Ptocasius davidi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 95B9B5D4-9038-4F59-9868-56C1B621657C

Figs 8–9, 43

Diagnosis

The new species resembles P. urbanii (Żabka, 1981) (Żabka 1981: figs 25–26), but can be distinguished by: (1) atrium outline V-shaped in ventral view (Figs 8B, 9A), while almost parallel to each other in P. urbanii (Żabka 1981: fig. 25); (2) posterior margin of pockets two times as wide as long in ventral view (Figs 8B, 9A), while as long as wide in P. urbanii (Żabka 1981: fig. 25); (3) interdistance of pockets almost as wide as pocket width in ventral view (Figs 8B, 9A), while almost four times wider in P. urbanii (Żabka 1981: fig. 25).

Etymology

The specific name is the patronym in honor of Dr David Kavanaugh, who collected the type specimen.

Type material

Holotype

CHINA • ♀; Yunnan Province, Nujiang Prefecture, Gongshan County, Nujiang State Nature Reserve, Qiqi, 9.9 km West of Gongshan; 27°42′55″ N, 98°33′55″ E; 2000 m a.s.l.; 9–14 Jul. 2000; Heng-mei Yan, David Kavanaugh, Charles Griswold, Hong-bin Liang, Darrell Ubick and Da-zhi Dong leg.; HNU-00–QF–3A.

Paratypes (29 ♀♀)

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; HNU-00–QF–3P • 1 ♀; Lushui County, Yaojiaping He at Pianma Road 44.7 Km; 25°58′29″ N, 98°42′36″ E; 2516 m a.s.l.; 20 May 2005; Charles Griswold and David Kavanaugh leg.; disturbed forest; night collection in forest and along road cuts; HNU-CGY113 • 1 ♀; Lushui County, Pianma Township, Chanyan He, 9.3 km ESE of Pianma; 25°59′37″ N, 98°39′59″ E; 2470 m a.s.l.; 13–14 May 2005; Charles Griswold leg.; mixed broadleaf deciduous and evergreen forest; night collecting; HNU-CGY105 • 1 ♀; Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Datang Village, on the road from Daheling Ganjiao to Dashu Dujuan; 25°46′40″ N, 98°42′29″ E; 2430 m a.s.l.; 17 May 2006; Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu leg.; HNU-Peng060517 • 1 ♀; Tengchong County, Jietou Township, Dahetou Lingganjiao; 25º44′22′′ N, 98º41′46′′ E; 2010 m a.s.l.; 16 May 2006; David Kavanaugh and Roberta Brett leg.; HNU-DHK– 2006–025A • 1 ♀; Tengchong County, Mingguang Township, Zizhi Village, up slope; 25°48′35″ N, 98°37′14′′ E; 2880 m a.s.l.; 25°47′53″ N, 98°37′26″ E; 2756 m a.s.l.; 19 May 2006; Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu and Ming-wei Yang leg.; down slope; HNU-YHY06 • 14 ♀♀; Tengchong County, China, Yunnan Province, Tengchong County, Jietou Township, 2 km down the road from 8# boundary post of Yakou; 25°48′30″ N, 98°37′14″ E; 2890 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2006; Xian-jin Peng, Xin-ping Wang and Peng Hu leg.; HNU-Wang060523–2 • 1 ♀; Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve (Guchengshan Mountain); 24º49′43″ N, 98º45′33″ E; 2010 m a.s.l.; 25 May 2005; Heng-mei Yan and Ke-ji Guo leg.; general collecting along river; HNU-GKJ024 • 5 ♀♀; Tengchong County, Qushi Township, Heiyuhe Landscape; 25°13′18″ N, 98°34′18″ E; 1550 m a.s.l.; 2 Jun. 2006; Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu, Ming-wei Yang and Shao-xian He leg.; HNU-YHY20–1 • 3 ♀♀; Tengchong County, Puchuan Township, Miguo Village; 24°45′40″ N, 98°32′13′′E; 1920 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2006; Chang-min Yin, Jia-fang Hu, Ming-wei Yang and Shao-xian He leg.; HNU-YHY30.

Description

Female (holotype)

BODY AND HEAD. Total length 5.30. Prosoma 2.00 long, 1.45 wide. Opisthosoma 3.30 long, 2.00 wide. Clypeus height 0.10. Carapace (Fig. 8A) light yellow; carapace margin and eye base black; ocular area brown, sparsely covered with long black hairs. Fovea reddish brown, radial groove indistinct. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.25, PLE 0.25, AERW 1.40, PERW 1.30, EL 0.90. Sternum scutiform, covered with fine brown hairs; median area slightly bulged, yellowish brown, margin grayish brown. Clypeus light brown, covered with long light brown hairs. Endites and labium light brown, distal area yellowish brown, covered with grayish black hairs.

CHELICERAE (Fig. 9C). Light brown, anterior base grayish black, distal area covered with long brown hairs, two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal denticle.

LEGS. Light brown to yellowish brown, annuli indistinct, spines thin. Tibiae I and II with three pairs of long ventral spines, metatarsi I and II with two pairs of long ventral spines.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I = 3.15 (1.00, 1.25, 0.50, 0.40), II = 3.00 (1.00, 1.15, 0.50, 0.35), III = 3.45 (1.05, 1.20, 0.60, 0.60), IV = 4.00 (1.20, 1.40, 0.80, 0.60). Leg formula: IV–III–I–II.

ABDOMEN (Fig. 8A). Oval, dorsum pale with many irregular twills; the posterior median area with three grayish black herring bones; posteriorly with a large grayish black marking; ventral light yellow, the median area with a discrete grayish black longitudinal band, sides with irregular grayish-black spots. Spinnerets dark brown.

EPIGYNUM (Figs 8B–C, 9A–B). Longer than wide; the pockets angular, close to copulatory openings, interdistance of pockets almost as wide as pocket width in ventral view; copulatory ducts S-shaped; spermathecae slightly folded.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

China (Yunnan Province, Fig. 43).