Draconarius externus, Hoang & Nophaseud & Jäger, 2025

Hoang, Quang Duy, Nophaseud, Liphone & Jäger, Peter, 2025, Notes on the genus Draconarius Ovtchinnikov, 1999 (Araneae: Agelenidae) with description of two new species from Laos, Zootaxa 5590 (4), pp. 555-567 : 562-563

Draconarius externus spec. nov.

Figs 6–8 , 10 , 11

Type material. Holotype male: LAOS: Vientiane Province: west Vang Vieng, Houay Leng, above Tham Khan , 18°55'32.08"N, 102°24'53.99"E, 303 m a.s.l., 27 December 2023, along cliff, in vegetation, pitfall trap, members of Arachnology Research Workshop leg. ( SMF) . Paratype: 1 male, with same data as for holotype, except for: 19 October 2024, by hand, by night, P. Jäger leg. ( SMF) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, meaning “outside/outward” and refers to the life style of the new species, living outside of caves in contrast to the nearby recorded D. laosensis spec. nov.; adjective.

Diagnosis. Males of the new species ( Figs 6A–C , 7A–C ) are similar to those of D. yigongensis Zhao & Li, 2019 , D. postremus and D. songi in having a short patellar apophysis, apical embolus with loops, narrow and longitudinally oriented tegulum sclerite and a retrolaterad acuminate conductor tip, but are distinguished by LTA extending distally beyond tibia and reaching cymbium in retrolateral view (shorter and not reaching cymbium in all other species), and embolus arising from embolus base in a 5.30 o’clock position (in 6.30- in D. yigongensis , in 5- in D. postremus and in 3-o’clock position in D. songi ).

Description. Male (holotype). Measurements: Total length 5.8. Prosoma length 3.0, width 2.1. Opisthosoma length 2.8, width 1.7. Prosoma dorsally brown with dark marbled pattern covered sparsely by setae, with a conspicuous longitudinal fovea and striae ( Fig. 7A ). Sternum pale yellowish brown covered by some setae ( Fig. 7B ). Chelicerae brown, with 3 promarginal, 5(right)/6(left) retromarginal teeth and 1 escort seta. Opisthosoma dark brown, dorsally covered with pale dots in anterior half, in posterior half with some inverted light chevrons ( Fig. 7A ). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.15, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.08, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.02. Leg measurements: I 11.8 (2.8, 3.55, 2.7, 1.75); II 9.25 (2.5, 2.95, 2.3, 1.5); III 8.35 (2.3, 2.6, 2.25, 1.2); IV 11.2 (3.0, 3.65, 3.15, 1.4). Leg formula I–IV–II–III.

Palp ( Figs 7A–C ): Light brown. Patellar apophysis short, slender, bent and pointed, claw-shaped in retrolateral view, distad. RTA longer than half of tibia length, slightly concave medially in ventral view; LTA located close to RTA. Conductor with U-shaped part in prolateral view, ventral lamella with median lobe and only slightly serrated margin, conductor dorsal apophysis curved distally. Embolus long and with 3 loops apically, embolus arising in 5.30 o’clock position. Median apophysis elongated, with same width over its entire length.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Laos (Vientiane Prov.; Figs 8 , 10,11).

Natural history. The species has been found in the leaf litter of vegetation growing close to limestone cliffs in the Vang Vieng karst, Vientiane Province, Laos.

Figures

FIGURES 6A–C. Draconarius externus spec. nov., holotype male from above Tham Khan, habitus. A dorsal; B ventral; C lateral.

FIGURES 7A–C. Draconarius externus spec. nov., holotype male from above Tham Khan.A Palp, prolateral; B Same, ventral; C Same, retrolateral (spines in A and C omitted). Abbreviations: C—conductor; E—embolus; LTA—lateral tibial apophysis; MA—median apophysis; PA—patellar apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SP—spermophor.

FIGURES 8A–B. Distribution of Draconarius spp. described in this paper in Laos. A Black quadrangle indicating position of Vang Vieng karst; B Vang Vieng karst with distribution records of D. laosensis spec. nov. (black dots) and D. externus spec. nov. (white quadrangle). Map scanned from Topographic map 1:100,000, Republique Democratique Populaire Lao, Service Geographique Etat, Edition 1985 (E-48-25: M. Kasi, E-48-37: Vangviang). Lines indicate rivers/streams (red—only surface, black—underground, blue—surface).

FIGURES 10A–B. A Published distributional records of Draconarius s.l. species sorted by elevational intervals of occurrence (inset, bottom left); B Distribution along elevational gradient (numbers of datasets [n] against elevation [m]).

FIGURES 11A–B. Published distributional records of Draconarius s.l. A by species; B by life style (A: numbers indicating species numbers in particular countries; B: blue triangles—cave dwelling specimens; red circles—outside dwelling specimens).