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Huntsman (Araneae: Sparassidae) from Xishuangbanna Rainforest,

Article in Zootaxa · June 2010 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2508.1.4

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Huntsman spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae) from Xishuangbanna Rainforest, China

JIE LIU1, 3, SHUQIANG LI1 & PETER JÄGER2, 4 1 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 2 Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 3College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, Hubei, China 4Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

An extensive faunal survey of spiders from Xishuangbanna was carried out over one year (July 2006–August 2007) using various collecting techniques (ground pitfall traps, trunk pitfall traps, fogging and hand collecting). Three known Sparassidae species were collected: Heteropoda tetrica Thorell, 1897, Pseudopoda songi Jäger, 2008, and Pseudopoda namkhan Jäger, Pathoumthong & Vedel, 2006, the latter reported for the first time from China. Thelcticopis zhengi sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on males and females. All specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZCAS) and Research Institute Senckenberg in Frankfurt am Main (SMF).

Key words: , fauna, new species, new record, Yunnan

Introduction

The rainforest in Xishuangbanna prefecture represents a transition from tropical to subtropical forest. It harbours more species diversity than typical tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia (Zhu et al. 2006), and is therefore a key area in biogeography and a hotspot for (Myers 1988). Nevertheless, since the 1960s, Xishuangbanna suffered from a certain anthropogenic influence and a loss of multifaceted landscape by monocropping. Natural forest cover has decreased dramatically from 63% to 34% (Yan & Chen 1992). Extensive exotic rubber plantations have been established, causing a significant loss of indigenous rainforest habitats and leading towards irreversible damage to its local ecological environment. The increased destruction of natural habitats by humans has intensified the need for registering biodiversity data to support conservation and management decisions (Sørensen 2004). Spiders are among the most diverse and abundant invertebrate predators in terrestrial ecosystems (Wise 1993, Nyffeler 2000). An extensive faunal survey focused on spiders from Xishuangbanna over one year (July 2006–August 2007) using various collecting techniques (ground pitfall traps, trunk pitfall traps, canopy fogging and hand collecting). It was carried out by colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In the present paper we report on the family Sparassidae. This group is mainly known as large hunting spiders, living on tree bark, in shrub leaves, rock crevices or in synanthropic habitats, which may play an important role in ecosystems. The survey yielded four Sparassidae species, one of which is new to science and herein described.

Material and methods

Specimens were examined using an Olympus SZ40 stereomicroscope. Further details were studied under an Olympus BX41 compound microscope. All illustrations were made using a drawing tube and inked on ink jet

56 Accepted by C. Muster: 3 May 2010; published: 16 Jun. 2010 plotter paper. Photos were taken with an Olympus C7070 wide zoom digital camera (7.1 megapixels) mounted on an Olympus SZX12 stereomicroscope. Male palps and female genitalia were examined and illustrated after they were dissected from the spiders’ bodies. Some embolic divisions were dissected from male palps and mounted in Hoyer’s Solution by strong transmitted light against a white background. Vulvae of females were cleared in 90% lactic acid. All measurements were taken using an Olympus SZ40 stereomicroscope. Leg measurements are shown as: total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus). Spines are listed for each segment in the following order: prolateral, dorsal, retrolateral, ventral, the latter are missing in femora and patellae. Abbreviations used in the text: Alt — altitude; ALE — anterior lateral eyes; AME — anterior median eyes; AW — anterior width of prosoma; IZCAS — Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences Beijing, China; PLE — posterior lateral eyes; PME — posterior median eyes; RTA — retrolateral tibial apophysis; SMF — Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt am Main; I, II, III, IV — legs I to IV. More type specimen photos of the species included in this paper can be viewed in Li & Wang (2010).

Taxonomy

Family Sparassidae Bertkau, 1872

Subfamily Heteropodinae Thorell, 1873

Diagnosis. Small to very large Sparassidae (body length 5–50 mm). Distinguished from other Sparassidae by the following combination of characters: 1. Chelicerae with 3 anterior, mostly 4 posterior teeth, and denticles in cheliceral furrow, 2. Dorsal trilobate membrane on distal metatarsi with median hook and lateral projections well developed and of the same length, 3. Both eye rows recurved, lateral eyes usually larger than median eyes, 4. Female palpal claw with long and curved teeth (exception: Spariolenus). Moreover, Heteropodinae lack a median apophysis in the male palp, present in Sparianthinae.

Genus Heteropoda Latreille, 1804

Heteropoda tetrica Thorell, 1897 Fig. 1

Heteropoda tetrica Thorell, 1897: 33. Jäger 2001: 22, figs 16a–g; Jäger 2005: 99, figs 46–49; Eusemann & Jäger 2009: 502, figs 1–7.

Material examined. CHINA: Yunnan Province: 3 males, Xishuangbanna City, Mengla County, Menglun town, rubber-tea plantation (about 20 years), N 21º55.551’, E 101º16.923’, Alt: 561 m, 18 April 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS). Distribution. : Kayah State (type locality). : Houaphan Prov., Khammouan Prov., Vientiane Prov., Luang Nam Tha Prov., Luang Prabang Prov. China: Yunnan Prov. (Fig. 23), Guangxi Prov. : Nan Prov., Chiang Mai Prov., Thammarat Prov., Krabi Prov., Satun Prov., Trat Prov. : Quang Binh Prov., Cao Bang Prov. Malaysia: Wilayah Persekutuan. Singapore. : Sumatra. (Eusemann & Jäger 2009, unpubl. data). Natural history. This species is considered by Eusemann and Jäger (2009) one of the most common species in its distribution range in natural habitats. Another common Sparassidae is Heteropoda venatoria (Linnaeus, 1767), but the latter species is common in human settlements in and close to buildings. The present spiders were collected in ground pitfall traps, suggesting that this species may live on the forest floor or in the leaf litter (as known from habitats in Laos: Jäger 2007, Jäger & Praxaysombath 2009).

SPARASSIDAE FROM XISHUANGBANNA Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press · 57 FIGURE 1. The location of Menglun Natural Reserve of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture.

Genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000

Pseudopoda namkhan Jäger, Pathoumthong & Vedel, 2006 Fig. 1

Pseudopoda namkhan Jäger et al., 2006: 222, figs 20–28, 35–40. Jäger and Praxaysombath 2009: 44.

Material examined. CHINA: Yunnan Province: 3 males, 3 females, Xishuangbanna City, Mengla County, Menglun town, secondary tropical seasonal moist forest, N 21º54.718’, E 101º16.940’, Alt: 645 m, 27 July 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (3 males, 2 females IZCAS, 1 female SMF); ditto, 1 male, 2 females, secondary tropical seasonal rain forest, N 21º55.428’, E 101º16.441’, Alt: 598 m, 5 May 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS); ditto, 1 female, Paramichelia baillonii plantation (about 20 years) N 21º53.823’, 101º17.072’, Alt: 613 m, 10 May 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS); ditto, 1 male, 3 females, secondary tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest, N 21º55.428’, E 101º16.441’, Alt: 598 m, 4 August 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (3 females IZCAS, 1 male SMF). Distribution. China: Yunnan Prov. Laos: Luangphabang Prov. Natural history. Most Pseudopoda species inhabit the leaf litter of humid habitats (Jäger 2001). However, P. namkhan was observed on leaves in the herbal layer as well as in the foliage of lower branches of trees. According to these observations Jäger et al. (2006) suspect that it can also occur in higher strata, e.g., the canopy. It is the first record of this species from China, which extends the distribution range approximately 250 km farther north. In Laos, spiders were collected at altidues ranging from 300 to 400 m

58 · Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press LIU ET AL. above sea level, whereas in higher altitudes in Ban Keng Koung, i.e. 700–1000 m, another Pseudopoda species lived in the leaf litter, P. wang Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009 (Jäger & Praxaysombath 2009). The phenomenon of vertical partitioning and coexistence is known from Pseudopoda spp. in from many localities (Jäger 2001: 116, figs 74–75). The present specimens were collected with both trunk pitfall traps and canopy fogging, this species may live in the canopy as well as in the foliage of lower strata.

FIGURES 2A–B. Thelcticopis zhengi sp. nov. A Left male palp, prolateral view; B Same, retrolateral view. Scale line: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Co — conductor; Em — embolus.

Pseudopoda songi Jäger, 2008 Fig. 1

Pseudopoda songi Jäger, 2008: 46, figs 1–11.

Material examined. CHINA: Yunnan Province: 1 female, Xishuangbanna City, Mengla County, Menglun town, secondary tropical seasonal rain forest, N 21º55.428’, E 101º16.441’, Alt: 598m, 17 February 2007,

SPARASSIDAE FROM XISHUANGBANNA Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press · 59 Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS); ditto, 3 males, 6 females, primary tropical seasonal rain forest, N 21º57.445’, E 101º12.997’, Alt: 744 m, 24 June 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (2 males, 5 females IZCAS, 1 male, 1 female SMF). Distribution. China, Yunnan Prov. (Fig. 1). Natural history. The new locality is 2.5 km E of the type locality and in the same altitude range. There are records of morphologically similar individuals from Luang Nam Tha Province in Northern Laos, but these cannot be identified unambiguously since only females were caught. The herewith reported specimens were collected in pitfall traps and by hand collecting, this species may live on the forest floor or in the leaf litter.

Subfamily Sparianthinae Simon, 1897

Diagnosis. Small to large Sparassidae (body length 4–26 mm). Distinguished from other Sparassidae by the following combination of characters: 1. Chelicerae with posterior teeth distinctly smaller than anterior ones, without denticles, 2. Dorsal trilobate membrane on distal metatarsi with median hook distinctly shorter than lateral projections, 3. Both eye rows straight or procurved, AME larger than other eyes, 4. Leg claws with basal part massive, palpal claw without long and curved teeth. Moreover, Sparianthinae have a median apophysis in the male palp.

Genus Thelcticopis Karsch, 1884

Thelcticopis zhengi sp. nov. Figs 1–4

Type material: Holotype: male, CHINA: Yunnan Province: Xishuangbanna City, Mengla County, Menglun town, secondary tropical seasonal rain forest, N 21º55.428’, E 101º16.441’, Alt: 598 m, 10 June 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS). Paratypes: 4 males, 9 females, same data as for holotype (3 males, 8 females IZCAS, 1 male, 1 female SMF); 4 males, 18 females, ditto, secondary tropical seasonal moist forest, N 21º54.718’, E 101º16.940’, Alt: 645 m, 8 June 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS); 2 females, ditto, rubber-tea plantation (about 20 years), N 21º55.551’, E 101º16.923’, Alt: 561 m, 24 April 2007, Guo Zheng leg. (IZCAS). Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to Dr. Guo Zheng (Beijing) for his great help on collecting the spiders in Xishuangbanna, noun (name) in genitive case. Diagnosis. Small sized Sparianthinae. Belonging to the same species group as T. folia Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009 and an undescribed species from Chiang Mai Province, North Thailand, due to their small size, colour pattern, occurrence in the leaf litter and the round median septum of females. Males can be recognised by the embolus covered by a prominent tegular apophysis and the shape of the two branches of the RTA, the dorsal one slightly bent and distally blunt, the retrolateral tapering and pointed in ventral view. Females can be recognised by the straight transversal anterior rim of the medium septum, the short internal ducts, extending only slightly beyond anterior end of medium septum and the blunt lateral hooks at posterior epigyne (Figs 2–4). Description. Male: Measurements (in mm): Prosoma length 2.45, prosoma width 2.05, anterior width of prosoma 0.95, prosoma height 1.25, opisthosoma length 2.75, opisthosoma width 1.50. Eyes: AME 0.13, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.15, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, AME– PME 0.04, ALE–PLE 0, CH AME 0.075, CH ALE 0.05. Anterior eye row straight, posterior eye row procurved. Leg and palp measurements: Palp 2.90 (1.00, 0.50, 0.50, -, 0.90), I 6.90 (2.00, 0.90, 2.00, 1.50, 0.50), II 6.95 (2.00, 1.10, 1.85, 1.50, 0.50), III 6.15 (1.90, 0.80, 1.45, 1.50, 0.50), IV 7.15 (2.05, 0.60, 1.90, 1.90, 0.70). Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Palp 031, 000, 0002; Femora I, III–IV 321, II 323; Patellae 000; Tibiae I–II 202(12), III–IV 2226; Metatarsi I–II 2014, III–IV 3134. Chelicerae with 3 large anterior teeth and 4 smaller posterior teeth. Trilobate membrane with median hook shorter than lateral projections.

60 · Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press LIU ET AL. FIGURES 3A–G. Thelcticopis zhengi sp. nov. A Left male palp, ventral view; B Embolus, ventral view (tegular apophysis removed); C Left male palp, dorsal view; D Epigyne, ventral view; E Vulva, dorsal view; F Trilobate membrane of left leg IV, dorsal view; G Male cheliceral dentition, ventral view. Scale lines: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: CD — copulatory duct; FD — fertilisation duct; MA — median apophysis; MS — median septum; RTA — retrolateral apophysis; S — spermathecae.

SPARASSIDAE FROM XISHUANGBANNA Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press · 61 FIGURES 4A–G. Thelcticopis zhengi sp. nov. A Male habitus, dorsal view; B–D Left male palp (B prolateral, C ventral, D retrolateral); E Female habitus, dorsal view; F Epigyne, ventral view; G Vulva, dorsal view. Scale lines: A, E = 1.0 mm; B–D, F–G = 0.25 mm.

62 · Zootaxa 2508 © 2010 Magnolia Press LIU ET AL. Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus short and slightly curved, covered by a large apophysis arising from 9- o’clock-position on tegulum. Median tegulum apophysis present and curved distally. Conductor membranous, isolated from tegular projection. RTA developed, originating from the distal part of the tibia. Cymbium significantly longer than tibia (Figs 2, 3A–C, 4B–D). Colouration. Yellow brown with contrasting dark brown pattern. Dorsal prosoma with two paramedian bands and, continuously, darker margins in posterior half, as well as a pair of submarginal patches in anterior half. Dorsal opisthosoma with irregular patches and indistinct and short median chevrons in posterior half; ventral opisthosoma with patches especially in posterior half. Body covered by short hairs, some stronger setae medially, and tight, partly slightly flattened setae. Legs becoming slightly darker distally, sparsely covered by short hairs. Female: Measurements (in mm): Prosoma length 2.25, prosoma width 1.95, anterior width of prosoma 1.00, prosoma height 1.40, opisthosoma length 2.50, opisthosoma width 1.65. Eyes: AME 0.11, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.11, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.03, ALE–PLE 0, CH AME 0.08, CH ALE 0.06. Eye rows as in male. Leg and palp measurements: Palp 1.90 (0.65, 0.30, 0.45, 0.50, -), I 6.15 (1.80, 0.90, 1.75, 1.30, 0.40), II 6.15 (1.85, 0.85, 1.75, 1.25, 0.45), III 5.25 (1.70, 0.75, 1.20, 1.20, 0.40), IV 6.65 (1.95, 0.75, 1.60, 1.75, 0.60). Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Spination: Palp 010, 000, 1211, 2010; Femora I–III 020, IV 121; Patellae 000; Tibiae I 000(14), II 0008, III 0006, IV 2126; Metatarsi I–II 0004, III 2024, IV 3134. Chelicerae and trilobate membrane as in male. Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Median septum sub-circular, two lateral hooks present at the posterior margin of the lateral lobes. Copulatory ducts distinct, originating anteriorly. Spermathecae simple and widely separated. (Figs 3D–E, 4F–G). Colouration as in male. Distribution. China, Yunnan Prov. Natural history. The present specimens were collected in pitfall traps and by direct search, this species may live on the forest floor or in the leaf litter.

Acknowledgements

The manuscript benefited greatly from comments by Dr Xin-Ping Wang (University of Florida, USA). This study was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC-30670239/30770268), by the National Science Fund for Fostering Talents in Basic Research (Special Subjects in Taxonomy, NSFC-J0630964/J0109), by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-YW-Z-008/KSCX3-IOZ-0811), and partly also by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST grant no. 2006FY120100/2006FY110500). Peter Jäger wishes to thank the vice-president of the Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Prof. Dr Liang Songping and the vice-dean of the Institute of Biology, Changsha, Prof. Dr Cheng Liangbi for arranging the visit in the Department of Zoology, the team in the Zoology laboratories in Hunan Normal University, especially Prof. Dr Changmin Yin, Prof. Dr Xianjin Peng, Dr Xiang Xu and Dr Guo Tang for their kind help and support, furthermore the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Chinese National Science Foundation (CNSF) for a travel grant to Beijing and Changsha. We are grateful to Christoph Muster and two anonymous referees for their comments on the manuscript.

References

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