Pseudopoda rongxianensis, Zhang & Hu & Wang & Liu & Zhong, 2025

Zhang, He, Hu, Chang-Hao, Wang, Lu-Yu, Liu, Jie & Zhong, Yang, 2025, A new species of Pseudopoda (Araneae, Sparassidae) from China, with first description of the female of P. spiralis Zhang, Ja ̈ ger & Liu, 2023, ZooKeys 1260, pp. 111-122 : 111-122

Pseudopoda rongxianensis sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 8

Type material.

Holotype male: China • Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Yulin City, Rong County, Duqiaoshan Forest Park , 22.8216°N, 110.6429°E, 187 m, 5 October 2023, Qian-Le Lu leg. ( CBEE, GXRX-23-1001 ) .

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the type locality, Rong County.

Diagnosis.

Male of P. rongxianensis sp. nov. is similar to that of P. strombuliformis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 (cf. Fig. 1 and Zhang et al. 2023: fig. 231) in having large alveolus, and an extremely elongated and filiform embolus, but can be distinguished from P. strombuliformis by: 1) vRTA longer than the connecting part between vRTA and dRTA; 2) VTA thinner, almost 1 / 4 of the width of tibia; 3) prolateral part of tegulum without a depression; 4) embolic projection long, almost as long as the diameter of the first loop of embolus; and 5) embolus long, forming 3 loops (vs. vRTA shorter than the connecting part between vRTA and dRTA, VTA almost 1 / 3 of the width of tibia, prolateral tegulum with depression, embolic projection shorter, almost half the length of the diameter of the first loop of embolus, embolus forming 7 loops in P. strombuliformis ).

Description.

Male ( holotype): Small-sized. Body length 8.9, DS length 4.0, width 3.5, OS length 4.3, width 2.9. Eye measurements: AME 0.18; ALE 0.32; PME 0.25; PLE 0.31; AME – AME 0.11; AME – ALE 0.04; PME – PME 0.16; PME – PLE 0.28; AME – PME 0.24; ALE – PLE 0.13; CH AME 0.28; CH ALE 0.28. Measurements of palp and legs: Pp: 6.5 ( 2.0, 0.7, 1.1, 2.7); I 19.0 ( 5.3, 1.5, 5.8, 4.8, 1.6); II 20.7 ( 5.9, 1.6, 6.2, 5.2, 1.8); III 15.7 ( 4.6, 1.4, 4.4, 3.9, 1.4); IV 18.8 ( 5.6, 1.3, 5.0, 5.2, 1.7). Spination: Pp: 131, 101, 2111; legs: Fe I – II 323, III 322, IV 321; Pa I – IV 001; Ti I – II 2026, III – IV 2126; Mt I – II 2024, III 3036, IV 3236. Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and c. 16 denticles.

Palp (Fig. 1 A – F ): As in diagnosis. Tibia almost 1 / 3 of the length of cymbium, RTA arising medially from tibia, vRTA with rounded distal part in ventral view, dRTA quadrangular in ventral view, ventral distal tibia with a short blunt apophysis. Retroproximal cymbium with a short blunt process (paracymbium in Ramírez 2014); alveolus extending into distal cymbial half. Conductor filiform, arising from tegulum at 11 o’clock position. Embolic projection slightly curved, almost 2 / 5 of the length of cymbium. Embolus arising sub-centrally from tegulum.

Colouration (Fig. 2 A, B ): Carapace light orange, with black spots except posterior margin. Chelicerae light orange, with black spots. Legs yellow, with black spots. Sternum yellow, with orange margins. Opisthosoma yellowish-grey, dorsum medially with four light brown dots, venter laterally with light brown spots, in front of spinnerets with a light brown V-shaped marking.

Female: unknown.

Remarks.

This species shows similar palpal morphology to Pseudopoda strombuliformis (e. g., large alveolus, extremely elongated and filiform embolus, and short and quadrangular dRTA), differing from other congeners. These two species probably belong to an undefined species group. The stick-shaped embolus projection, and long and filiform embolus are similar to Martensopoda Jäger, 2006 , a genus endemic to the southern mountain ranges of India ( Jäger 2006). Therefore, we considered that these two Pseudopoda species may represent a transitional group between Pseudopoda and Martensopoda , or that the morphological similarities may result from convergent evolution.

Distribution.

China ( Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Pseudopoda rongxianensis sp. nov. from Guangxi, left palp of male holotype (A – C). A. Ventral; B. Dorsal; C. Retrolateral; D. Schematic course of embolus, prolateral view; E. Schematic course of embolus, ventral view; F. Left male palpal tibia, retrolateral. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CP, cymbial process; dRTA, dorsal branch of RTA; E, embolus; EP, embolic projection; Sp, spermophor; St, subtegulum; T, tegulum; vRTA, ventral branch of RTA; VTA ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 2. Pseudopoda rongxianensis sp. nov. from Guangxi, male habitus. A. Dorsal; B. Ventral. Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figure 8. Distribution map of the three Pseudopoda species. The numbers represent the different species. 1. P. rongxianensis sp. nov.; 2. P. deformis Gong & Zhong, 2023; 3. P. spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023.