Skip to main content

Hongkan phintella (Phintella hongkan) from China closely resembling Phintella arcuata and Phintella pygmaea

Dlium Hongkan phintella (Phintella hongkan) from China closely resembling Phintella arcuata and Phintella pygmaea

NEWS - Hongkan phintella (Phintella hongkan Wang, Gan & Mi sp. nov. ♂♀) from Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, China, was established as a new species to science, closely resembling Phintella arcuata Huang, Wang & Peng 2015 and Phintella pygmaea (WesoĊ‚owska, 1981). The authors also described for the first time a female of Phintella liae Wang, Mi & Peng 2023

Phintella Strand 1906, one of the richest genera of Chrysillini Simon 1901, is represented by 82 species widely distributed mainly from the Oriental and Palearctic Regions. Like most salticid genera, taxonomic studies of the genus are limited by the high rate (over 34%) of single-sexed species known.

In addition, the species are diverse in habitus and copulatory organs, indicating that the species should not be monophyletic and the current generic position of some members needs further revision. To date, 32 species have been recorded from China, 21 of which are endemic.

The male P. hongkan resembles P. arcuata in having similar habitus and palpal structure, but the carapace has a pair of dark patches posteriorly (vs. absent in P. arcuata); the cheliceral fangs lack terminal flaps (vs. present); the posterior lobe extends downward (vs. postero-retrolateral); the bulb has an antero-retrolaterally elongated lamellar process (vs. retrolateral); the retrolateral bulb shoulder has an inverted V-shaped edge (vs. arc-shaped edge).

The female closely resembles P. pygmaea in having nearly identical epigyny, but the basal epigynous plate is absent (vs. present in P. pygmaea) and the pair of dark patches posteriorly on the carapace (vs. absent).

DESCRIPTION

Male total length 2.93. Carapace 1.74 long, 1.39 wide. Abdomen 1.26 long, 0.98 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.44, ALE 0.22, PME 0.21, AERW 1.26, PERW 1.24, EFL 0.83. Legs: I 4.21 (1.25, 0.60, 1.13, 0.83, 0.40), II 3.54 (1.10, 0.48, 0.88, 0.75, 0.33), III 4.14 (1.25, 0.53, 0.95, 1.03, 0.38), IV 4.44 (1.30, 0.53, 1.05, 1.13, 0.43). Carapace elevated, dark brown to dark, covered with clusters of white scale-like setae between PLEs and PMEs, with pair of sub-triangular dark patches inner to PMEs, irregular median yellow area and pair of oval dark patches bearing dense dark scale-like setae posteriorly on thorax; fovea dark red, longitudinal. Chelicerae dark yellow, mingled with green-brown, with two promarginal teeth and one larger, medially located retromarginal tooth. Endites sub-square, bearing scopulae on antero-inner portions. Labium tapered. Sternum yellow to green-brown. Legs green-brown to dark brown, except metatarsi and tarsi III and IV pale. Abdomen almost oval, dorsum setose, with median, transverse white setal band; venter dark.

Palp: tibia slightly wider than long in retrolateral view; retrolateral tibial apophysis strongly sclerotised, tapered, with pointed tip slightly curved ventrally; cymbium about 1.8 times longer than wide; bulb elongated; posterior lobe posteriorly extended, with blunt end; tegular bump sub-triangular, near distal portion of retrolateral tibial apophysis; lamellar process anteriorly located, near half-round; embolus short, strongly sclerotised, originating from antero-prolateral portion of bulb, slightly curved at base and with rather blunt end.

Female total length 3.01. Carapace 1.48 long, 1.15 wide. Abdomen 1.61 long, 1.07 wide. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.39, ALE 0.20, PME 0.18, AERW 1.13, PERW 1.13, EFL 0.78. Legs: I 2.71 (0.85, 0.43, 0.63, 0.50, 0.30), II missing, III 3.16 (1.00, 0.43, 0.65, 0.75, 0.33), IV 3.56 (1.08, 0.40, 0.83, 0.90, 0.35). Carapace pale to yellow, with similar dark patches as in male. Chelicerae yellow, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth almost equal in size. Endites coloured as chelicerae. Labium pale. Legs pale, spiny. Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum pale to yellow, with two discontinuous, transverse dark stripes; venter pale, with terminal green-brown patch.

Epigyne: wider than long; copulatory openings mediolaterally located on atrium and opened laterally; copulatory ducts transversely extended at origin and then downward descending, distal end connected to base-inner portion of spermathecae; spermathecae oval, apart from each other by about one-fourth their width; fertilisation ducts lamellar.

Original research

Wang C, Gan J, Mi X (2024). On two species of Phintella Strand, 1906 from Hainan, China (Araneae, Salticidae). Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e138400, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e138400

Dlium theDlium

Popular Posts

Lolot (Piper sarmentosum)

Lolot pepper ( Piper sarmentosum ) is a species of plant in Piperaceae, perennial herb, erect or lodging, creeping rhizome, up to 120 cm long, branched, enlarged branches, cylindrical stems, brown or green, often grooved, growing on the forest floor and shade. P. sarmentosum has leaf stalks up to 15 cm long, up to 13 cm wide, green, alternately arranged, heart-shaped, pointed tips and flat margins. The leaves have 5 main veins from the base of the blade, linear and slightly curved to the tip, glands on the upper surface and many fine pinnate veins. The upper side is shiny green, the lower side is pale green. The flowers are white. The fruit grows in the upper armpit of the leaf, is slightly oval and green. The leaves are used as a medicine for asthma, malaria, stomach ache, tinea versicolor, toothache, difficulty urinating, aches and pains, maintaining stamina, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and so on. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiosperma...

East Indian globe thistle (Sphaeranthus indicus)

Gorakhmundi or gorakh mundi or mundi buti ka phool or mundi booti ka phool or sembung delan or East Indian globe thistle ( Sphaeranthus indicus ) is a species of plant in Asteroideae, a perennial, multi-branched, strong fragrance with erect stems, winged and toothed wings, growing wild in rice fields forming colonies, dense open rugs in the tropics. S. indicus has alternating sitting leaves, oval, narrow at the base, toothed and serrated, 1-3 cm long and green. Leaves 2-7 cm long, 1-3 wide, broad and deep wings, continuing into a large bone in the center of the leaf to a sharp tip and several lateral veins. The flower is round, grows at the tip, has a large and long stalk, is purple in color, 8-15 mm in size, consists of many tiny flowers, green or red or purple and has pale purple stamens. Head ovate-ellipsoid and 12-15 mm long. Phyllaries are white and have purple crest. Female flowers have a corolla tube 2-2.5 mm long. The bisexual flowers are 2.3-3 mm long and the hardened pa...

Red lip (Syzygium myrtifolium)

Pucuk merah or daun pucuk merah or red lip ( Syzygium myrtifolium ) is a plant species in the Myrtaceae, a medium tree with a cylindrical trunk and produces cambium, up to 5 meters high, bark rough and light brown, many branches and strong roots. S. myrtifolium has oval-shaped leaves, pointed tip and base, up to 7 cm long, up to 2 cm wide, a vein in the middle, flat margins, shiny surface, bright red leaf buds and will turn green over time. The flowers are compound and arranged in panicles. The flowers bloom with a stigma in the center and are white. The fruit is round and up to 1 cm in diameter, the middle of the upper surface has a depression and is shiny black when ripe. This species grows in forests, agricultural land, roadsides and abandoned lands. This tree has a root structure that goes deep into the ground and is sturdy so it is often used to rehabilitate land, prevent landslides and store water reserves. This tree has a greater ability to absorb CO2 than other types of pla...