Pseudopoda bicruris Quan, Zhong & Liu, 2014, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Quan, Dan
name: Zhong, Yang
name: Liu, Jie
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Pseudopoda
Pseudopoda bicruris

description: Pseudopoda bicruris sp. nov.
Figs 1 – 3, 13
Type material: Holotype: male, Mt. Wuzhishan [18°53.835'N, 109°41.889'E, 750m, Hainan Island, China], 8 April 2009, Fengxiang Liu (HBU). Paratype: 1 female (HBU), the same data as holotype.
Entymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective bicruris, -e, meaning “biforked”, referring to the bifurcate embolus; adjective.
Diagnosis. Median sized Heteropodinae. The male of this new species is similar to Pseudopoda contraria Jäger & Vedel, 2007 in having a bifurcate embolus, a thin embolic tip, U-shaped sperm ducts in ventral view, but can be distinguished by the following characters: — 1. The embolic apophysis long and slightly wide (significantly stouter in P. contraria), the retrolateral branch of embolus long (short in P. contraria); 2. RTA arising distally from Ti (medially from Ti in P. contraria) (Figs 1A – C, 2A – C). The female of this new species is similar to Pseudopoda cangschana Jäger & Vedel, 2007, Pseudopoda bibulba (Xu & Yin, 2000), Pseudopoda confusa Jäger, Pathoumthong & Vedel, 2006, Pseudopoda daliensis Jäger & Vedel, 2007, Pseudopoda parvipunctata Jäger, 2001, Pseudopoda rivicola Jäger & Vedel, 2007, Pseudopoda serrata Jäger & Ono, 2001, Pseudopoda thorelli Jäger, 2001, Pseudopoda wang Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009 in having the developed lateral loops of internal duct system, but can be distinguished from them by the following characters: — 1. The lateral loops of internal duct system is arm-shaped in this new species, but not in other species; 2. The lateral loops of internal duct system are strongly extending laterally, covering parts of first windings in this new species, but covered by first windings in other species (Figs 1E, 3C).
Description. Male (holotype): Measurements (in mm): PL 4.8, PW 4.6, AW 2.5, PH 2.0, OL 5.5, OW 3.3. Eyes: AME 0.25, ALE 0.30, PME 0.25, PLE 0.25, AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.30, PME– PLE 0.35, AME–PME 0.40, ALE–PLE 0.35, CH AME 0.45, CH ALE 0.40. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2101; Fe I–III 323, IV 322; Pa I–IV 101; Ti I–IV 2126; Mt I 1014, II–IV 2024. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 8.3 (2.8, 1.2, 1.6, -, 2.7), I 33.0 (8.5, 2.5, 9.5, 9.0, 3.5), II 33.5 (9.5, 2.5, 9.5, 9.0, 3.0), III 24.0 (7.0, 2.0, 6.5, 6.5, 2.0), IV 28.5 (8.5, 2.0, 7.5, 8.0, 2.5). Chelicerae yellow-brown, with 3 short brown longitudinal grains, cheliceral claw reddish brown, cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth, and with ca. 35 denticles. Carapace yellow-brown, median furrow very distinct. Endite yellow to yellow-brown from basal to the outer margin. Dorsal opisthosoma with pale yellow cardiac mark and reddish-brown pattern on both sides (Fig. 2D).
Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus arising from 9-o’ clock-position on tegulum, with the basal part broadest. Embolus distally bifurcate, with embolic apophysis wider, the retrolateral one hook-shaped, and filiform. Sperm duct U-shaped in ventral view. RTA arising distally from Ti, dorsal RTA dagger-shaped, ventral RTA wide (Figs 1A – C, 2A – C).
Female (paratype): Measurements (in mm): PL 4.6, PW 4.4, AW 2.5, PH 2.0, OL 6.7, OW 4.1. Eyes: AME 0.23, ALE 0.25, PME 0.23, PLE 0.30, AME–AME 0.20, AME–ALE 0.13, PME–PME 0.30, PME–PLE 0.40, AME–PME 0.38, ALE–PLE 0.35, CH AME 0.25, CH ALE 0.20. Leg formula: I–III (Leg II and IV damaged). Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe I–III 323, IV 322; Pa I–IV 101; Ti I–IV 2126; Mt I 1014, II–IV 2024. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 6.9 (2.0, 0.9, 1.5, -, 2.5), I 23.0 (6.2, 2.0, 6.8, 6.0, 2.0), II damaged, III 17.8 (5.3, 1.7, 4.9, 4.3, 1.6), IV damaged. Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth, and with ca. 24 denticles. Colour pattern is the same as the male (Fig. 3A).
Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Epigynal field wider than long. Anterior margins of lateral lobes forming a “V”. Median margins of lateral lobes touching each other, but separated posteriorly. Fertilization ducts long, situated laterally (Figs 1D – F, 3B – C).
Distribution. China (Hainan) (Fig. 13).
description: Published as part of Quan, Dan, Zhong, Yang & Liu, Jie, 2014, Four Pseudopoda species (Araneae: Sparassidae) from southern China, pp. 555-571 in Zootaxa 3754 (5) on pages 556-559, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3754.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/251027