Psechrus ampullaceus, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bayer, Steffen
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Psechridae
Psechrus
Psechrus ampullaceus

description: Psechrus ampullaceus sp. nov.
Figs 12–14, 25 E, 26E, 29A, 32A–C, 34
Type material. Holotype ♀ (SB 1240): VIETNAM: Lao Cai Prov.: Thac Bac Waterfall above Sa Pa, secondary forest, 1850 m, 22°21'06''N, 103°45'58''E, P. Schwendinger leg. 04.VI.2012, sample number VN-12/11, MHNG. – Paratypes (3 ♂): 2 ♂ (SB 1241, SB 1243): VIETNAM: Lao Cai Prov.: Roadside ca. 3 km NE of Sa Pa, 1450 m, 22°21'30''N, 103°52'28''E, P. Schwendinger leg. 05.VI.2012, sample number VN-12/13, MHNG; 1 ♂ (SB 1242) with same data as for those listed above, AMNH.
Note. In the vulva of the female holotype the distal part of each spermathecal head was broken during the removment of the infolded (thin and transparent) cuticle whilst preparing the specimen. This was necessary in order to obtain a satisfactory view of all specific vulval-structures. In Fig. 32 B the broken distal parts of the spermathecal heads have been re-positioned close to the remaining parts of the spermathecal heads to provide an impression of their pre-dissection orientation.
Etymology. The specific name refers to the epigyne of the female holotype, reminding on an antique flask/ bottle (Latin “ ampullaceus ” means ‘bottle- or flask-like’); adjective.
Diagnosis (consider also diagnosis for sinensis -group in Bayer 2012, p. 96). Males are distinguished from those of all other Psechrus species, except P. senoculatus Yin, Wang & Zhang, 1985, by the hemispherical bulge exhibiting numerous small spines and tubercles in the basal half of the conductor (ventral view, Figs 12 B, 13A, 25E). Distinguished from P. senoculatus by the undulated embolus, the less conspicuous and slightly narrower embolus base, the shorter tegulum, the V-shaped sperm duct and the slightly broader conductor (Figs 12 B, 13A).
Females are distinguished from those of all other species of the sinensis -group by the flask-like median septum with its anterior third narrower than the posterior half (Figs 14 A, 29A) and by the following vulva characters in combination: receptaculum broader than twisted/bulbous section of copulatory duct (contour of twisted/bulbous section better recognisable in medial view, see Fig. 32 C); spermathecal heads directed anteriorly (Fig. 14 B), not antero-medially or otherwise; copulatory duct without the snail-shell-like twisted section such as present in Psechrus jinggangensis Wang & Yin, 2001.
Description. Male: Body and eye measurements: Carapace length 6.6–8.1, maximal carapace width 4.7–5.9, anterior width of carapace 2.8–3.3, opisthosoma length 7.1–9.3, opisthosoma width 3.0–4.4. Eyes: AME 0.37–0.46, ALE 0.40–0.48, PME 0.42–0.48, PLE 0.41–0.48, AME–AME 0.17–0.18, AME–ALE 0.06–0.08, PME–PME 0.25–0.31, PME–PLE 0.34–0.42, AME–PME 0.51–0.58, ALE–PLE 0.42–0.45, clypeus height at AME 0.67–0.88, clypeus height at ALE 0.69–0.85.
Cheliceral furrow with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth.
Spination: Palp: 131 (141), 110 (prolateral one less than half as long as dorsal one), 1101; legs: femur I 536 (535,526), II 536 (535,436), III 545, IV 543 (544,553,545); patella I–IV 000; tibia I–II 3036 (3038,3037,3046), III 2022 (2025,2123), IV 2036 (2034); metatarsus I, III 3035, II 3035 (2025), IV 3036 (3035,3037).
Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 8.0–9.3 [2.9–3.4, 1.4–1.7, 1.1–1.3, 2.6–2.9], I 58.5–64.5 [14.7–16.8, 3.2–3.9, 16.6–17.9, 17.4–18.5, 6.6–7.4], II 43.6–50.0 [12.1–13.7, 2.8–3.4, 11.8–13.4, 12.2–14.0, 4.6–5.5], III 29.0–32.8 [8.5–9.6, 2.2–2.8, 7.0–8.1, 7.7–8.5, 3.4–3.8], IV 44.7–49.0 [12.3–13.5, 2.5–3.1, 11.3–12.5, 12.7–14.2, 5.5–5.7]. Leg formula: 1423 (n=2), 1243 (n=1). FEM-I+MTT-I/CL=4.35-4.86, thus legs rather short in relation to other species-groups and within the range for males of the sinensis -group (Bayer 2012, p. 96).
Note: Distal part of each spermathecal head broken (see note in species description). The dashed zig-zag-line distally at each spermathecal head symbolises the crack. The distal parts of the spermathecal heads are broader than the central and the proximal parts. In Fig. 32 B the broken distal parts of the spermathecal heads are shown, located close to the remaining parts of the latter.
Palpal femur ventrally modified with rounded bulge (Fig. 13 B). However, the latter less distinct than in other species of the sinensis -group except P. c l a v i s Bayer, 2012. Macrosetae ventrally on coxa of leg I present, but only as apical row, those of trochanter of leg I present as apical row, but indistinct.
Copulatory organ (see also diagnosis above and general description for himalayanus -group in Bayer 2012): Cymbium distally broad (Figs 12 A–C, 13A), its dorsal scopula very dense, covering ca. 2/3 of cymbium (Fig. 26 E); tegulum relatively stout, less than 1.5 times longer than broad (Figs 12 B, 13A, 25E); conductor broad, apically with complicatedly folded flange (Figs 12 B, 13A) and arising in a 11:30 o’clock position on tegulum; distal, undulated section of embolus relatively narrow, embolus base exhibiting some ridges and scars dorsally (Figs 12 B–C, 13A, 25E), but on the whole embolus base rather indistinct in comparison to other species of the sinensis -group; sperm duct in ventral view broadly V-shaped.
Female: Body and eye measurements: Carapace length 8.3, maximal carapace width 5.8, anterior width of carapace 3.9, opisthosoma length 11.5, opisthosoma width 5.3. Eyes: AME 0.43, ALE 0.44, PME 0.48, PLE 0.46, AME–AME 0.27, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.39, PME–PLE 0.47, AME–PME 0.63, ALE–PLE 0.50, clypeus height at AME 1.27, clypeus height at ALE 1.18.
Cheliceral furrow with three promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Palpal claw with 16 teeth.
Spination: Palp: 131, 110, 1101, 1014. Legs: femur I 526, II 526, III 535, IV 534; patella I–IV 000; tibia I 3036, II 2037, III 2023, IV 3031; metatarsus I–III 3035, IV 2023.
Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 9.7 [3.4, 1.3, 1.7, 3.3], I 48.2 [13.3, 3.5, 14.0, 12.0, 5.4], II 37.6 [11.0, 3.1, 10.1, 9.2, 4.2], III 27.1 [8.4, 2.5, 6.6, 6.4, 3.2], IV 38.0 [11.2, 2.8, 10.2, 9.4, 4.4]. Leg formula: 1423. FEMI+MTT-I/CL=3.05, legs medium sized to short in relation to females of other species-groups. The legs range within the spectrum listed in Bayer (2012, p. 96) for females of the sinensis -group.
Copulatory organ (see also diagnosis above and general description for sinensis -group in Bayer 2012): Slits of median septum anteriorly first converging, then diverging, consequently copulatory openings underneath an almost semicircular impression (Figs 14 A, 29A); narrowest section of anterior third of median septum narrower than posterior half of median septum, widest section of anterior half of median septum not narrower than widest section of posterior half; muscle sigilla anterior to epigyne with irregular shape, longer than broad (Figs 14 A, 29A); three slit sense organs in front of epigynal field, clearly separated from the latter and close to muscle sigilla; epigynal field well developed and as long as broad (Fig. 14 A). Spermathecal bases approximately round; spermathecal heads remarkably long and distally widened (Fig. 32 B), located antero-medially on spermathecal bases and directed straight anteriorly (Figs 14 B, 32A–B). Course of internal duct system complicated (Fig. 14 C) and characterised by the long section running within the spermathecal head.
Colouration of male and female (see also description for sinensis -group and Psechrus in Bayer 2012): Median bands on carapace hardly to slightly serrated, lateral bands hardly to slightly serrated and narrow (ca. 0.5–0.7 diameter of PME, in female holotype almost one diameter of PME). Light longitudinal line ventrally on opisthosoma continuous, but subdistally constricted with the distalmost short section (slightly) broader than the pre-subdistal section. Longitudinal line broad, if measured centrally on opisthosoma, its width is 0.7–1.0x the width of one half of the cribellum.
Intraspecific variation of male copulatory organs. Besides the size differences of the palps of the two males SB 1241 and SB 1242 the distal part of the conductor of SB 1242 (Fig. 13 A) is shorter and even broader than in SB 1241 (Fig. 12 B). The hemispherical bulge in the basal half of the conductor is more distinctly developed in SB 1242. The male SB 1243 (not illustrated) corresponds almost completely to SB 1241, except for its embolus, which is very slightly longer and its tip very slightly less pointed than that of SB 1241.
Taxonomic remarks. The male paratypes from NE of Sa Pa are matched with the female holotype from Thac Bac Waterfall. The two localities are just ca. 10 km apart from each other and the spiders of both sexes are clearly assignable to the sinensis -group. It is highly probable that the specimens are conspecific.
Distribution. Vietnam (Fig. 34).
description: Published as part of Bayer, Steffen, 2014, Seven new species of Psechrus and additional taxonomic contributions to the knowledge of the spider family Psechridae (Araneae), pp. 1-54 in Zootaxa 3826 (1) on pages 23-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3826.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/286429