Biodiversity Data Journal : Taxonomy & Inventories
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Taxonomy & Inventories
Description of two species of the orb-weaver spider genus Argiope Audouin, 1826 (Araneae, Araneidae) from Xizang, China
expand article infoMi Xiaoqi, Tong Zhang§, Cheng Wang
‡ College of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering and Planning, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the Fanjing Mountain Region, Tongren University, Tongren, China
§ Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Changsha, China
Open Access

Abstract

Background

The spider genus Argiope Audouin, 1826, comprises 88 species worldwide, including 23 species occurring in China. Two Argiope species were collected by the spider survey on Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve, Xizang, southwest China, conducted in 2023.

New information

Two species of the orb-weaver spider genus Argiope from Xizang, China are described, including a new species, A. beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) and a known species, A. caesarea Thorell, 1897 (♂♀). The unknown male of A. caesarea is described for the first time.

Keywords

Taxonomy, Argiopinae, sexual dimorphism, DNA barcoding

Introduction

The orb-weaver spider genus Argiope is characterised by their showy colorful females and their unique web stabilimenta (Levi 1983, Tan 2018). As one of the most typical extremely sexual dimorphic genera, it is hard to match the females to males, for example, among the 88 known Argiope species worldwide, 28 are only known from females, and three are only known from males (World Spider Catalog 2024).

Levi (1983) revised the Argiope species from the western Pacific region, a total of 49 species were reported and divided into seven species groups, including eight species from China. Yin et al. (1997) provided a comprehensive study of the Chinese Argiope species, described and illustrated 19 Argiope species and divided 18 into Levi’s seven species groups, leaving A. lobata not assigned to any group (Table 1). Wang et al. (2021) taxonomic revised three Argiope species based on morphological and/or molecular evidence and added two newly recorded species from China.

Table 1.

Yin et al. (1997) grouping on 18 Argiope species.

Species group

Included species

A. ocula group

A. ocula Fox, 1938 and A. macrochoera Thorell, 1891 (misidentification, female of A. cameloides Zhu & Song, 1994 according Wang et al. 2021)

A. aemula group

A. aemula (Walckenaer, 1841) and A. catenulata (Doleschall, 1859)

A. caesarea group

A. caesarea Thorell, 1897

A. amoena group

A. amoena L. Koch, 1878, A. boesenbergi Levi, 1983 and A. bruennichi (Scopoli, 1772)

A. trifasciata group

A. trifasciata (Forsskål, 1775)

A. minuta group

A. minuta Karsch, 1879 and A. perforata Schenkel, 1963

A. aetherea group

A. aetherea (Walckenaer, 1841), A. aetheroides Yin, Wang, Zhang, Peng & Chen, 1989, A. pulchella Thorell, 1881, A. pulchelloides Yin, Wang, Zhang, Peng & Chen, 1989, A. versicolor (Doleschall, 1859), A. cameloides and A. jinghongensis Yin, Peng & Wang, 1994

While examining the Argiope specimens from Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve, Xizang, southwest China, Argiope caesarea Thorell, 1897, and a new species, were identified. The goals of the present paper are to describe the new species, and the unknown male of A. caesarea, and to map those species.

Materials and methods

All the specimens were collected by beating shrubs or hand collecting and are preserved in 75% ethanol. All the specimens are deposited in the Museum of Tongren University, China (TRU). The specimens were examined with an Olympus SZX16 stereomicroscope. The epigynes were cleared in lactic acid for examination and imaging. The left male pedipalp was dissected in ethanol for examination, description, and imaging. Photographs of the habitus and copulatory organs were taken with a Kuy Nice digital camera mounted on an Olympus BX43 com pound microscope. Compound focus images were generated using Helicon Focus v. 6.7.1. All measurements are given in millimeters. Leg measurements are given as total length (femur, patella + tibia, metatarsus, tarsus). References to figures in the cited papers are listed in lowercase type (fig. or figs), and figures in this paper are noted with an initial capital (Fig. or Figs).

A partial fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of the two species was amplified and sequenced using the primers LCOI1490 and HCOI2198 (Folmer et al. 1994). The accession numbers are provided (Table 2). The pairwise genetic distances (Kimura two-parameter [K2P]) (Table 3) were calculated using MEGA 6.0 to assess the genetic differences.

Table 2.

Voucher specimen information.

Species

Voucher code

Sex

GenBank accession number

Argiope beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov.

TRU-Araneidae-315

PP810205
A. beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov.

TRU-Araneidae-316

PP899059

A. caesarea Thorell, 1897

TRU-Araneidae-317

PP808887
A. caesarea Thorell, 1897

TRU-Araneidae-318

PP808888
Table 3.

Intraspecific and interspecific nucleotide divergences for two Argiope species using Kimura two-parameter model.

Species

TRU-Araneidae-315 TRU-Araneidae-316 TRU-Araneidae-317 TRU-Araneidae-318

A. beibeng TRU-Araneidae-315

A. beibeng TRU-Araneidae-316

0.000

A. caesarea TRU-Araneidae-317

0.161 0.161

A. caesarea TRU-Araneidae-318

0.160 0.160 0.013

Abbreviations used in the text and figures are as follows: C conductor; CD copulatory duct; CO copulatory opening; Cr crest; E embolus; FD fertilization duct; MA median apophysis; Pc paracymbium; PP posterior plate; R rim; S septum; Sp spermatheca.

Taxon treatments

Argiope beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov.

Materials   Download as CSV 
Holotype:
  1. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Township, Jiangxin Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 700 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°13.70′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°8.04′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    hand collecting
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    17
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-315
    ; sex:
    male
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; associatedSequences:
    PP810205
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; occurrenceID:
    DC00441F-8EF7-5A10-AB5A-3171BB006A78
Paratype:
  1. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Township, Jiangxin Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 700 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°13.70′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°8.04′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    hand collecting
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    17
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-316
    ; individualCount:
    1
    ; sex:
    female
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; associatedSequences:
    PP899059
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; occurrenceID:
    7899DD6A-FBB9-5032-A69B-54FBB23F7FE7

Description

Male (TRU-Araneidae-315). Total length 2.35. Carapace 1.50 long, 1.35 wide; abdomen 1.60 long, 1.05 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.05, PME 0.10, PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.15. Legs: I 5.70 (1.60, 1.80, 1.55, 0.75), II 5.40 (1.55, 1.70, 1.45, 0.70), III 2.95 (0.95, 0.90, 0.65, 0.45), IV 4.40 (1.45, 1.30, 1.05, 0.60). Carapace (Fig. 1D, F) acutely narrowed in cephalic region and rounded in thorax region, pale with a longitudinal brown stripe medially and brown margins. Fovea depressed. Chelicerae (Fig. 1E, F) yellowish brown, with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites (Fig. 1E) dark brown at base and pale on the inner side. Labium (Fig. 1E) dark brown at base and pale at tip. Sternum (Fig. 1E) heart-shaped, pale medially and dark brown laterally. Legs (Fig. 1H–K) dark brown to greenish brown, with pale annuli, armed with macrosetae. Abdomen (Fig. 1D–G) oval, yellowish green with four pairs of brown patches. Venter abdomen dark brown, with a pair of white patches median-laterally. Spinnerets dark brown.

Figure 1.  

Argiope beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov. AC female paratype TRU-Araneidae-316, DK male holotype TRU-Araneidae-315. A, D habitus, dorsal view; B, E ibid., ventral view; C, F ibid., lateral view; G abdomen, posterior view H leg I, prolateral view; I leg II, prolateral view; J leg III, prolateral view; K leg IV, prolateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Pedipalp (Fig. 2A–D): patella with a long bristle; tibia swollen; paracymbium fingerlike; median apophysis boot shaped, with a fine dorsal spur near the distal end; conductor about equal length to median apophysis, broad and slightly curled; embolus tapered, curved to C-shaped in apical view.

Figure 2.  

Argiope beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov. male holotype TRU-Araneidae-315. A pedipalp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., ventral view D ibid., apical view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Female (TRU-Araneidae-316). Total length 5.80. Carapace 2.70 long, 2.20 wide; abdomen 3.40 long, 3.00 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.08, PME 0.13, PLE 0.10, AME–AME 0.13, AME–ALE 0.13, PME–PME 0.28, PME–PLE 0.30. Legs: I 10.55 (3.10, 3.45, 2.95, 1.05), II 9.80 (3.30, 3.15, 2.35, 1.00), III 6.15 (2.05, 1.85, 1.45, 0.80), IV 9.65 (3.25, 3.00, 2.50, 0.90). Carapace (Fig. 1A) pear-shaped, pale yellow with brown radial markings. Fovea depressed. Chelicerae (Fig. 1B, C) grayish yellow with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium (Fig. 1B) dark at base and pale apically. Sternum (Fig. 1B) heart-shaped, yellow with a wide longitudinal branched white band. Legs grayish brown with yellow annuli. Abdomen (Fig. 1A–C) pentagonal, with a pair of anterio-lateral low humps, dorsum grayish brown with silver to pink spots. Venter abdomen grayish brown, with two pairs of white patches laterally and three pairs of white spots medially. Spinnerets grayish yellow.

Epigyne (Fig. 3A–E) rimmed anteriorly and laterally; median septum narrowest at the middle part; posterior plate wide, about 2/3 the epigynal width; copulatory openings located on each side of the posterior plate in posterior view; copulatory ducts shorter than half the spermathecal length; spermathecae reniform, posterior end nearly touch, anterior end directed downward.

Figure 3.  

Argiope beibeng Mi & Wang, sp. nov. female paratype TRU-Araneidae-316. A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., lateral view C ibid., anterior view D ibid., posterior view E vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 4.  

Argiope caesarea Thorell, 1897 AC female TRU-Araneidae-318, DK male TRU-Araneidae-317. A, D habitus, dorsal view; B, E ibid., ventral view; C, F ibid., lateral view; G leg I, prolateral view; H leg II, prolateral view; I leg III, prolateral view; J leg IV, prolateral view. Scale bars: 5.0 mm (A–F); 1.0 mm (G–J).

Figure 5.  

Argiope caesarea Thorell, 1897 male TRU-Araneidae-317. A pedipalp, prolateral view B ibid., retrolateral view C ibid., ventral view D ibid., apical view E median apophysis. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 6.  

Argiope caesarea Thorell, 1897 female TRU-Araneidae-318. A epigyne, ventral view B ibid., posterior view C ibid., lateral view D vulva, dorsal view E ibid., lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Diagnosis

The male of this species resembles A. anasuja Thorell, 1887 in having similar embolus, but differs in: 1) distal end of the median apophysis about equal width to pedipalp tibia (Fig. 2A), versus about half the width of pedipalp tibia in A. anasuja (Levi 1983: fig. 172); and 2) distal end of the median apophysis partly covers the conductor in prolatertal view (Fig. 2A), versus far away from the conductor in A. anasuja (Levi 1983: fig. 172). The female of this species resembles A. hoiseni Tan, 2018 in appearance, but differs in: 1) posterior plate about 2/3 width of the epigynum (Fig. 3D), versus about 1/2 in A. hoiseni (Tan 2018: fig. 11); and 2) anterior end of spermathecae directed downward (Fig. 3B), versus directed upward in A. hoiseni (Tan 2018: fig. 10).

Etymology

The specific name is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Distribution

China (Xizang) (Fig. 7).

Figure 7.  

Distributional records of Argiope species.

Notes

Matching of male and female was justified by DNA barcoding.

Argiope caesarea Thorell, 1897

Materials   Download as CSV 
  1. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Township, De’ergong Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 1510 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°12.46′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°9.39′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    hand collceting
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    14
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-317–318
    ; sex:
    1 male, 1 female
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    6FA32B3E-0A35-54E0-A122-D608290F770C
  2. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Township, De’ergong Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 1700 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°10.81′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°8.51′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    beating shrubs
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    15
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-319
    ; individualCount:
    1
    ; sex:
    male
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    823D7CF3-3A37-5996-AA57-381E97CEC1B4
  3. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Townsip, Xigong resettlement areas
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 1130 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°14.57′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°14.82′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    hand collceting
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    15
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-320–321
    ; individualCount:
    2
    ; sex:
    females
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    D9B009DB-2D17-5DB0-9F72-8E3759781A13
  4. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Beibeng Townsip, Xigong resettlement areas
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 1560 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°12.36′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°19.07′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    beating shrubs
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    17
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-322
    ; individualCount:
    1
    ; sex:
    male
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    AD3090C1-C4B3-543D-95D6-18625B591C02
  5. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Dexing Township, Deguo Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 780 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°23.81′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°22.35′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    beating shrubs
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    20
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-323
    ; individualCount:
    1
    ; sex:
    male
    ; recordedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi et al.
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    00532F2D-CAB1-5E75-A237-6E165F0C6B6A
  6. country:
    China
    ; stateProvince:
    Xizang Autonomous Region
    ; county:
    Medog
    ; locality:
    Damu Township, along the G219 road from Kabu Village to Damu Village
    ; verbatimElevation:
    ca 1380 m
    ; verbatimLatitude:
    29°28.70′N
    ; verbatimLongitude:
    95°27.20′E
    ; samplingProtocol:
    beating shrubs
    ; year:
    2023
    ; month:
    8
    ; day:
    19
    ; individualID:
    TRU-Araneidae-324–325
    ; individualCount:
    2
    ; sex:
    males
    ; recordedBy:
    Cheng Wang, Hong Yao
    ; identifiedBy:
    Xiaoqi Mi
    ; identificationReferences:
    Levi 1983; Yin et al. 1997
    ; occurrenceID:
    2E2D8B75-306B-5E26-87EC-8DDA08CF2018

Description

Male (TRU-Araneidae-317). Total length 5.10. Carapace 2.80 long, 2.30 wide; abdomen 3.10 long, 2.10 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.10, PME 0.15, PLE 0.13, AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.25, PME–PLE 0.20. Legs: I 13.20 (3.80, 4.00, 3.90, 1.50), II 12.80 (3.80, 4.00, 3.70, 1.30), III 6.80 (2.20, 2.00, 1.70, 0.90), IV 10.60 (3.50, 3.10, 3.00, 1.00). Carapace (Fig. 4D) acutely narrowed in cephalic region and rounded in thorax region, yellowish brown with dark brown radial markings. Fovea depressed. Chelicerae (Fig. 4E, F) yellowish brown, with four promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium (Fig. 4E) dark brown at base, pale at tip. Sternum (Fig. 4E) heart-shaped, yellow with white patches medially. Legs (Fig. 4G–J) yellow to dark brown, spiny. Abdomen (Fig. 4D–F) oval, dorsum grayish brown with pale patches. Venter abdomen dark with a pair of white patches laterally. Spinnerets reddish brown.

Pedipalp (Fig. 5A–E) patella with a long bristle; tibia swollen; paracymbium fingerlike; median apophysis bifurcated, dorsal ramus filamentous distally; conductor flat, slightly curled; embolus extended at middle part, ventral surface with two crests, distal end coiled.

Female (TRU-Araneidae-318). Total length 30.10. Carapace 11.10 long, 9.00 wide; abdomen 20.20 long, 17.40 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.40, ALE 0.25, PME 0.35, PLE 0.35, AME–AME 0.40, AME–ALE 0.90, PME–PME 0.75, PME–PLE 1.50. Legs: I 51.60 (16.30, 15.80, 16.20, 3.30), II 50.70 (15.80, 15.90, 16.00, 3.00), III 31.20 (11.20, 9.40, 8.20, 2.40), IV 48.30 (17.20, 14.50, 14.10, 2.50). Carapace (Fig. 4A) narrowed in cephalic region and rounded in thorax region, dark brown, covered with pale hairs. Fovea depressed. Chelicerae (Fig. 4B, C) dark bown, with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Endites (Fig. 4B) dark at base, pale on the inner side. Labium (Fig. 4B) pale with dark brown lateral edges. Sternum (Fig. 4B) heart-shaped, dark brown laterally, with a longitudinal white constricted band. Legs dark brown without annuli. Abdomen (Fig. 4A–C) pentagonal, truncated broadly in front and slightly pointed posteriorly, dorsal yellowish brown with three whitish transverse bands. Venter abdomen grayish-brown with a pair of white longitudinal bands laterally and three pairs of white spots in the middle. Spinnerets reddish brown.

Epigyne (Fig. 6A–E) wider than long, rimmed anteriorly and laterally, with a wide septum; posterior plate with parallel edges, almost 1/3 the epigynal width; copulatory openings located on each side of the posterior plate in posterior view; copulatory ducts about equal length to the spermathecae; spermathecae reniform, separated, anterior end directed downward.

Diagnosis

The male of this species resembles A. pulchella Thorell, 1881 and A. versicolor (Doleschall, 1859) in general shape of the pedipalp, but differs in: 1) ventral surface of middle embolus with two crests (Fig. 5D) versus lacking in A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 248) and A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 259); 2) embolus lacking a pendant (Fig. 5A) versus with a pendant in A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 248) and A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 259); 3) tip of embolus coiled (Fig. 5A–D) versus curved in A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 249) and A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 260); and 4) median apophysis spur filamentous (Fig. 5A, B, E) versus thorn-shaped in A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 249) and A. pulchella (Levi 1983: fig. 260). The female of this species closely resembles A. amoena L. Koch, 1878 in appearance, but differs in: 1) median septum wider in anterior than posterior (Fig. 6B) versus about equal width in A. amoena (Yin et al. 1997: fig. 6c); 2) median septum not constricted (Fig. 6A, B) versus constricted in middle part in A. amoena (Yin et al. 1997: fig. 6c); and 3) dorsal abdomen lacking white spots (Fig. 4A) versus middle transverse band with five white spots presented in A. amoena (Yin et al. 1997: fig. 6a).

Distribution

China - Xizang, Yunnan (Fig. 7), India, Myanmar.

Notes

Female TRU-Araneidae-318 and male TRU-Araneidae-317 were collected in the same web, and matching of male and female was also justified by DNA barcoding.

Acknowledgements

We thank Nonghao Yao, Hong Yao and Shikai Li for collecting the specimens. This research was supported by the Scientific Monitoring Project of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve (Linzhi Forestry and Grassland Bureau), the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC-31660609, 32200369) and the Science and Technology Project Foundation ([2020]1Z014) and Key Laboratory Project ([2020]2003) of Guizhou Province.

References

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