Pholcus solchi Lee & Lee 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lee, Jun-Gi
name: Lee, Jun-Ho
name: Choi, Doo-Yeong
name: Park, Sun-Jae
name: Baek, Min-Jeong
name: Kim, Sam-Kyu
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Pholcidae
Pholcus
Pholcus solchi

description: Pholcus solchi Lee & Lee, sp. nov.
Figs 1M–N, 2M–N, 9, 16A–F, 18
Type material. Holotype: ♂, SOUTH KOREA: Gangwon-do: Wonju-si, Sillim-myeon, Hwangdun-ri,a streamside in Solchi Pass (37˚15'07"N, 128˚07'27"E, 496 m), 04 Jun. 2016, Doo-Yeong Choi leg. (NIBR). Paratypes: 3♀♀, same data as holotype (KNU-Ar 20230073–75); 2♂♂, same data as holotype (KNU-Ar 20230076–77); 1♂ 1♀, same data as holotype (KNU-kise 664).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Solchi Pass. Noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Males superficially similar to Pholcus simbok Huber, 2011, having membranous and spatulate dorsal process and triangular prolateral process distally with single spur (Fig. 9D), but can be distinguished by: 1) prolateral process of procursus distally with sclerotized spur pointing prolatero-distally, submarginally with triangular sclerotized mark (Fig. 9D) (spur pointing retrolatero-distally, submarginally with curved sclerotized mark in P. simbok, see Huber 2011: fig. 2291); 2) uncus ovoid, with large acute-triangular projection distally (Fig. 9F) (half-heart shaped, inner margin with small acute projection in P. simbok, see Huber 2011: fig. 2289). Females similar to Pholcus nodong Huber, 2011, having obtuse-triangular epigynal anterior plate and posterolaterally slightly extended posterior plate with pair of round sclerotized areas (Fig. 9H), but can be distinguished by: 1) epigynal posterior plate slightly longer than anterior plate (Fig. 9H) (shorter than anterior plate in P. nodong, see Huber 2011: fig. 2143); 2) enlarged lateral concave area of internal genitalia with anterior portion strongly elongated and pointing anteriorly, much longer than posterior portion (Fig. 9I) (anterior portion as long as posterior portion, pointing laterally in P. nodong, see Huber 2011: fig. 2288); 3) pore plates long oblong (Fig. 9I) (oval in P. nodong, see Huber 2011: fig. 2288).
Description. Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 1M. Total length 5.3. Prosoma 1.6 long, 1.6 wide. Carapace round, pale yellow, with dark brown radial marks and marginal band on thoracic area. Eye area slightly elevated, posteriorly with dark brown marks laterally and medially. Diameter of AME 102 µm, ALE 160 µm, PME 148 µm, PLE 150 µm. AME–AME 52 µm, PME–PME 198 µm, PME–ALE 40 µm. Clypeus with large brown mark, without process. Chelicera (Fig. 2M–N) with thumb-like proximo-lateral apophysis, claw-like and blunt frontal apophysis longer than proximo-lateral apophysis, and ventrally curved, notched triangular distal apophysis longer than proximo-lateral apophysis. Sternum longer than wide, shield-like, pale yellow with brown marks laterally and posteriorly. Opisthosoma 3.4 long, 1.7 wide, cylindrical, pale yellow, without cuticular patterns, with cardiac pattern and many black granular spots dorsally and laterally. Leg femora and tibiae yellowish brown with two whitish and two dark brown bands distally, two dark brown bands proximally; patellae, metatarsi, tarsi dark brown, without bands; leg Ⅰ femur distinctly darker. Leg Ⅰ 42.3 (10.9 + 0.7 + 10.7 + 17.7 + 2.3), leg II 28.3 (8.0 + 0.7 + 7.2 + 11.0 + 1.5), leg III 19.6 (5.8 + 0.6 + 4.7 + 7.4 + 1.1), leg IV 26.0 (7.6 + 0.7 + 6.5 + 9.8 + 1.4). Ratio of leg Ⅰ (15.4: 1.0: 15.0: 25.0: 3.3), leg II (11.9: 1.0: 10.7: 16.4: 2.2), leg III (9.9: 1.0: 7.9: 12.5: 1.9), leg IV (10.7: 1.0: 9.1: 13.8: 2.0). Leg formula 1243. Tibia Ⅰ L/d 67. Tibiae, metatarsi, tarsi with short vertical setae, tibiae and metatarsi Ⅰ, II with long curved hairs. Tibiae with three trichobothria, except tibia Ⅰ (prolaterally absent). Retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia Ⅰ at 4% proximally. Tarsus I with 26 pseudosegments, mostly irregular. Palp (Fig. 9A–G). Trochanter apophysis (Fig. 9B) tiny, thumb-like, proximo-retrolaterally with tubercle; femur ventrally swollen; tibia with prolatero-ventral tubercle; procursus (Fig. 9B–E) dark brown, strongly sinuated dorsally, with large ventral knee; dorso-subdistally strongly swollen, with two spines (Fig. 9C–D); procursus tip (Fig. 9C–E) with two large ridges and several indistinct ridges retrolaterally (Fig. 9E), dorsal process membranous, spatulate, distally denticulate (arrowed 1 in Fig. 9D), and prolateral process membranous and triangular, retrolateral portion distally with hooked transparent projection (arrowed 2 in Fig. 9D), prolateral portion subdistally with single strongly sclerotized spur pointing prolatero-distally, submarginally with triangular sclerotized mark (arrowed 3 in Fig. 9D); genital bulb oval, pale yellow; uncus (Fig. 9F) about 0.8 times as long as genital bulb, dark brown, ovoid, inner margin with small obtuse-triangular projection proximally and large acute-triangular projection distally, outer margin with numerous tiny scales, proximally with small concave area; pseudoappendix (Fig. 9G) tiny, round, weakly sclerotized, hidden by uncus in prolateral view; embolus (Fig. 9G) slender, distally fringed, weakly sclerotized, slightly longer than uncus.
Female (one of paratypes, KNU-Ar 20230073). Habitus as in Fig. 1N. Somatic characteristics generally similar to male, but cheliceral apophyses absent, legs slightly shorter. Total length 6.2. Prosoma 1.7 long, 1.6 wide. Diameter of AME 98 µm, ALE 152 µm, PME 154 µm, PLE 148 µm. AME–AME 38 µm, PME–PME 195 µm, PME–ALE 34 µm. Opisthosoma 4.2 long, 2.9 wide. Leg Ⅰ 32.2 (8.2 + 0.7 + 8.1 + 13.1 + 2.1), leg II 22.4 (6.2 + 0.6 + 5.6 + 8.6 + 1.4), leg III 16.3 (4.7 + 0.6 + 3.9 + 6.0 + 1.1), leg IV 22.5 (6.5 + 0.6 + 5.6 + 8.5 + 1.4). Ratio of leg Ⅰ (12.2: 1.0: 12.1: 19.6: 3.2), leg II (9.7: 1.0: 8.7: 13.5: 2.2), leg III (7.4: 1.0: 6.1: 9.6: 1.7), leg IV (11.9: 1.0: 10.1: 15.4: 2.6). Leg formula 1423. Tibia I L/d 58. Epigyne (Fig. 9H). Anterior plate obtuse triangular, with yellowish brown mark; posterior plate ivory, slightly longer than anterior plate, posterior edge very slightly extended, with pair of round brown sclerotized areas posterolaterally; epigynal knob dark brown, slender, blunt, 0.2 times as long as posterior plate; posterior sclerotized cuticle brown, slightly procurved, 0.3 times as long as posterior plate; interspace between posterior plate and posterior sclerotized cuticle yellowish brown, about 0.6 times as long as posterior plate. Internal genitalia (Fig. 9I). Anterior arch slightly sinuated, medially elongated anteriorly, median portion strongly sclerotized; genital valve slightly recurved; lateral portion enlarged, strongly concave, anterior portion strongly elongated, pointing anteriorly, posterior portion slightly curved anteriorly; pore plates long oblong, close together anteriorly and wide apart posteriorly.
Variation. Males. Prosoma width: 1.6–1.8 (mean 1.7), tibia Ⅰ: 10.7–13.3 (mean 11.5) (n=4).
An intrapopulational variation was observed on the shape of membranous tip of dorsal process and retrolateral hooked membranous projection of prolateral process in procursus tip (Fig. 16A–B). The prolatero-distal spur-like projection of prolateral process in procursus tip was broken off in some individuals (Fig. 16B).
Females. Prosoma width: 1.4–1.6 (mean 1.5), tibia Ⅰ: 7.9–8.8 (mean 8.4) (n=5). An intrapopulational variation was observed on the size of pore plates of internal genitalia (Fig. 16E–F), but the epigynal shapes were largely consistent (Fig. 16C–D).
Habitat information. This species was found inside road drains in mountainous regions. For the sympatry between this species and Pholcus noeun Lee & Lee, sp. nov., see habitat information of the latter above.
Distribution. Korea (Wonju) (Fig. 18).
description: Published as part of Lee, Jun-Gi, Lee, Jun-Ho, Choi, Doo-Yeong, Park, Sun-Jae, Baek, Min-Jeong & Kim, Sam-Kyu, 2024, Nine new species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer (Araneae: Pholcidae) from South Korea, pp. 179-212 in Zootaxa 5432 (2) on pages 201-204, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5432.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/10898691