Skip to main content

Sub guardstone spider (Otacilia subshanxi) named the species based on its similarity to Otacilia shanxi

Sub guardstone spider (Otacilia subshanxi) named the species based on its similarity to Otacilia shanxi

NEWS - Sub guardstone spider (Otacilia subshanxi sp. nov.) from Duheyuan Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, China, was diagnosed and described as a new species. The researchers found the specimen known only from the type locality and named the species based on its similarity to O. shanxi.

Otacilia Thorell 1897 is the largest genus in the Phrurolithidae, containing 143 species, distributed in East and Southeast Asia with 120 species reported in China. A recently reported eyeless species collected from a cave shows the great potential for species diversity.

The new species resembles O. shanxi Mu & Zhang 2021 in having similar femoral apophyses, atrium, curved connecting tubes, but a wide embolus (vs. thin in O. shanxi), a thin (vs. wide) retrolateral tibial apophysis and a thin (vs. wide) median septum.

Male (Holotype): total length 3.04, carapace 1.50 long, 1.30 wide; abdomen 1.54 long, 1.03 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.09, PME 0.08, PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.22, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.40, ALE–PLE 0.08. EAW 0.52, CRW 0.68, EAW/CRW 0.76, CRW/CW 0.52. MOA 0.26 long, anterior width 0.21, posterior width 0.27. CH 0.11, CH/AME 1.38.

Labium 0.15 long, 0.22 wide. Sternum 0.87 long, 0.78 wide. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 6.15 (1.57 + 0.55 + 1.81 + 1.48 + 0.74), Ⅱ 4.91 (1.30 + 0.51 + 1.27 + 1.15 + 0.68), Ⅲ 4.02 (1.08 + 0.45 + 0.80 + 1.07 + 0.62), Ⅳ 6.51 (1.78 + 0.54 + 1.53 + 1.80 + 0.86). Spination: femur I d 1 pl 4, femur Ⅱ d 1 pl 2, femur Ⅲ–Ⅳ d 1, tibia Ⅰ pv 7 rv 8, tibia Ⅱ pv 7 rv 6, metatarsus Ⅰpv 4 rv 4, metatarsus Ⅱ pv 4 rv 3.

Carapace slightly brown, radial striae indistinct, with one black longitudinal stripe nearly same width as eye area. Abdomen grey, with small dorsal scutum darker than carapace, with black pattern beside dorsal scutum anteriorly and four black transverse stripes at posterior of abdomen. Legs yellow, with black annuli near ventral of tibiae I–Ⅳ tip.

Femur with large, well-developed apophysis at middle part. Prolateral tibial apophysis distinct. Tibial nearly as long as wide. Retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) with wide base and narrow, tip blunt, base of retrolateral with a small tuber, a row of strong setae at base of RTA. Bulb pyriform, sperm duct distinct, tapering off close to embolus. Embolus wide, hook-like, blade-shaped. Conductor small, triangular, membranous.

Female (Paratype): total length 3.52, carapace 1.52 long, 1.36 wide; abdomen 2.00 long, 1.22 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.10, PME 0.08, PLE 0.09; AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.21, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.37, ALE–PLE 0. 06. EAW 0.48, CRW 0.69, EAW/CRW 0.69, CRW/CW 0.51. MOA 0.27 long, anterior width 0.19, posterior width 0.27. CH 0.09, CH/AME 1.00.

Labium 0.15 long, 0.25 wide. Sternum 0.93 long, 0.79 wide. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 6.00 (1.50 + 0.52 + 1.85 + 1.44 + 0.69), Ⅱ 4.93 (1.25 + 0.51 + 1.33 + 1.13 + 0.71), Ⅲ 4.29 (1.14 + 0.47 + 0.93 + 1.12 + 0.63), Ⅳ 6.32 (1.68 + 0.59 + 1.37 + 1.77 + 0.91). Spination:femur I d 1 pl 4, femur Ⅱ d 1 pl 3, femora Ⅲ–Ⅳ d 1, tibia Ⅰ pv 7 rv 8, tibia Ⅱ pv 7 rv 6, metatarsus Ⅰ pv 4 rv 4, metatarsus Ⅱ pv 4 rv 3. Other characters as in male, except dorsal scutum absent (Fig. 1B, Fig. 2C and D).

Epigynal plate sclerotised, non-transparent, with two large atriums. Median septum wide, edge arched, widest at middle part. Copulatory openings located at middle part of atrium, separated by septum. Copulatory ducts short and thick, straight. Connecting tubes long and thin, curved. Bursae balloon-shaped, transparent. Spermathecae oval and small, bean-shaped. Fertilisation ducts short, located anteromesally on spermathecae.

Original research

Guo M, Mu Y, Zhang F (2024). A new Otacilia Thorell, 1897 species from Hubei Province, China (Araneae, Phrurolithidae). Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e137014, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e137014

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)

Teki or purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) is a species of plant in the Cyperaceae, an erect annual growing to a height of up to 140 cm, the leaves sprout in rows of three from the base to a length of 5-20 cm, ribbon-shaped, pointed tip and green in color. The inflorescence has a stalk with a triangular cross section and is green. The inflorescence has three to eight unequal spikes. The flower is bisexual, has 3 stamina and the pistil has three stigmas. The fruit is achene and triangular. Teki prefers dry places, but will tolerate moist soil and often grows in wastelands and in crop fields. Tubers are an important source of nutrition for migratory cranes. Source of carbohydrates in the tropics in times of famine. The initial stage forms a white fleshy rhizome, 25 mm long and in chains. Some of the rhizomes grow upright above the ground, then form a tuber-like structure from which new shoots and roots grow, new roots and new rhizomes grow. Other rhizomes grow horizontally or down...
Read more

Limestone beads (Jacquemontia paniculata)

Limestone beads ( Jacquemontia paniculata ) is a species of plant in the Convolvulaceae. It is a herbaceous, twining climbing plant with cylindrical, branched, green stems. It grows in shrubs, teak forest floors, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. J. paniculata has arrow-shaped, green leaves with a central main vein and numerous pinnate minor veins. The leaves are up to 9 cm long, 7 cm wide, and have stalks up to 5 cm long. The flowers are star-shaped, about 1 cm in diameter, and bluish-white. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Subfamily: Dichondroideae Tribe: Jacquemontieae Genus: Jacquemontia Choisy in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 6: 476 (1833 publ. 1834) Species: Jacquemontia paniculata (Burm.f.) Hallier f. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 18: 95 (1893) Variety: Jacquemontia paniculata var. grandiflora Ooststr., Jacquemontia paniculata var. lanceolata S.H.Huang, Jacquemontia paniculata v...
Read more

Twoleaf nightshade (Solanum diphyllum)

Twoleaf nightshade ( Solanum diphyllum ) is a species of plants in Solanaceae, upright shrubs grow in shade, 1-2 m tall, rounded stems, dense, green-purple brown, short hairy, stopping cells, cornered young twigs and widely cultivated as plants decorate with bright yellow ripe fruit. S. diphyllum has leaves that are alternating, solitary or paired in twigs with generative organs. Some are stemmed for 1-1.5 cm. The leaves are oval to oblique round eggs, dynamic base, flat or wavy edges, tapered or rounded edges, 1-14.5 cm long, 0.5-4 cm wide and have short hair. Flowers facing leaves 5-25 mm long. Has a 2 mm handle, brownish purple, straight and unbranched. Hook 5-10 mm, greenish to brown and curved. The petals have five ears, resembling kupula, pale green, 1-5 mm long and short haired. Flowers have five crowns, coincide, star-shaped, yellowish white, 2-5 mm long. Has five stamens, free and facing the crown. Short and yellowish green pistil. The stigma is yellow, attached to the...
Read more