Pseudopoda shuqiangi Jäger & Vedel, 2007, sp. n.
Creators: name: Jäger, Peter
name: Vedel, Vincent
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Pseudopoda
Pseudopoda shuqiangi

description: Pseudopoda shuqiangi sp. n.
73–78, 137
Type material. Holotype: male (PJ 2533), Zhongdian County, 55 km N Zhongdian, [Wengshang], 3800 m, primary mixed forest, Rhododendron, dead wood, leaf litter, mushrooms, moss [28°19.8'N, 99°45.7'E, N-Yunnan, China], 18 August 2003, D.W. Wrase, [7] (SMF).
Paratypes: 1 male (PJ 2534), same data as holotype.
Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to Prof. Dr Shu-Qiang Li (Beijing) for his efforts on arachnological studies in China in general and especially for his kind support of the senior author during the visits in China; noun (name) in apposition.
Diagnosis. Small-sized Heteropodinae. The species (males) can be recognised by the following combination of characters (Figs 73–76): 1. Long embolus, apically filiform, running three quarter of an oval, 2. RTA arising almost in a right angle from TI, with two blunt tips (retrolateral view), 3. TI I with 1 prolateral spine (in other Pseudopoda species usually 2 prolateral spines).
Description. Male (measurements of holotype first, those for paratypes in parentheses): PL 3.2 (3.1), PW 2.6 (2.7), AW 1.6 (1.6), OL 3.5 (-), OW 2.3 (-). Eyes: AME 0.16 (0.16), ALE 0.26 (0.25), PME 0.18 (0.18), PLE 0.26 (0.25), AME–AME 0.12 (0.14), AME–ALE 0.05 (0.06), PME–PME 0.18 (0.23), PME–PLE 0.24 (0.28), AME–PME 0.26 (0.29), ALE–PLE 0.22 (0.28), CH –AME 0.21 (0.20), CH –ALE 0.13 (0.13).
Leg formula: 2(41)3 (2413). Spination: PP 13(4)1, 100, 1001 (131, 0 0 0, 1001); FE I 322(333), II-III 333, IV 332(1) (I-III 323, IV 331); PA 000; TI I 1026, II-IV 2026; MT I-II 2024, III 3024 (+ distal ventral spine), IV 3036 (+ distal ventral spine and bristles). Measurements of palps and legs: PP 4.8 (4.5) [1.5, 0.8, 0.9, -, 1.6 (1.4, 0.7, 0.9, -, 1.5)], I 12.2 (11.8) [3.3, 1.5, 3.3, 3.0, 1.1 (3.1, 1.4, 3.3, 2.9, 1.1)], II 13.2 (12.9) [3.7, 1.5, 3.5, 3.3, 1.2 (3.5, 1.5, 3.6, 3.1, 1.2)], III 10.8 (10.7) [3.2, 1.3, 2.9, 2.3, 1.1 (3.0, 1.2, 2.9, 2.6, 1.0)], IV 12.2 (12.1) [3.4, 1.2, 3.1, 3.4, 1.1 (3.4, 1.1, 3.2, 3.2, 1.2)]. CC with 3 anterior and 4 (holotype) and 5 (paratype) posterior teeth respectively.
Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus arising from 8.30-o’clock-position on tegulum. Sperm duct running marginally in tegulum. RTA arising basally from TI (Figs 74, 76).
Colour: DS yellowish-brown, with two dark longitudinal bands, these with dark markings; marginal bands indistinct, i.e. present as small single patches (Fig. 77). ST slightly dark coloured, with small patches at CX. CX and FE with small spots, FE with spine patches. PA and TI with prolateral proximal patch, other parts without distinct pattern. Distal leg segments darker. Dorsal OS dark with bright area around heart patch; in posterior half with alternating dark and bright transverse and narrow bars; ventral OS with irregular pattern and with 2 broader lateral and a narrow median band, all consisting of differently large and partly separated patches (Fig. 78); anterior to epigastric furrow with two crescent-shaped dark patches.
Female: unknown.
Variation. Paratype male (PJ 2534) generally brighter (freshly moulted?) than holotype, thus pattern more distinct.
Distribution. Only known from the type locality (1 in Fig. 137).
Relationships. This species may belong to the parvipunctata -group (Jäger 2001: 87), at least with regard to some striking similarities of palpal features in comparison with representatives from northern Thailand (P. parvipunctata Jäger, 2001, P. dao Jäger, 2001): 1. The embolus is filiform in at least its distal half. 2. The RTA is arising basally from the TI in an almost right angle, having two tips (retrolateral view). 3. In P. parvipunctata and P. dao the sperm duct is running in a distinct loop, which is exclusively observed within Pseudopoda in these two species. However, the sperm duct in P. shuqiangi sp. n. is very slightly bent in this sense, which may point to an initial stage of the bend as described above.
As in the two species from northern Thailand, TI in P. shuqiangi sp. n. is shorter than in species with a shorter embolus. This corresponds to observations of Jäger (2006): lengthening of the male embolus and female copulatory ducts are recognised as one major evolutionary trend in copulatory organs. Additionally, combined transformation occurs in several traits, i.e. if the embolus is lengthened, TI gets shorter, the cymbium has a more strongly pronounced retrolateral bulge etc. These results have to be considered when analysing phylogenetic relationships in Pseudopoda species with longer emboli.
The following five species described below have the arising point of their embolus in a similar position (9 to 10.30-o’clock-position). In contrast to P. saetosa sp. n. or P. contentio sp. n. their embolus is broad and mostly modified with appendages or other features. This character alone did not group them together as closely related. Nevertheless they are listed here together in lack of a suitable character set which would make recognition of true phylogenetic relationships and systematic positions possible. There are many Pseudopoda species with this general kind of embolus conformation (arising point as mentioned above, embolus generally short sickle-shaped) which shows a huge variety of subforms (cf. Jäger 2001: 23 species from diversipunctata -group, martensi -group, latembola -group).
description: Published as part of Jäger, Peter & Vedel, Vincent, 2007, Sparassidae of China 4. The genus Pseudopoda (Araneae: Sparassidae) in Yunnan Province, pp. 1-38 in Zootaxa 1623 on pages 21-22, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.179225