Putaoa titanoverpa Liu & Xu & Hormiga & Yin & Li 2023, new species
Creators: name: Liu, Jinxin
name: Xu, Xiang
name: Hormiga, Gustavo
name: Yin, Haiqiang
name: Li, Hao
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Pimoidae
Putaoa
Putaoa titanoverpa

description: Putaoa titanoverpa new species
(ĦṜƥgḓ)
Figures 3, 4, 5D–F, 6C, D
Holotype ♁ (HNU284): CHINA, Hunan Province, Liuyang City, Daweishan Mountain, 28°26.09'N, 114°10.09'E, 530m, 17 I 2018, Keke Liu, Luyu Wang, Guchun Zhou. Paratypes: 1♁ (HNU285) 4♀ (HNU286–289), same data as the holotype. Additional specimens examined: 8♀ (HNU290–297), same data as the types.
Etymology. The species epithet refers to the robust and strongly sclerotized embolus and is derived from the Greek word titan (in the sense of large size) and the Latin word verpa (penis).
Diagnosis. Males of this new species are similar to those of Putaoa huaping Hormiga and Tu, 2008 in having “U” shaped and sclerotized embolus (compare Figs 4A, 6D with fig. 3C in Hormiga and Tu, 2008), but can be distinguished by having the palpal tibia with one distal macroseta (cuspule-like), and the suprategulum with a lamelliform distal suprategular apophysis, while in P. huaping the palpal tibia has several distal macrosetae and the suprategulum has a stronger distal suprategular apophysis (compare Figs 4A–D, 6C, D with fig. 3 in Hormiga and Tu 2008). The diagnosis of the females of this new species is given under that of Putaoa annulata n. sp.
Description. Male (holotype; HNU284, Figs 3A, 4). Total length 9.68. Cephalothorax 4.33 long, 3.56 wide. Sternum 2.22 long, 1.99 wide. Abdomen 5.07 long, 3.69 wide. Anterior median eye diameter 0.17. Clypeus height 1.5 times one anterior median eye diameter. Carapace with shallow and longitudinal fovea (Fig. 3A). Chelicerae with six prolateral and six retrolateral teeth (Fig. 5D); stridulatory striae absent. Legs annulated with spines and with annulations alternating brown and black. Leg measurements: I 15.06 (4.25, 1.45, 3.78, 3.81, 1.77), II 13.68 (4.04, 1.34, 3.27, 3.45, 1.58), III 10.68 (3.20, 1.19, 2.47, 2.56, 1.26), IV 13.16 (3.83, 1.20, 3.18, 3.55, 1.40). All metatarsal trichobothria 0.33 approximately (TmI–IV), located on the dorsum near the retrolateral surface. Abdomen with white spots in anterior part and irregular patches dorsally. Palp: tibia short, with one dorsal and two retrolateral trichobothria and one distal seta prolaterally (Figs 4A, C, D, 6C, D). Cymbium with a conical ectal process in medial retrolateral margin (Figs 4B, 6C), apically pointed. Paracymbium glabrous, concave and bowl-like, with apical end broad and nearly square in ventral view, connected to cymbial base by means of a membrane, ventral to a sclerotized cymbial apophysis (Figs 4B–D, 6C). Tegulum large and pointed apically, with tegular base connecting to suprategulum which is divided into three processes, embolus, embolic process and distal suprategular apophysis (Figs 4C, E, 6D). The embolus “U” shaped (especially in prolateral view), developed and sclerotized, flattening in distal half part (Figs 4A, C, E, 6D). Embolic process thin and small, close to embolus apex (Figs 4C, E, 6D). Distal suprategular apophysis short and spiculate, curved in retrolateral view, extending towards end of tegulum across the gap between bulb and cymbium (Figs 4C, D, 6C, D). Conductor triangular, membranous, pointing apically end of tegulum (Figs 4D, 6D). Median apophysis absent.
Female (paratype, HNU287). Total length 9.85 (Fig. 3B). Cephalothorax 4.06 long, 3.01wide. Sternum 2.27 long, 2.08 wide (Fig. 4D). Abdomen 6.86 long, 5.13 wide. Anterior median eye diameter 0.18. Clypeus height 1.4 times one anterior median eye diameter. Chelicerae with five prolateral and five retrolateral teeth (Fig. 5E); stridulatory striae absent. Legs annulated with spines and with annulations alternating brown and black. Leg measurements: I 15.68 (4.44, 1.50, 3.89, 3.97, 1.88), II 14.62 (4.18, 1.54, 3.60, 3.60, 1.70), III 11.57 (3.38, 1.35, 2.68, 2.73, 1.40), IV 13.96 (4.10, 1.34, 3.46, 3.55, 1.51). All metatarsal trichobothria 0.33 approximately (TmI–IV), located on the dorsum near the retrolateral surface. Similar to male in somatic features. Epigynum: basal plate slightly forming an obtuse triangle, and with the median area of posterior margin protruding caudally (Figs 3E, F, 5F). Atrium divided in two by septum. Copulatory openings visible ventrally (Fig. 3E). Copulatory ducts short and thick. Spermathecae spherical, almost in contact with each other. Fertilization ducts medially oriented, arising from the middle of spermathecae (Figs 3F, 5F).
Distribution. China (Hunan) (Fig. 8).
description: Published as part of Liu, Jinxin, Xu, Xiang, Hormiga, Gustavo, Yin, Haiqiang & Li, Hao, 2023, Two new species of the spider genus Putaoa (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from southern China, pp. 553-564 in Zootaxa 5277 (3) on pages 557-560, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5277.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/7890227