Sphingius penicillus Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001, sp. n.
Creators: name: Deeleman-Reinhold, Christa
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2001
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Liocranidae
Sphingius
Sphingius penicillus

description: <i>Sphingius penicillus</i> sp. n. <i>Type locality</i>.— Thailand, Prov. Chiang Mai, Doi Chiang Dao. <i>Type</i> material.— 1 &amp;male; holotype (MHNG) from the type locality, 510 m, pitfall traps, 25.x.- 23.xi. 1990; paratypes: 10 &amp;male; &amp;male;, 1 &amp;female;, same data (MHNG), 1 <i>&amp;male;</i> (MHNG), 22.ix-25. x.1990, 5 &amp;male; <i>&amp;male;</i> (CD), 23.xi-22- xii.1990, 1 <i>&amp;female;</i> (CD), pitfall trap, 22.xii. 1990 - 15.i. 1991, id., 1 &amp;female; (MHNG), 15.i.-23.i.1991, all P. Schwendinger. <i>Other material</i>.— None. <i>Diagnosis.</i> — This species is characterised by the brush of black setae on the male palpal tibia and the M-shaped duct apparent in the anterior depression of the epigyne. Similar to <i>S. gothicus</i>, distinct by the lighter colour, in males close to orange-brown, in females pale orange, and the unicolour orange legs. The surface of the carapace is pitted as in <i>S.</i> <i>gothicus</i> in males, females have a smooth carapace. <i>S. scrobiculatus</i> can be distinguished from <i>S. penicillus</i> by the shorter male tibial apophysis which is of uniform width over most of the length and absence of tibial brush. <i>Description.</i> — MALE. Total length 3.85 mm. Carapace length 1.85 mm, width 1.35 mm, height 0.65 mm. head width 0.85 mm, eye group width 0.50 mm; abdomen 1.90 mm long, collar 0.15 mm, 1.10 mm wide. Leg lengths: leg I 5.00 mm (1.50-1.60-1.00-0.90), leg II 4.30 mm (1.20-1.50-0.85-0.75), leg III 3.80 mm (1.00-1.25-0.85-0.70), leg IV 5.80 mm (1.50-1.85-1.45-1.00), palp 0.60-0.30-0.25-apophysis 0.20-0.60 mm. Carapace, mouthparts, sternum and abdomen bright orange-brown, legs orange. Carapace (fig. 847) with short thoracic groove from which radiate rows of pits, seta-bearing granules seem smaller than in <i>S. gothicus</i>; margin as in <i>gothicus.</i> Eyes: d AME half of d ALE, their d apart; PER recurved, d PME 1/2 to 2/3 of d PLE, PME 1-2 d apart, a little less from laterals, and lacking black rings. Chilum obtuse irangular. Leg spination: femora I-III with 1-0d, femur IV 1-1 d, tibia III with 1-1v or l-0v and 0-1 pl, tibia IV with 2-2v and 1-1rl; metatarsus III with 1pv, metatarsus IV 2 -0v or 1-0v. Tarsal claws on anterior legs with 7-8 short teeth, posterior legs 2-3 minute teeth near the base. Scuta as in <i>gothicus,</i> collar short and grooved. Palp figs 848-849, a stout blunt tibial apophysis adjacent to which a black brush. Median apophysis relatively larger than in <i>gothicus,</i> embolus relatively longer and more curved. FEMALE (1180 m, 14.ii.1987). Total length 4.00 mm. Carapace length 1.75 mm, width 1.40 mm, height 0.40 mm, head width 0.90 mm, eye group width 0.45 mm; abdomen 2.25 mm long, 1.50 mm wide, epigyne 0.30 mm wide, 0.45 mm long. Leg lengths: leg I 5.15 mm (1.50-1.95-0.95-0.75), leg II 4.45 mm (1.25-1.60-0.85-0.75), leg III 3.70 mm (1.00- 1.20-0.85-0.65), leg IV 6.00 mm (1.60-2.00-1.50-0.90), palp 0.60-0.30- 0.30-0.60 mm. Carapace and mouthparts paler than in male, colour of legs similar to that in males. Carapace surface granulated, pits absent. Leg spination: femora as in male, tibia III 1-2v, 0-1pl, tibia IV 2-2v+2ap, 0-1 pl, 0-1 rl, metatarsus III 2 -0v, metatarsus IV 2-1 v. Spinnerets fig. 852. Vulva fig. 851, anterior depression of epigyne (fig. 850) elongate, partly traversed by loops of insemination ducts; openings lateral, spermathecae smaller than in <i>gothicus.</i> <i>Distribution.</i> — Known from one locality north of Chiang Mai in North Thailand only. <i>Etymology.— penicillus (Lat.)</i> = brush.
description: Published as part of <i>Deeleman-Reinhold, Christa, 2001, Forest Spiders of South East Asia With a revision of the sac and ground spiders (Araneae: Clubionidae, Corinnidae, Liocranidae, Gnaphosidae, Prodidomidae and Trochanteriidae)., pp. 400-505 in Forest Spiders of South East Asia With a revision of the sac and ground spiders- Family Liocranidae, Leiden, Netherlands :Brill Leiden; Boston; Köln</i> on pages 497-499, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.814704