Reconsideration of Xysticus species described by Ehrenfried Schenkel from Mongolia and China in 1963 (Araneae: Thomisidae)
Author
Marusik, Yuri M.
Author
Omelko, Mikhail M.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3861
3
275
289
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3861.3.5
6bd630e1-ace7-4c05-a20b-93d750b76df9
1175-5326
252642
EA82A956-0344-41A0-AD3C-3B75C87761C0
Xysticus courti
sp.n.
Figs 1
,
30–35
X. sibiricus
Kulczyński.
Schenkel 1963
: 236
, fig. 132 (♂).
Type
material.
Holotype
♂, originally identified as
X. sibiricus
, with vial label “Potanin No57”, left palp missing. Text label “Berge zwischen Dschiutschen und dem Tao ho,
29. V 85
”. Data in introduction corresponding to the number in vial (57) is “10/
11.IV.86
Zwischen Kloster Gulebu-mom und Donkyr. Kansu”. Both localities are in Kansu (Gansu).
The former locality is about
35°10’ N
103°E and the second locality is about
36°40’N
101°16’E
.
Derivatio nominis.
The specific name is a patronym in honour of our colleague David J. Court (
Singapore
).
Diagnosis.
The new species belongs to the
X. sibiricus
-subgroup of the X.
labradorensis
-group sensu
Marusik (1989)
. It is most similar to
X. gobiensis
from which it can be distinguished by having a much smaller and less coiled embolus (cf.
Figs 32–33, 35 and 36–38
). The two species also differ by the relative size of the “pars pendula” (membranous part of embolus), which is much larger in
X. gobiensis
(cf.
Figs 32, 36
).
FIGURES 26–31.
Bassaniana decorata
(26–27, holotype ♀ of
Xysticus pichoni
), holotypes of
X. gobiensis
(28–29, ♀) and
X. courti
sp. n.
(30–31, ♂). 26, 28—epigyne, ventral; 27, 30—habitus, dorsal; 29—epigyne, dorsal; 31—prosoma, frontal. Scale = 0.2 mm [26, 28, 31], 1 mm [27, 30].
Description.
Measurements. Carapace 1.93 long, 1.7 wide. Abdomen 2.23 long, 1.75 wide. Clypeus 0.2 long. Chelicera 0.6 long. Carapace brown with yellowish median band and plenty of irregular-shaped yellow spots. Ocular region yellow. Fovea indistinct. Sternum, maxillae, labium and chelicerae light yellow with small brown dots. Spinnerets yellow. Abdomen dorsally yellowish with three pairs of descending lines and plenty of irregular grey spots. All leg segments covered with brown and yellow spots. Spination of leg I. Femora 3d, 3p; patellae 0; tibiae 2d, 3p, 3r, 2-
2v
and 2 apical, metatarsi 1p, 1r, 2-
2v
, 2 apical. Palp as in
Figs 32–35
, tibia with two apophyses: retrolateral and ventral, ventral apophysis with two arms subequal in size; retrolateral apophysis blunt; tegular apophysis absent; tegular ridge (
Tr
) almost undeveloped; terminal part of embolus flat and coiled (coil = 360°), tip of embolus slightly widened; “pars pendula” (
Pp
) relatively small.
Leg measurements.
Fm |
Pt |
Tb |
Mt |
Tr |
Total |
I 1.60 |
0.68 |
1.20 |
1.23 |
0.60 |
5.30 |
II 1.60 |
0.75 |
1.15 |
1.05 |
0.53 |
5.08 |
III 1.13 |
0.50 |
0.80 |
0.75 |
0.50 |
3.68 |
IV 1.30 |
0.50 |
0.80 |
0.85 |
0.58 |
4.03 |
FIGURES 32–39.
Male palp of
Xysticus courti
sp. n.
(32–35),
X. gobiensis
(36–38) and
X. sibiricus
(39). 32, 36—ventral; 33, 37—retrolateral; 34—prolateral; 35—bulbus, retrolateral; 38–39 embolus, retrolateral. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations:
Pp
pars pendula;
Tr
tegular ridge.
Note.
This species is known from the
type
locality only. First we suggested that this species may be the conspecific male of
X. laticeps
, a species belonging to the same species group and described on the basis of the
holotype
female. Then we recognised that the
type
localities of the two species lie almost
1000 km
apart and are separated by the Qilian Shan (=Nan Shan) mountains.