Pseudopoda spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023

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 spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023

Figs 5 , 6 , 7 , 8

Pseudopoda spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 in Zhang et al. 2023: 247, figs 229 A – C, 230 A – B ( male holotype from Maoxian Mountain Ecosystem Positioning Station , CAS, Sichuan, China, deposited in CBEE, examined ).

Other material examined.

China • Sichuan Province: 4 males, 4 females, with same data as for holotype, except for: 25–26 May 2015, Gui-Qiang Huang, Lu-Yu Wang & Yan-Chen Zhou leg. ( CBEE, LJ 20240001 – LJ 20240003 , LJ 20240007 , LJ 20240015 , LJ 20240096 – LJ 20240098 ) .

Diagnosis.

The female of this species can be distinguished from congeners by its internal duct system, which is elongate, narrow, and forms a compact, longitudinally aligned looping pattern, clearly visible in dorsal view.

Description.

Male (Figs 5 , 7 A, B ): for details see Zhang et al. (2023).

Female ( LJ 20240007 ): Measurements: Small-sized. Body length 8.2, DS length 3.3, width 3.1, OS length 4.9, width 3.7. Eyes: AME 0.13, ALE 0.20, PME 0.16, PLE 0.18, AME – AME 0.17, AME – ALE 0.07, PME – PME 0.21, PME – PLE 0.32, AME – PME 0.24, ALE – PLE 0.22, CH AME 0.36, CH ALE 0.30. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe I – II 323, III 322, IV 321; Pa I – III 101, IV 000; Ti I – II 2228, III – IV 2126; Mt I – II 3034, III – IV 3036. Measurement of palps and legs: Pp 3.9 ( 1.0, 0.6, 0.8, –, 1.5); I 10.3 ( 3.1, 1.2, 2.6, 2.4, 1.0), II 13.3 ( 3.6, 1.5, 3.9, 2.9, 1.4), III 9.2 ( 2.9, 1.1, 2.0, 2.3, 0.9), IV 10.7 ( 3.4, 1.0, 2.4, 2.7, 1.2). Leg formula: II-IV-I-III. Chelicerae with three promarginal, four retromarginal teeth, and c. 22 denticles.

Epigyne (Fig. 6 A – C ): As in diagnosis. Epigynal field as wide as long, without anterior bands. Anterior margins of lateral lobes forming a distinct V-shape, median margins of lateral lobes touching each other along the middle line. Internal duct system extends longitudinally and clearly visible in dorsal view, anterior margins slightly covered by FW. FD arising postero-laterally.

Colouration (Fig. 7 C, D ): Carapace orange to reddish brown, with distinct radial streaks extending from the fovea to the margins. Eye region dark brown. Chelicerae orange to reddish brown; endites and labium orange-brown. Legs light orange, with numerous dark reddish-brown spots. OS dorsally yellowish brown with a darker median area and a transversal white line in posterior part. OS ventrally light yellow with irregular brown spots, denser laterally.

Distribution.

China ( Sichuan Province, Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figure 5. Pseudopoda spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 from Sichuan, left male palp. A. Ventral; B. Dorsal; C. Retrolateral. Abbreviations: C, conductor; dRTA, dorsal branch of RTA; E, embolus; EP, embolic projection; Sp, spermophor; St, subtegulum; T, tegulum; vRTA, ventral branch of RTA. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 6. Pseudopoda spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 from Sichuan, female. A. Epigyne, ventral; B. Schematic course of IDS, dorsal; C. Vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: CO, copulatory opening; FD, fertilization duct; FW, first winding; IDS, Internal duct system; LL, lateral lobes. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 7. Pseudopoda spiralis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023 from Sichuan. A, B. Male habitus (A. Dorsal, B. Ventral); C, D. Female habitus (C. Dorsal, D. 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.