Pholcus noeun Lee & Lee & Choi & Park & Baek & Kim 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 noeun

description: Pholcus noeun Lee & Lee, sp. nov.
Figs 1C–D, 2C–D, 4, 13, 17D–F, 18
Type material. Holotype: ♂, SOUTH KOREA: Gangwon-do: Pyeongchang-gun, Pyeongchang-eup, Noeun-ri (37˚25'14"N, 128˚21'14"E, 448 m), 02 Jul. 2021, Sam-Kyu Kim leg. (NIBR). Paratypes: 1♀, same data as for holotype (KNU-Ar 20230042); 2♂♂, same data as for holotype (KNU-Ar 20230043–44); 3♀♀, same data as for holotype (KNU-Ar 20230045–47); 10♂♂ 18♀♀, same data as for holotype (KNU-Ar 20230048).
Other material examined. 28♂♂ 23♀♀, Pyeongchang-gun, Pyeongchang-eup, Hail-ri (37˚23'34"N, 128˚20'33"E, 416 m), 02 Jul. 2021, Sam-Kyu Kim leg. (KNU); 3♂♂, same locality, 28 Aug. 2021, same collector (KNU); 5♂♂ 7♀♀, Wonju-si, Sillim-myeon, Songgye-ri (37˚17'31"N, 128˚12'00"E, 314 m), 03 Jun. 2016, Doo-Yeong Choi leg. (KNU-kise 652); 3♂♂ 3♀♀, ditto (KNU); 1♂, Wonju-si, Sillim-myeon, Hwangdun-ri (37˚15'07"N, 128˚07'27"E, 496 m), 04 Jun. 2016, same collector (KNU).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Noeun-ri. Noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Males similar to Pholcus jindongensis Seo, 2018, having triangular prolateral process of procursus with linear sclerotized mark (Fig. 4D), but can be distinguished by: 1) procursus dorso-subdistally with two or three spines as long as retrolateral ridge, pointing dorsally (Fig. 4C–D) (with two spines much longer than retrolateral ridge, pointing prolaterally in P. jindongensis, see Seo 2018: fig. 2C); 2) prolateral process of procursus tip marginally serrated (Fig. 4D) (without denticles in P. jindongensis, see Seo 2018: fig. 2C); 3) ventral process of procursus membranous, distally blunt (Fig. 4C) (heavily sclerotized, distally pointed in P. jindongensis, see Seo 2018: fig. 2A–C); 4) uncus much smaller than genital bulb, semicircular, distally elongated and pointed (Fig. 4F) (slightly smaller than genital bulb, ovoid, distally not pointed in P. jindongensis, see Seo 2018: fig. 2B). Females superficially similar to Pholcus fengcheng Zhang & Zhu, 2009, having obtuse-triangular epigynal anterior plate, flat whitish epigynal posterior plate (Fig. 4H), and bilobed anterior arch of internal genitalia (Fig. 4I), but can be distinguished by: 1) posterior edge of epigynal posterior plate straight, with pair of small sclerotized areas only at lateral margin (Fig. 4H) (posterior edge slightly elongated, without sclerotized areas in P. fengcheng, see Yao & Li 2012: fig. 64A); 2) anterior arch of internal genitalia emarginated with deep notch, median sclerotized area distinctly elongated posteriorly (Fig. 4I) (forficate, medially not elongated in P. fengcheng, see Yao & Li 2012: fig. 64B); 3) pore plates obovate (Fig. 4I) (round in P. fengcheng, see Yao & Li 2012: fig. 64B).
Description. Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 1C. Total length 6.2. Prosoma 1.8 long, 1.8 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 115 µm, ALE 164 µm, PME 166 µm, PLE 166 µm. AME–AME 41 µm, PME–PME 234 µm, PME–ALE 28 µm. Clypeus with large indistinct brown mark, without process. Chelicera (Fig. 2C–D) with thumb-like proximo-lateral apophysis, triangular and distally blunt frontal apophysis pointing upwardly, 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 4.0 long, 2.1 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 57.7 (15.3 + 0.6 + 14.9 + 24.6 + 2.4), leg II 39.6 (11.2 + 0.8 + 10.1 + 15.8 + 1.7), leg III 26.3 (7.8 + 0.7 + 6.6 + 10.0 + 1.2), leg IV 34.9 (10.3 + 0.8 + 8.8 + 13.5 + 1.5). Ratio of leg Ⅰ (26.8: 1.0: 26.1: 43.2: 4.2), leg II (14.3: 1.0: 12.9: 20.3: 2.2), leg III (12.0: 1.0: 10.2: 15.3: 1.9), leg IV (13.7: 1.0: 11.8: 18.0: 2.0). Leg formula 1243. Tibia Ⅰ L/d 71. 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 5% proximally. Tarsus I with 29 pseudosegments, mostly irregular. Palp (Fig. 4A–G). Trochanter apophysis (Fig. 4A–B) about one quarter as long as femur, straight, slender, distally blunt, ventro-subdistally with single curved hair longer than apophysis, proximo-retrolaterally with tubercle; femur ventrally swollen; tibia with prolatero-ventral tubercle; procursus (Fig. 4A–E) brown, sinuated dorsally, ventral knee indistinct; dorso-subdistally not swollen, with three long spines medially, hidden by retrolateral procursus (Fig. 4C–E); procursus tip (Fig. 4C–E) with three ridges and curved whitish line retrolaterally (Fig. 4E), wide prolateral process with two plates [dorsal plate triangular, weakly sclerotized, medially with curved longitudinal sclerotized mark and strongly sclerotized pointed tip, distal margin serrated (arrowed in Fig. 4D), ventral plate membranous (arrowed in Fig. 4C)], and short blunt ventral process (arrowed in Fig. 4E); genital bulb (Fig. 4A) oval, pale yellow; uncus (Fig. 4F–G) about 0.6 times as long as genital bulb, dark brown, semicircular with long pointed projection distally, outer margin with tiny scales; pseudoappendix (Fig. 4G) tiny, slightly sclerotized, triangular, hidden by uncus prolaterally; embolus (Fig. 4F–G) slender, distally fringed, weakly sclerotized, slightly longer than uncus.
Female (one of paratypes, KNU-Ar 20230042). Habitus as in Fig. 1D. Somatic characteristics generally similar to male, but cheliceral apophyses absent, legs slightly shorter. Total length 5.2. Prosoma 1.4 long, 1.5 wide. Diameter of AME 102 µm, ALE 160 µm, PME 113 µm, PLE 143 µm. AME–AME 44 µm, PME–PME 186 µm, PME–ALE 45 µm. Opisthosoma 3.6 long, 1.7 wide. Leg Ⅰ 32.9 (8.3 + 0.6 + 8.4 + 13.2 + 2.4), leg II 23.3 (6.4 + 0.7 + 5.9 + 8.8 + 1.5), leg III 16.6 (4.9 + 0.5 + 4.1 + 6.1 + 1.0), leg IV 22.9 (6.6 + 0.6 + 5.8 + 8.6 + 1.4). Ratio of leg Ⅰ (13.4: 1.0: 13.5: 21.4: 3.8), leg II (9.7: 1.0: 8.9: 13.3: 2.3), leg III (9.7: 1.0: 8.3: 12.2: 2.1), leg IV (12.0: 1.0: 10.5: 15.6: 2.5). Leg formula 1243. Tibia I L/d 49. Epigyne (Fig. 4H). Anterior plate obtuse-triangular, dark brown anteriorly and near epigynal knob; posterior plate bright ivory, as long as anterior plate, posterior edge straight, with pair of small sclerotized areas only at lateral margin; epigynal knob dark brown, thick, blunt, more than one third as long as posterior plate; posterior sclerotized cuticle yellowish brown, slightly procurved, half as long as posterior plate; interspace between posterior plate and posterior sclerotized cuticle slightly shorter than posterior plate, with pair of wide triangular yellowish brown mark anterolaterally. Internal genitalia (Fig. 4I). Anterior arch bilobed with deep median indentation, median portion strongly sclerotized and protruded posteriorly; genital valve medially transverse, laterally slightly curved, hidden by anterior arch dorsally; lateral portion elongated posteriorly and laterally strongly concave; pore plates obovate, wide apart, gradually more distant posteriorly.
Variation. Males. Prosoma width: 1.6–2.0 (mean 1.8), tibia Ⅰ: 12.0–14.9 (mean 13.9) (n=10).
An intrapopulational variation was observed on the number and the length of dorso-subdistal spines and the shape of the outer distal serration of prolateral process in procursus tip (Fig. 13A–D).
Females. Prosoma width: 1.5–1.8 (mean 1.6), tibia Ⅰ: 7.4–10.2 (mean 9.0) (n=10).An intrapopulational variation was observed on the size and arrangement of pore plates and the shape of anterior arch of internal genitalia (Fig. 13I–L), but the epigynal shapes were largely consistent (Fig. 13E–H).
Habitat information. This species was found on rock walls and crevices under rocks in streamside, under bridges, and inside road drains of mountainous regions (Fig. 17D–F). Sympatry is observed between this species with Pholcus solchi Lee & Lee, sp. nov. from Hwangdun-ri, Sillim-myeon, Wonju-si, the type locality of the latter, sharing the same habitat together.
Distribution. Korea (Pyeongchang, 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 185-186, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5432.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/10898691