Sphingius pingtung Tso, Zhu, Zhang & Zhang, 2005, new species

Sphingius pingtung new species

(Figs. 9-12)

Types. Male holotype from Keng-Ting National Park, Pingtung County (22°36' N, 120°30' E), Taiwan, November 2000, collected by Y. L. Hsieh (NMNS - THU -Ar -01-0194).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Sphingius vivax (Thorell 1897) (Deeleman-Reinhold 2001, p. 494, figs. 840- 842) in carapace with many small granulations, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by embolus of male palp much longer, tibial apophysis large and acinaciform (Figs. 11-12). This new species also resembles S. scrobiculatus Thorell 1897 (Deeleman-Reinhold 2001, p. 489, 493, figs. 839) in male palp with a large tibial apophysis, but differs from the latter in: PME-PME smaller than 1 diameter of PME; embolus of male palp long, and tibial apophysis not beyond half of cymbium (Figs. 11—12),

Male. Holotype total length 3.69: cephalothorax 1.62 long, 1.17 wide; abdomen 2.07 long, 1.26 wide. Carapace deep reddish brown, with numerous small granulations. Chelicerae reddish brown, slightly swollen in front surface, with 4 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth. Labium, endites and sternum reddish brown. Sternum with many small punctuations. Legs reddish brown, with a few fine spines and hairs. Abdomen reddish brown, covered with dorsal and ventral scuta. Anterior eye row almost straight, and posterior eye row recurved. AME-AME 0.06, AME- ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.04, PME-PLE 0.04; AME 0.05, ALE 0.09, PME 0.10, PLE 0.09. MOA 0.20 long, front width 0.22, back width 0.25. Labium as long as wide (0.32: 0.32). Sternum longer than wide (1.00: 0.88). Measurements of palp and legs: palp 1.75 (0.68, 0.31, 0.20, 0.56); leg I 4.56 (1.33, 1.63, 0.85, 0.75), II 4.08 (1.19, 1.41, 0.80, 0.68), III femur 1.16 (distal four segments missing in both legs III), IV 5.28 (1.39, 1.73, 1.33, 0.83). Tibial apophysis of palp large and acinaciform, embolus long and flagelliform.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Taiwan (Pingtung County).