Chengkou meshweaver (Cicurina chengkou), Daba Mountain meshweaver (Cicurina dabashan) and long hook meshweaver (Cicurina longihamata) from China

NEWS - Chengkou meshweaver (Cicurina chengkou sp. nov. ♂♀), Daba Mountain meshweaver (Cicurina dabashan sp. nov. ♂♀) and long hook meshweaver (Cicurina longihamata sp. nov. ♂♀) from Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve in Chongqing, China, were added as new species to science in Cicurina Menge 1871.

Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve is located in the southern Dabashan Mountains with many intersecting valleys. The heterogeneous habitats create conditions for independent evolution of species and have given rise to many endemic species such as ferns and flowering plants, including Botrychium sutchuenense, Asplenium humistratum, Primula phagosa, and the beetle Neobisnius chengkouensis.

A comprehensive survey of the biological resource background of Chongqing Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve was conducted in 2011. A total of 181 macro fungi, 3572 tracheophytes, 884 insects, 68 mammals, 233 birds, 24 reptiles, 25 amphibians, and 44 fish species were recorded.

However, only 13 species of spiders have been recorded in the Nature Reserve: Amaurobius spinatus Zhang, Wang & Zhang 2018, Chrosiothes pengqi Lin & Li 2024, Coscinida hantao Lin & Li 2024, Mallinella zhoushengboi Lin & Li 2024, Onomastus zhuwu Lin & Li 2024, Orchestina xiebao Lin & Li 2024, Otacilia lubrica Mu & Zhang 2021, Otacilia pyriformis Fu, Zhang & Zhang 2016, Otacilia wuli Mu & Zhang 2021, Phricotelus yangxiong Lin & Li 2024, Synagelides huangxin Lin & Li 2024, Tekellina haosiwen Lin & Li 2024 and Yaginumena xuanzan Lin & Li 2024.

Cicurina is the largest genus in the Cicurinidae with 144 species worldwide. Most (114 species) are recorded from North America and a few (28 species) are found in Asia. Currently, there are 20 species of Cicurina found in China. This is the first study to detail the spider diversity of Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve.

C. chengkou is similar to C. dabashan in having a short and wide retrolateral tibial apophysis, a long and strong embolus, a strong and beak-like conductor, a posteriorly located epigynal atrium, and spherical spermathecae.

Both differ in having a long RTA (vs. short in C. dabashan), an apical conductor as long as the base of the conductor (vs. about half the length of the base of the conductor) and an oblong atrium (vs. slightly oval), a short copulatory duct (vs. long).

C. dabashan is similar to Cicurina lichuanensis Wang, Zhou & Peng 2019 in having a similarly shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis, a long and strong embolus, a posteriorly located epigynal atrium and spherical spermathecae.

Both differ by a tegulum with a small process (vs. no process in C. lichuanensis), a conductor with a short, sclerotic and sharp tip (vs. with a long and blunt tip) and an unconnected anterior edge of the atrium (vs. connected).

C. longihamata is similar to Cicurina eburnata Wang 1994 in having a similarly shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis, a long and strong embolus, a strong and hook-like conductor, a posteriorly located epigynal atrium.

Both differ by a conductor with a long, needle-like and C-shaped tip (vs. a short and blunt tip in C. eburnata), a C-shaped copulatory duct and flask-shaped spermathecae (vs. rod-shaped and spherical).

DESCRIPTION

Cicurina chengkou sp. nov.

Male holotype total length 4.02. Carapace 2.09 long, 1.75 wide; opisthosoma 1.78 long, 1.35 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.12, PME 0.10, PLE, 0.11; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.04. MOA 0.23 long, anterior width 0.18, posterior width 0.30. Clypeus height 0.21. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 8 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 5.74 (1.63, 1.98, 1.27, 0.86); II 5.32 (1.55, 1.80, 1.16, 0.81); III 4.78 (1.38, 1.54, 1.13, 0.73); IV 6.23 (1.63, 2.06, 1.62, 0.92). Leg formula: 4123.

Palp. Femur long, two times longer than cymbium, without modified. Tibia slightly longer than patella. Retrolateral tibial apophysis wide, with a single fold and rounded apex. Base of retrolateral tibial apophysis with two small apophyses, extending ventrally and dorsally. Bulb circular, tegulum semicircular, with a distinct process at middle part in prolateral and ventral view. Sperm duct obvious. Embolus strong, originating at approximately 9-o’clock position, anterior part resting in the long groove of conductor. Conductor strong, with a sharp end.

Female paratype total length 3.51. Carapace 1.76 long, 1.23 wide; opisthosoma 1.86 long, 1.38 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.10, PME 0.08, PLE, 0.10; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.03. MOA 0.22 long, anterior width 0.15, posterior width 0.27. Clypeus height 0.14. Leg measurements: I 4.67 (1.39, 1.65, 0.95, 0.68); II 4.28 (1.23, 1.44, 0.94, 0.67); III 3.91 (1.15, 1.31, 0.93, 0.52); IV 5.26 (1.48, 1.76, 1.30, 0.72). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne. Atrium oval. Copulatory openings located lateral of atrium. Copulatory ducts straight and short, about half length of spermathecae diameter. Spermathecae kidney shaped. Fertilization ducts hook-like.

Cicurina dabashan sp. nov.

Male holotype total length 3.66. Carapace 1.91 long, 1.43 wide; opisthosoma 1.72 long, 1.22 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.03, ALE 0.10, PME 0.07, PLE, 0.10; AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.05, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.19 long, anterior width 0.10, posterior width 0.25. Clypeus height 0.16. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 7 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 4.95 (1.48, 1.73, 0.98, 0.76); II 4.45 (1.36, 1.53, 0.92, 0.64); III 4.07 (1.20, 1.32, 0.95, 0.60); IV 5.49 (1.56, 1.81, 1.34, 0.78). Leg formula: 4123.

Palp. Retrolateral tibial apophysis wide, with a single fold and truncates apex. The base of retrolateral tibial apophysis with two small apophyses, extending ventrally and dorsally. Embolus strong, originating at approximately 9-o’clock position, anterior part resting in the long groove of conductor. Conductor strong, with a beak-like end.

Female paratypes total length 3.33–4.95 (N = 2). One female total length 3.33. Prosoma 1.70 long, 1.15 wide; opisthosoma 1.48 long, 1.20 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.11, PME 0.10, PLE, 0.11; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.05. MOA 0.25 long, anterior width 0.16, posterior width 0.28. Clypeus height 0.12. Leg measurements: I 4.18 (1.22, 1.542, 0.83, 0.61); II 3.65 (1.08, 1.28, 0.75, 0.54); III 3.29 (0.95, 1.15, 0.69, 0.50); IV 4.44 (1.26, 1.53, 1.05, 0.60). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne. Atrium oval. Copulatory openings located anterior of atrium. Copulatory ducts as long as spermathecae diameter, C-shaped. Spermathecae spherical, anteriorly located. Fertilization ducts folded.

Cicurina longihamata sp. nov.

Male holotype total length 2.93. Prosoma 1.51 long, 1.14 wide; Opisthosoma 1.31 long, 0.86 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.03, ALE 0.09, PME 0.07, PLE, 0.08; AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.14 long, anterior width 0.07, posterior width 0.21. Clypeus height 0.14. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 7 retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 3.66 (1.09, 1.31, 0.70, 0.56); II 3.18 (0.94, 1.08, 0.64, 0.52); III 2.85 (0.83, 0.88, 0.69, 0.45); IV 3.99 (1.10, 1.32, 0.95, 0.62). Leg formula: 4123.

Palp. Retrolateral tibial apophysis wide. The base of retrolateral tibial apophysis with two small apophyses, extending ventrally and dorsally. Embolus strong, originating at approximately 9-o’clock position, anterior part resting in the groove of conductor. Conductor strong, with a long and J-like end.

Female paratype (SWUC-T-CI-12-02, Fig. 6B) total length 2.94. Prosoma 1.46 long, 0.99 wide; opisthosoma 1.57 long, 1.18 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.10, PME 0.07, PLE, 0.09; AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOA 0.18 long, anterior width 0.08, posterior width 0.22. Clypeus height 0.12. Leg measurements: I 3.56 (1.10, 1.30, 0.65, 0.51); II 3.16 (0.95, 1.11, 0.62, 0.48); III 2.86 (0.87, 0.90, 0.66, 0.43); IV 3.99 (1.18, 1.36, 0.93, 0.52). Leg formula: 4123.

Epigyne. Atrium oval. Copulatory openings located anterior of atrium. Copulatory ducts strongly curved, circular. Spermathecae large and gourd-shaped. Fertilization ducts long and hook-like.

Original research

Wang L-Y, Mu Y-N, Yang L-X, Zhang Z-S (2024). Diversity of spiders in Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China (I), three new Cicurina species of Cicurinidae (Araneae). ZooKeys 1219: 61-72, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1219.137354

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