Talaus dulongjiang Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008, sp. nov.

Talaus dulongjiang sp. nov.

Figs 1–12, 24

Type material: Holotype: male, Kongdan [N27.87961º, E98.33878º, Gongshan County, Yunnan Province, China], 1527 m, 25 October 2004, Guo Tang (HNU-Tang 040401).

Paratypes: CHINA: Yunnan Province, Gongshan County: 1 Ψ, same data as holotype (HNU- Tang 040401); 4 Ψ, Mokewang Bridge [N27.83827º, E98.32103º], 1455 m, 6–7 November 2004, Guo Tang (Tang 040801: 3 Ψ, HNU; 1 Ψ, CaAS); 2 ɗ, 3 km south of Longyuan Village [N28.00532 ºN, E98.32145 ºE], 1685 m, 2 November 2004, David Kavanaugh (DHK046801: 1 ɗ, HNU; 1 ɗ, CaAS); 1 Ψ, Maku [N27.68545º, E98.30419º], 1814 m, 29 August 2006, Peng Hu. (CaAS-Hu 060829); 1 Ψ, Maku [N27.6811º, E98.29660º], 2097 m, 2 September 2006, Peng Hu. (CaAS-Hu 060902).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality: Dulongjian Township, and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to T. niger sp. nov., but can be separated by 1) opisthosoma dorsum with a large black marking (opisthosoma black in T. niger); 2) epigyne without hood (with a posterior hood in T. niger); 3) copulatory ducts long and spiraled (copulatory ducts short and folded in T. niger); 4) male RTA shorter and more slender than in T. niger. This new species can also be separated from T. nanus Thorell, 1890 by 1) male palp only with VTA and RTA (VTA, RTA and DTA in T. nanus; type material examined); 2) embolus slender and originating at the 3:00 position (half that length and originating at the 8:00 position in T. nanus).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.00, dorsal shield of prosoma 1.10 long, 0.90 wide; opisthosoma 1.10 long, 0.90 wide. Prosoma dorsally brown with many long bent setae. Prosoma swollen, tentshaped. PER more strongly recurved than AER. Lateral eyes on large light gray tubercles. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.12, PLE 0.07, AME 0.05, PME 0.04; AME-AME 0.12, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.30, PME-PLE 0.20, MOA long 0.20 with front width 0.20 and hind width 0.35. Sternum cordiform, light brown. Chelicerae, gnathocoxae and labium blackish brown. Legs yellow, femora I, II blackish brown. Tibiae and metatarsi I, II with 3 pairs of long ventral spines. Leg measurements: I 2.55 (0.75, 0.90, 0.50, 0.40), II 2.70 (0.80, 0.95, 0.55, 0.40), III 1.80 (0.50, 0.70, 0.30, 0.30), IV 2.05 (0.65, 0.70, 0.40, 0.30); formula 2143. Opisthosoma oviform and flat, with many hairs; dorsum with a large black marking, cardiac pattern and 2 pairs of muscular depressions visible; lateral margins yellow; venter yellow with a large U-shaped black marking.

Palp (Figs 5–7, 10). VTA digitiform, the distal end with a small hook, RTA bayonet-shaped and strongly sclerotized, bulb flat, sperm duct twisted in clockwise; embolus long filiform.

Female (one of the paratypes, HNU-Tang 040401): Total length 2.30, dorsal shield of prosoma 1.00 long, 0.90 wide; opisthosoma 1.30 long, 1.00 wide. Body color slightly lighter than in male. Markings are generally similar to those of male. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.10, PLE 0.07, AME 0.05, PME 0.03, AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.30, PME-PLE 0.25; MOA length 0.20, front width 0.22, hind width 0.35. Leg measurements: I 2.60 (0.80, 0.80, 0.50, 0.50), II 2.70 (0.80, 0.90, 0.60, 0.40), III 1.90 (0.60, 0.70, 0.30, 0.30), IV 2.30 (0.70, 0.80, 0.40, 0.40); leg formula 2, 1, 4, 3. Opisthosoma wider than in male, dorsum with many hairs and a large black marking.

Epigyne-vulva (Figs 8–9, 11–12). Copulatory openings bilateral; copulatory ducts long, slender and spiraled; spermathecae convoluted.

Variation. Total length: male 2.00–2.20 (n = 3), female 2.10–2.40 (n = 7). Prosoma light brown to brown. The markings on opisthosoma dorsum vary in size and pigmentation.

Distribution. China (Yunnan Province).

Remark s. After examining the male type of T. nanus, we found it difficult to recognize differences between the male palp of T. nanus and T. xiphosus. As we failed to get the opportunity to check females from the type series or locality of T. nanus, further study on the two species is required to be done in the future.