Araneus pianmaensis Liu, Li, Mi & Peng, 2022, new species
Creators: name: Liu, Ping
name: Li, Song-Lin
name: Mi, Xiao-Qi
name: Peng, Xian-Jin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Araneidae
Araneus
Araneus pianmaensis

description: Araneus pianmaensis new species
Figures 5, 6, 7
Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Lushui County: Pianma Township, 25.98936°N, 98.66406°E, 2725 – 2760 m, 14.V.2005, Ke-ji Guo leg. (GKJ003). Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype (GKJ 003); 2♀, Pianma Township, Chanyan River, 25.99363°N, 98.66651°E, 2470 m, 13–14.V.2005, Charles Griswold leg. (CGY 105).
Etymology. The specific epithet derived from the type locality, the Pianma Township.
Diagnosis. The new species resembles A. breviscapus n. sp. (Figs 1, 2), but can be distinguished by: 1) ventral ramus of median apophysis arises from the anterior portion of median apophysis, with serrated tip in A. pianmaensis n. sp. (Fig. 6C) vs. from the posterior portion of median apophysis, with blunt tip in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2C); 2) distal portion of embolic lamella partly covered by subterminal apophysis in lateral view in A. pianmaensis n. sp. (Fig. 6E) vs. covers subterminal apophysis in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2E); 3) tip of scape expanded distinctly in A. pianmaensis n. sp. (Fig. 6G) vs. tip as wide as base in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2G); 4) copulatory openings slit-shaped in A. pianmaensis n. sp. (Fig. 6H) vs. arc-shaped in A. breviscapus n. sp. (Fig. 2H).
Description. Male (holotype, Fig. 5A, B, E): total length 2.97. Carapace 1.39 long, 1.24 wide, yellowish brown; fovea, cervical, and radial grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.08; ALE, 0.07; PME, 0.08; PLE, 0.07; AME–AME, 0.12; AME–ALE, 0.12; PME–PME, 0.06; PME–PLE, 0.20; MOL, 0.23; MOA, 0.24; MOP, 0.19. Sternum brown. Chelicerae yellowish brown, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Endites brown with pale distal end. Labium brown, distal part pale. Legs yellow to yellowish brown, without annulus. Tibia I with several strong spines: 2d, 4p, 1v. Leg lengths: I, 8.54 (2.48, 3.17, 2.03, 0.86); II, 7.87 (2.39, 2.82, 1.87, 0.79); III, 4.37 (1.45, 1.57, 0.86, 0.49); IV, 6.35 (2.09, 2.25, 1.46, 0.55). Abdomen 2.89 long, 1.97 wide, oval; dorsum dark brown, with three pairs of white patch laterally and four pairs of sigillae; ventral median band dark brown, lateral sides grayish yellow. Spinnerets dark brown.
Palp (Fig. 6A–F). Cymbium longer than wide, paracymbium hook-shaped with blunt tip. Tegulum wider than long. Median apophysis bifurcated, dorsal ramus thicker and curved, with pointed tip, ventral ramus weakened with serrated tip. Conductor membranous, with swollen tip. Subterminal apophysis sclerotized, distal portion expanded, with blunt tip in ventral view, invisible on unexpanded palp. Terminal apophysis wide and sclerotized, with rounded tip. Embolus about C-shaped, with a cap on the top, embolic lamella membranous, almost band-shaped.
Female (one paratype of GKJ003, Fig. 5C, D, F): total length 4.12. Carapace 1.48 long, 1.25 wide; fovea concave. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME, 0.08; ALE, 0.07; PME, 0.09; PLE, 0.07; AME–AME, 0.14; AME– ALE, 0.19; PME–PME, 0.09; PME–PLE, 0.27; MOL, 0.25; MOA, 0.25; MOP, 0.23. Spines of tibia I: 2p. Leg lengths: I, 4.80 (1.35, 1.73, 1.15, 0.57); II, 4.42 (1.30, 1.61, 0.99, 0.52); III, 2.83 (0.90, 0.94, 0.55, 0.44); IV, 4.14 (1.37, 1.42, 0.90, 0.45). Abdomen 1.82 long, 1.34 wide, anterior median portion protruded forward; dorsum brown, covered by yellowish spots. Spinnerets brown. Other color and pattern as in male.
Epigynum (Fig. 6G, H).About two and half wider than long; scape straight, slightly longer than epigynum, basal part wrinkled, tip expanded distinctly; lateral plates almost triangular, expanded laterally; median plate wider than long; basal lamellae absent. Copulatory openings located on the posterolateral sides of the epigynum. Copulatory ducts twisted. Spermathecae oval, almost touching each other.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 7).
description: Published as part of Liu, Ping, Li, Song-Lin, Mi, Xiao-Qi & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2022, Three new spider species of Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) from the Gaoligong Mountains of Yunnan, China, pp. 576-586 in Zootaxa 5200 (6) on pages 582-583, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5200.6.5, http://zenodo.org/record/14895453