Althepus jiandan Liu & Li & Wongprom & Zheng & Li 2017, sp. nov.

Althepus jiandan Li et Li sp. nov.

Figs 6–7, 21–22

Type material. Holotype: Male (IZCAS), Thailand, Yala Province, Than To District, the evergreen forest in front of the Krasaeng Cave entrance, 06°10.870'N, 101°11.605'E, altitude 155m, 23 October 2013. Paratypes: 4 females and 2 males, same data as holotype (IZCAS).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin 'jiǎn dān', which means 'simple', referring to the simple marks on carapace; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The species resembles A. xianxi sp. nov. (Figs 19–20) with the male palp, but can be distinguished by the large, forked lamellar structures on the distal part of the conductor (Figs 6A–D) as well as by the strongly twisted spermathecae (Fig. 7E).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 3.40; carapace 1.00 length, 1.26 width; abdomen 2.03 length, 1.10 width. Carapace rounded (Fig. 7G), yellowish, with three longitudinal brown bands of different width, among them, the middle shortened to triangular band around the eyes. Anterior margin of thoracic region distinctly elevated. Clypeus brown. Cheliceral promargin with two teeth, followed by a lamina, retromargin with two small teeth (Fig. 21D). Labium brown, with two light rounded areas basally. Sternum yellow, with two irregular brown lines on each side. Abdomen elongate, with complex patterns of white and dark-brown dorsally and ventrally. Legs brown, femur and tibia annulated with white. Leg measurements: I 23.46 (6.22, 0.40, 6.09, 9.28, 1.47), II 23.29 (6.22, 0.40, 5.77, 9.17, 1.73), III 13.05 (4.23, 0.40, 3.85, 5.13, 1.15), IV 23.93 (6.35, 0.40, 6.22, 9.04, 1.92). Male palp (Figs 6A–D): tarsus with three slightly curved, serrated bristles at the top of cymbial protrusion (Fig. 6C), one hooked spine with tip directed towards proximally (Figs 6A, D), one strong spine and one bristle arising from tubercles; bulb bright yellow, ovate; embolus arising retrolatero-distally from bulb, curved and extremely long distally; conductor arising prolatero-distally from bulb with large and forked structures on the distal part; embolus and conductor widely separated (the distance is almost equal to diameter of bulb).

Female (paratype). Similar to male in coloration and general features (Figs 7H–I), but with a smaller body size. Internal genitalia with a pair of strongly twisted and swollen transparent spermathecae (Fig. 7E). Measurements: total length 3.00; carapace 0.92 length, 1.09 width; abdomen 1.96 length, 1.33 width. Legs I 25.77 (6.09, 0.32, 6.73, 11.03, 1.60), legs II 15.90 (4.23, 0.32, 4.17, 5.83, 1.35), III 12.50 (3.21, 0.32, 2.88, 3.72, 2.37), IV 16.09 (4.55, 0.32, 4.49, 5.38, 1.35).

Variation. Carapace 1.00–1.19 length, 1.13–1.26 width, tibia I 7.50–9.29 in males. Carapace 0.92–1.00 length, 1.02–1.09 width, tibia I 6.47–6.73 (n=3; leg I lost in other specimen) in females.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 22).