 6 D View Figure 6 ) brown, bearing large black patch in anterior region, with five promarginal and nine retromarginal teeth. Carapace (Fig. 6 A, C View Figure 6 ) with dark margins, and an off-white encircling band, eye field light brown; eye surroundings dark, with black strips beneath anterior median eyes connecting to carapace margin resembling tear stains; fovea brown and longitudinal slit-like; endites light brown, with black setae at distal end; labium pale yellow, with a black spot on surface. Legs (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ) bearing long and thin spines, coxa and trochanter off-white, femur and tibia olive-brown. Abdomen (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ) off-white on dorsal side, with mottled long black setae; clusters of dark brown setae adorning lateral sides; herringbone patterned lines arranged longitudinally, gradually decreasing in size from front to back in middle; ventral side off-white. Spinnerets (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ) pale yellow, covered with black setae.

Palp (Figs 7 A – C View Figure 7 , 8 A – C View Figure 8 ): embolus partly hidden by tegular apophysis ‘ X’ and tegulum in ventral view; tegular apophysis ‘ X’ dark, located at distal end of bulb, extending to retrolateral direction, forming three hill-like protrusions on surface in retrolateral view; tegular apophysis ‘ Y’ long, bent in proximal 1 / 3 position from tip; membrane of distal haematodocha forming a transparent fan-like structure, bent ventrally; ventral tibial apophysis thick, bent dorsally, finger-like in ventral view, edge dark; retrolateral tibial apophysis dark, with a ventral depression, sheep-ear-like in ventral view; prong between VTA and RTA sharp, petiole-like.

Female. Measurements of paratype: total length 4.07. Carapace 1.90 long, 1.53 wide. Abdomen 2.09 long, 1.20 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.50, ALE 0.06, PME 0.29, PLE 0.27. Leg measurements: I 3.76 (1.38, 0.46, 0.99, 0.66, 0.27), II 3.38 (1.17, 0.46, 0.90, 0.62, 0.23), III 4.03 (1.20, 0.39, 0.98, 0.87, 0.59), IV 5.49 (1.54, 0.48, 1.52, 1.49, 0.46); leg formula 4312. Chelicera pale yellow, with five promarginal and eight retromarginal teeth (Fig. 6 F View Figure 6 ). Habitus (Fig. 6 B, E View Figure 6 ) similar to that of male, but different in: carapace paler at margin, lacking obvious off-white band, clypeus narrow, faint black, lacking obvious black strips beneath anterior median eyes; femur and tibia consistent in colour with other leg segments.

Epigyne (Figs 7 D, E View Figure 7 , 8 D, E View Figure 8 ): epigynal plate heart-shaped, equipped with a longitudinal furrow at posterior-middle part; two triangular concave cavities (possible epigynal pockets) at posterior end facing rearward; copulatory openings slit-shaped, located behind longitudinal furrow; copulatory ducts hidden beneath sclerotized integument and inconspicuous at dorsal view; spermathecae large and spherical, with middle parts closely adhering to each other; fertilization ducts and accessory glands not visible.

Distribution.

Malaysia (Kelantan).

Comments.

Taraxella has the peculiar tegular apophyses ‘ X’ and ‘ Y’, as well as the nearly concealed embolus ( Wanless 1987). Tegular apophysis ‘ Y’ is likely homologous to M 3, which may also be denoted as TA ( Wanless 1984). Nevertheless, the structure homologous to ‘ X’ remains unclear, and the homology of different apophyses on male palpal bulb in Spartaeinae remains to be investigated. In this study, we followed the terminology in Wanless (1984) and employed ‘ X’ and ‘ Y’ to represent the two massive apophyses of the male palp.