Synagelides forkiforma Yang, Zhu & Song, 2007

Figs 3–4, 17B

Synagelides forkiforma Yang, Zhu & Song, 2007: 2, figs 2a–d (d = ♂).

Differential diagnosis

The male of Synagelides forkiforma can easily be distinguished from all other congeners by the presence of a short spine-shaped prong on the ventral surface of the retrolateral tibial apophysis. The female of S. forkiforma resembles that of S. lushanensis Xie & Yin, 1990 (Xie & Yin 1990: figs 8–15) in having an anterior epigynal hood and a pair of lateral arcuated rims, but differs in: 1) epigynal hood is about one-third as long as epigynum in S. forkiforma (Fig. 4A), whereas about one-fifth as long as epigynum in S. lushanensis (Xie & Yin 1990: fig. 14); 2) median septum is almost triangular in S. forkiforma (Fig. 4A), whereas trapeziform in S. lushanensis (Xie & Yin 1990: fig. 14).

Material examined

CHINA • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Yunnan Province, Fugong County, Maji Township, Flum above Gaxai R. near, Majimi Village, Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve; 27°24.18′ N, 98°49.47′ E; ca 1500 m a.s.l.; 28 Apr. 2004; C. Griswold and D.H. Kavanaugh leg.; HNU-20040428-01–03.

Description

Male (HNU-20040428-01)

Total length 4.04. Carapace 1.81 long, 1.37 wide. Abdomen 2.15 long, 1.04 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.42, ALE 0.24, PLE 0.22, AREW 1.33, PERW 1.41, EFL 1.02. Legs: I 7.25 (2.39, 3.90, 0.57, 0.39), II 3.53 (1.12, 1.34, 0.68, 0.39), III 3.70 (1.12, 1.34, 0.85, 0.39), IV lost. Carapace (Fig. 4D) stippled, yellow, with a pair of dark patches anteriorly, covered by sparse hairs. Eye base black except the AME base brown. Fovea oval, hollowed. Chelicerae (Fig. 4G) yellow, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth fissident. Endites (Fig. 4E) pale yellow, slightly longer than wide, the inner margin with hairs. Labium (Fig. 4E) colored as labium, with dense hairs apically. Sternum (Fig. 4E) pale yellow, scutiform. Legs pale yellow to yellow. Spination of leg I (Fig. 4H): femur v2- 2-2-2-1; metatarsus v0-2-2. Abdomen (Fig. 4 D–E) elongated; dorsum brown, with a pale transverse band and two pairs of muscle depressions medially, herringbone stripes indistinct; venter gray-white, with irregular brown patches median-posteriorly. Palp (Figs 3 A–D, 17B): patella slightly longer than wide in retrolateral view; retrolateral tibial apophysis slender and more than half as long as cymbium, with a ventral, short spine-shaped prong; the second retrolateral tibial apophysis paliform; cymbium hairy, with dorsal and prolateral apophyses; bulb inflated, with sperm duct sinuous in retrolateral view; embolus spiraling and tapering to a slightly pointed tip that reaches cymbium apex; median apophysis complicated, with processes.

Female (HNU-20040428-02)

Total length 4.41. Carapace 1.98 long, 1.47 wide. Abdomen 2.34 long, 1.25 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.41, ALE 0.23, PLE 0.22, AREW 1.33, PERW 1.54, EFL 1.11. Legs: I 5.39 (1.66, 2.71, 0.63, 0.39), II 3.44 (1.05, 1.32, 0.68, 0.39), III 3.59 (1.05, 1.30, 0.85, 0.39) IV 5.02(1.37, 2.02,

1.22, 0.41). Habitus (Fig. 4F) similar to that of male except paler and lacking the pale transverse band on the dorsum of abdomen. Epigyne (Fig. 4 A–C) longer than wide, with an anterior hood about 2.5 times longer than wide and a pair of lateral arcuated rims; atrium large, separated by a triangular median septum; copulatory openings located postero-laterally; copulatory ducts almost S-shaped, terminating with gland ducts, which almost extend transversely; spermathecae reniform, touching each other anteriorly; fertilization ducts slightly longer than gland ducts, extending antero-obliquely.

Distribution

China (Yunnan) (Fig. 18).

Comments

The known drawings of the holotype of S. forkiforma are difficult to interpret due to poor print quality. Although the type specimens were not examined in the present contribution, the clear, original drawings of the holotype provided by Prof. Zi-Zhong Yang, who described the species, were compared with the specimens examined here from Fugong County. The male from Fugong is almost indistinguishable from the holotype, and the female from Fugong shares similar markings with the Fugong male. Fugong County is also near the type locality (the distance between the collecting site in Fugong and type locality is less than 150 kilometers) and both localities belong to Gaoligong Mountain and have similar climatic and environmental conditions. Based on the above evidence, the specimens collected from Fugong County are identified here as new material of S. forkiforma.