(Figs. 1–5)
W. chikunii Xu & Li 2007: 496, figs. 62–74. Misidentification.
Types. Male holotype (IZCAS – Ar 10983), one male (IZCAS – Ar 10984) and two female paratypes (IZCAS – Ar 10985 - 10986) (GH0745). P. R. China, Sichuan Prov., Yele Nature Reserve, Mianning Co., 28.9 ° N: 102.2 ° E; 22.x. 2005, X. Xu, X. Zhang & L. Tu (all deposited at Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing).
Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.
Diagnosis. Males of W. yele new species are most easily distinguished from other Weintrauboa species by the shape of the ectal cymbial process (Figs. 3 A, C) and the form of the pimoid embolic process (Fig. 2 A, 2 B, 3 A). Females of yele are diagnosed by the presence of a small knob-like posterior projection of the epigynal septum which is extended beyond the posterior margin of the epigynal plate (Figs. 1 C, 1 D, 4 A–B). In W. insularis this projection is also knob like but in ventral view it does not reach the posterior margin of the epigynal plate (Figs. 8 A). W. chikunii has a similar epigynum, but in ventral view the shape of the posterior margin is different (Oi 1979: fig. 12). In W. yunnan the posterior projection is not knob shaped (Yang et al. 2006: fig. 2) and in W. contortipes the epigynum is very different and lacks scape like projections (Hormiga 2003: figs. 2 E, 3 A–C).
Weintrauboa yele has been recently misidentified in the literature with W. chikunii (Xu & Li 2007); the latter is a species that has been reported from Japan (Honshu).
Males of W. yele new species can be most easily distinguished from those of W. chikunii by the shape of the ectal cymbial process because the apophyses are more pointed in the former species (Figs. 3 A, C).
Additional morphological data. Weintrauboa yele new species has been recently described and illustrated in detail by Xu & Li (2007) as W. chikunii (see Diagnosis). The description and illustrations presented here complement their description and are provided to help distinguishing W. yele new species from other species in the genus.
Male (holotype, Yele Nature Reserve). Total length 4.31. Cephalothorax 2.25 long, 1.75 wide, 1.4 high. Abdomen 2.25 long, 1.78 wide. Femur I 2.5 long. Cheliceral stridulatory striae absent. Palp illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Modified setae at the base of the cymbium are present but fewer and smaller in size compared to other species in the genus (e.g., see Hormiga 2003: fig. 5 E for W. contortipes).
Female (paratype, same locality as male). Total length 4.66. Cephalothorax 2.1 long, 1.56 wide, 1.15 high. Abdomen 3.1 long, 2.17 wide. Femur I 2.25 long. Cheliceral stridulatory striae absent. Epigynum illustrated in Figs. 1 C–D, 4 and 5.
Variation. Xu & Li (2007: 499) examined 20 males and reported variation in the metatarsus morphology, ranging from having a conspicuously modified basal process to a slightly modified process.
Distribution. Reported form the Sichuan province of China (see map in Fig. 10).
Weintrauboa insularis (Saito, 1935) new combination
Lepthyphantes insularis Saito 1935: 58, figs. 1 a, b.
Lepthyphantes insularis Saito 1959: 79, figs. 81 a–c.
Labulla insularis Marusik et al. 1993 a: 75 (synonymy with Labulla chikunii Oi, 1979 rejected by Hormiga 2003: 276). W. chikunii Hormiga 2003: 276, figs. 2 A–D, 3 I, J, 6 A–D. Misidentification
Types. Presumed to be lost (see comments below).
N. B. Lepthyphantes insularis Saito was synonymized with Labulla chikunii Oi, 1979 by Marusik et al. (1993: 75), but this synonymy was rejected by Hormiga (2003). In this section I shall rephrase and revise my earlier argument based on the study of new specimens from Sakhalin Island. Tanasevitch & Eskov (1987: 194) had argued that Lepthyphantes insularis Saito, described after a single female specimen from the Sakhalin, did not belong in the genus Lepthyphantes, based on Saito’s (1935, fig. 1 b) epigynum illustration. However Tanasevitch & Eskov did not provide any new illustrations or redescription of insularis, nor did they examine the type or any other specimens. Tanasevitch & Eskov (1987) suggested that Lepthyphantes insularis should be transferred to the genus Labulla Simon, 1884, and that it could be a junior synonym of the type species, Labulla thoracica (Wider, 1834), although they did not formalize any transfer or new synonymy. Unfortunately Saito’s type material, formerly at the University of Hokkaido, is presumably lost (H. Ono, in litt.). Oi (1979) described and illustrated both sexes of Labulla contortipes chikunii. The type locality of this latter subspecies is in Horigane, in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture (about 1,100 km away from the southern tip of Sakhalin Island). Eskov (1992: 53) elevated chikunii from subspecies of L. contortipes to a species rank (Labulla chikunii), although no justification for the change was published. I have not been able to study any specimens of chikunii, but Oi’s (1979) illustration of the chikunii epigynum, as well as Chikuni’s (1989, fig. 12) excellent color photographs, show substantial differences with Saito’s (1935) epigynum illustration of insularis.
Since Marusik et al. (1993) did not base their synonymy of Labulla chikunii with Lepthyphantes insularis on examination of types, and the descriptions of these two species are quite different, on the basis of the available evidence Hormiga (2003) argued that it seemed unjustified to synonymize Labulla contortipes chikunii with Lepthyphantes insularis. In Lepthyphantes insularis the ventral scape is very short and wide, and the posterior edges of the ventral epigynal wall curve posteriorly. The comparable structure in chikunii is much longer and thinner and the posterior edges of the ventral epigynal wall curve first anteriorly before descending towards the epigastric furrow. The recent availability of female specimens of the Sakhalin species of Weintrauboa has further clarified the status of insularis, as the species from the type locality of chikunii (in Nagano Prefecture) and the species in Sakhalin are different. The latter one corresponds to Saito’s insularis, and therefore becomes Weintrauboa insularis (Saito) new combination. Dr. H. Ono (National Science Museum, Tokyo) has shared male and female illustrations (rendered by Mrs. Matsuda) of specimens collected in Hokkaido that can be identified as belonging to W. insularis. The male specimens identified and illustrated in Hormiga (2003) as W. chikunii were collected in Sakhalin and belong to W. insularis.
Diagnosis. Males of W. insularis can be distinguished from other Weintrauboa species by the shape of the ectal cymbial process (Fig. 6) combined with sinuous apophysis of the first metatarsus which is less pronounced than in W. contortipes but more than in W. chikunii and W. yunnan (Hormiga 2003: figs. 3 I and 3 J, labeled as “ W. chikunii ”). The shape of the epigynal scape, with its rounded apical end (Figs. 7 and 8), is diagnostic for the species.
Additional morphological data. Male: See Hormiga (2003: 276) under “ W. chikunii.”
Female (from Sakhalin, Krilyon Peninsula, Ulyanovka river valley). Total length 5.56. Cephalothorax 2.62 long, 2.01 wide, 1.66 high. Abdomen 2.77 long, 1.55 wide. Femur I 2.84 long. Cheliceral stridulatory striae absent. Epigynum illustrated in Figs. 7–9.
Specimens examined: RUSSIA, Sakhalin Island, Aniva Dist., Krilyon Peninsula, Ulyanovka river valley, 1–5.xi. 1989. A.M. Basarukin, 2 males, 1 female (specimens poorly preserved, partially covered with fungal hypha; deposited at California Academy of Sciences). Sakhalin Island, Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, Tourist valley, 18.x. 1985, A.M. Basarukin, 2 males (handwritten label in Russian; K. Eskov Personal Collection). JAPAN, Northern Honshu, Akia-Shi, Mt. Taiheizan, 800 m., Akito Fukushima, 1 female (deposited at California Academy of Sciences).
Weintrauboa chikunii (Oi, 1979)
Labulla contortipes chikunii Oi, 1979: 330, fig. 9–12.
Labulla contortipes chikunii Chikuni 1989 b: 48, fig. 12.
Labula chikunii Eskov 1992 a: 53 (elevated from subspecies of L. contortipes). Labulla insularis Marusik et al. 1993 a: 75 (synonymy rejected by Hormiga 2003: 276).
Types. Oi’s types are apparently lost (H. Ono, in litt.)(male holotype and one female and one male paratype, collected in Japan, Horigane, Nagano Pref., 1.ix. 1970, Y. Chikuni). I am not aware of the existence of any museum specimens of this species. The diagnosis provided here is based on the original species description and on Chikuni’s (1989) photographs.
Diagnosis: Males of W. chikunii can be distinguished from other Weintrauboa species by the shape of the ectal cymbial process (Oi 1979: fig. 11) combined with very subtly sinuous apophysis of the first metatarsus (Oi 1979: fig. 11; Chikuni 1989: fig. 12) which is more pronounced in W. contortipes (Hormiga 2003: fig. 3), W. yele (Xu & Li 2007: Figs. 69 and 70, labeled as “ W. chikunii ”) and W. insularis (Hormiga 2003: fig. 3,, labeled as “ W. chikunii ”) but less pronounced in W. yunnan (Yang et al. 2006: fig. 1 B). The epigynal morphology is diagnostic for the species, with its chordiform shape and median septum (Oi 1979: fig. 12; Chikuni 1989: fig. 12). Note that Chikuni’s (1989) photographs clearly show a much more subtle apophysis in the male metatarsus I, compared to the homologous apophysis in W. contortipes and W. insulari s.