Synagelides shimian, Ni & Li & Zhang, 2025

Ni, Yi, Li, Yijing & Zhang, Junxia, 2025, On five new species of the genus Synagelides Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Agoriini) from China, Zootaxa 5666 (2), pp. 239-261 : 251-254

Synagelides shimian sp. nov.

Chinese name: Ƌüāãu

Figs 13–16

Type material. CHINA • Sichuan Province: Holotype: ♂ (MHBU-ARA-00027443), Ya'an City, Shimian County, Liziping National Nature Reserve , Gongyihai Protection Station , Hot Spring , 102.3846° E, 29.0250° N, 2032 m a.s.l., 25 July 2016, C. Jin & X. Guo. leg. Paratype: 1♀ (MHBU-ARA-00021008), with same data as for holotype .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Shimian County; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles S. hamatus Zhu, Zhang, Zhang & Chen, 2005 and S. forkiforma Yang, Zhu & Song, 2007 , but it differs from them in the following characters: male: (1) the retrolateral tibial apophysis has three forks at its tip with one fork hidden behind in retrolateral view ( Figs 14D , 16B ; whereas the forks are absent in S. hamatus , see Zhu et al. 2005: fig. 12E; only one fork on the ventral surface in S. forkiforma , see Yang et al. 2007: fig. 2D); (2) the dorso-retrolateral tibial apophysis is triangular in shape in retrolateral view, and the tip is level with the base of the retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs 14D , 16B ; whereas it is almost oval in shape, with the tip significantly lower than the base of the retrolateral tibial apophysis in S. hamatus , see Zhu et al. 2005: fig. 12E); (3) the retrolateral proximal branch of the median apophysis is long and the tip is slightly pointed ( Figs 14A, D , 16A, B ; whereas it is short and the tip is rounded in S. forkiforma , see Yang et al. 2007: fig. 2D and Wang et al. 2020: fig. 3B, C); female: (1) the epigynal pocket is almost sub-triangular ( Figs 15A–D , 16C, D ; whereas it is almost half oval in S. hamatus and S. forkiformis , see Zhu et al. 2005: fig. 12B, C and Wang et al. 2020: fig. 4A–C); (2) both sides of the septum sink inward in the middle, taking on a shape like the Chinese character " 工 " ( Figs 15A , 16C ; whereas it is like " 人 " in S. hamatus , see Zhu et al. 2005: fig. 12B; they are not sink inward in S. forkiformis see Wang et al. 2020: fig. 4A).

Description. Male. Measurements of holotype: total length 4.11; carapace 1.71 long, 1.19 wide, abdomen 1.99 long, 1.05 wide; eye measurements: AME 0.36, ALE 0.19, PME 0.05, PLE 0.21; leg measurements: Ⅰ 4.75 (1.52, 1.21, 1.12, 0.53, 0.37), II 2.64 (0.82, 0.37, 0.62, 0.50, 0.33), III 2.77 (0.83, 0.34, 0.64, 0.64, 0.32), IV 3.88 (1.13, 0.47, 1.00, 0.90, 0.38); leg formula Ⅰ-IV-III-II. Chelicerae ( Fig. 13G ) pale yellow, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Carapace ( Fig. 13A, C ) length approximately one and half width, rough, with numerous short setae; almost entirely brown, except eye surroundings dark; fovea circular and pit-like; endites, labium off-white, sternum pale yellow. Legs ( Fig. 13A, E ) with longitudinal pale stripes on both sides from femora to metatarsi, coxae and trochanters off-white, femora to tarsi yellow, except leg Ⅰ reddish-brown to black; leg Ⅰ spination: tibia v2-2-2-2, metatarsus v2-2. Dorsal of abdomen ( Fig. 13A ) anterior two-thirds yellow and posterior one-third dark brown, separated by transverse white stripe; two white spots at anterior part, with white stripes extending posteriorly along dorsal edge and connect with white stripe in middle; ventral side off-white, with slight yellowish hue towards center. Spinnerets ( Fig. 13A ) almost yellow, with some gray setae on surface.

Palp ( Figs 14A–E , 16A, B ): ventral femoral apophysis close to patella, almost sub-triangular; retrolateral tibial apophysis slender and almost as long as bulb, with three forks at tip in retrolateral view; dorso-retrolateral tibial apophysis triangular in retrolateral view, tip leveled with base of retrolateral tibial apophysis; dorsal and prolateral cymbial apophysis not obvious; embolus long, with wide and coiled base, partially hidden by median apophysis; median apophysis with exaggerated shape, retrolateral part facing ventral proximal side and ox-horn-like in retrolateral view, prolateral part extending towards dorsal and ventral sides, crescent-like in ventral view.

Female. Measurements of paratype (MHBU-ARA-00021008): total length 5.05; carapace 1.81 long, 1.27 wide, abdomen 2.78 long, 1.44 wide; eye measurements: AME 0.39, ALE 0.17, PME 0.06, PLE 0.18; leg measurements: Ⅰ 4.74 (1.46, 1.22, 1.16, 0.52, 0.38), II 2.77 (0.83, 0.42, 0.60, 0.58, 0.34), III 3.00 (0.91, 0.35, 0.68, 0.67, 0.39), IV 4.22 (1.18, 0.60, 1.03, 0.97, 0.44); leg formula Ⅰ-IV-III-II. Chelicerae ( Fig. 13H ) coloration and dentation similar to that of male. Leg Ⅰ spination ( Fig. 13F ): tibia v2-2-2-2, metatarsus v2-2. Habitus ( Fig. 13B, D, F ) similar to that of male, but different in: carapace length approximately twice width, slightly lighter in color; dorsum of abdomen lacking white stripe in middle, anterior two-thirds almost dark gray, with several short white stripes diagonally distributed along edges on both sides and two larger white stripes like Chinese character " 工 " in middle.

Epigyne ( Figs 15A–D , 16C, D ): length greater than width, anterior center with pocket, almost sub-triangular; septum wide, both sides sinking inward in middle, like Chinese character " 工 " in shape; atrial ridge located posteriorly, approximately in shape of two parentheses; copulatory openings located at foremost end of atrial ridge, facing inward; copulatory ducts slightly thick, extending posteriorly along atrial ridge, with short accessory glands; spermathecae touching in middle, like two beans, fertilization ducts approximately same length as accessory glands.

Distribution. China (Sichuan).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Synagelides shimian sp. nov., habitus of holotype male (A, C) and paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00021008, B, D); leg Ⅰ of holotype male (E) and paratype female (F); chelicera of holotype male (G) and paratype female (H); in dorsal (A, B), front (C, D), prolateral (E, F) and back (G, H) view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B), 0.5 mm (C–F), 0.1 mm (G, H).

FIGURE 14. Synagelides shimian sp. nov., palp of holotype male (A–E), in ventral (A), dorsal (B), prolateral (C) and retrolateral (D, E) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–E).

FIGURE 15. Synagelides shimian sp. nov., epigyne and vulva of paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00021008, A–D), in ventral (A) and dorsal (B–D) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D).

FIGURE 16. Synagelides shimian sp. nov., palp of holotype male (A, B), epigyne (C) and vulva (D) of paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00021008), in ventral (A, C), dorsal (D) and retrolateral (B) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D).