Taxonomic notes on the genus Eupoa Żabka, 1985 (Arachnida, Araneae, Salticidae)

Abstract The south-east Asian genus Eupoa is redescribed and diagnosed. Seven new species are diagnosed, described and illustrated: E. daklak sp. n. (♀) from Viet-Nam; E. lehtineni sp. n. (♂♀) from India, Thailand and Viet-Nam; E. lobli sp. n. (♂) from Malaysia; E. pappi sp. n. (♂) from Thailand; E. pulchella sp. n.(♂) from Thailand; E. schwendingeri sp. n. (♂♀) from Thailand; and E. thailandica sp. n. (♂♀) from Thailand. Eupoa prima Żabka, 1985 and E. yunnanensis Peng & Kim, 1997 are redescribed and illustrated on the basis of type and/or newly collected materials. The female of E. yunnanensis Peng & Kim, 1997 is found and described for the first time.


Introduction
The genus Eupoa Żabka, 1985 was described to accommodate a single species E. prima Żabka, 1985 from northern Viet-Nam (Żabka 1985).For more than 10 years the genus had been considered monotypic until three more species were described by Peng and Kim (1997) from China (Hainan and Yunnan provinces): E. liaoi Peng & Li, 2006; E. maculata Peng &Kim, 1997 andE. yunnanensis Peng &Kim, 1997.Later, three more species were described from China: E. liaoi Peng & Li, 2006 from Hainan province (Peng and Li 2006) and E. jingwei Maddison &Zhang, 2007 andE. nezha Maddison &Zhang, 2007 from Guangxi (Maddison et al. 2007).Two of the Eupoa species described from Hainan (E.liaoi and E. maculata) have recently been transferred to other genera (Zhou and Li 2013a).Thus, to date a total of five valid species has been described in the genus Eupoa: one from northern Viet-Nam and four from southeastern regions of China (Yunnan, Guangxi and Hainan).
By their general appearance, members of the genus Eupoa are superficially similar to those of Neon Simon, 1876.Both groups are small to very small spiders, with males having the swollen and relatively large palps for the size of the spiders 86,90).Both Eupoa and Neon are typical dwellers of forest leaf litter.However, the conformation of male copulatory organs in Eupoa is much more complex leaving no doubts that both genera are not related.The phylogenetic relationships of Eupoa remain poorly resolved, although the genus is indeed a basal salticid; see below under 'Diagnosis and Affinities'.
The aim of the present paper is twofold: (1) to provide a comprehensive description of the genus Eupoa on the basis on newly collected materials; and (2) to describe seven new species from various regions of SE Asia.
Digital photographs were taken using an Olympus E-520 camera attached to an Olympus SZX16 stereomicroscope, and prepared using CombineZP image stacking software.Photographs were taken with the specimens secured in dishes with paraffin on bottom.SEM microphotographs were made by means of a JEOL JSM-5200 in the Zoological Museum, University of Turku.Epigynes were cleared in a 10% KOH solution.
Description.Small to very small spiders ranging from about 1.65 to 2.45 mm in length.Sexes similar in general body form; sexual dimorphism is poorly marked and can be seen in the following characters: dorsal scutum presents in males (absent in females), body coloration in males is slightly darker or more contrastingly coloured, anterior and posterior pairs of spinnerets are of contrasting colours in males (brown/ dark grey vs. yellow; e.g., E. prima, E. yunnanensis), and legs I and II in males are often with no spines or just with 2/3 pairs of ventral spines on metatarsi (always with spines on tibiae and metatarsi in females; e.g., E. schwendingeri sp.n., E. yunnanensis).Carapace: rather high, with abruptly declining, practically vertical thoracic part (Figs 6,59,90); sparsely covered with white elongated pinnate scales (Figs 1-3); fovea absent (Figs 73,75); lateral sides of carapace, near ALEs, with vertical rows of skin structures (50-60 in a group) looking like either as rounded or elongated smooth bare patches, slightly risen above the surrounding skin (Figs 20,22), or as flat elongated patches with what looks like several micro-pustules situated on them (Fig. 18); similar bare skin structures occur on leg patellae (see below; Figs 20-21).Eyes: in three rows, with large black areas around eyes (58)(59); anterior eye row wider in both sexes, so the quadrangle is as an inverted trapezium; second row midway between ALE and PLE; quadrangle length 52-66% of carapace length.Clypeus: narrow, about 17-47% of AME diameter (from frontal view; Figs 4-5), visibly backward sloping (Figs 6,59).Chelicerae: small and vertical (Figs 4-5, 7; promargin with two small teeth; retromargin with three small teeth (Fig. 8).Maxillae: slightly convergent; usual shape.Labium: transverse-ovoid.Sternum: as inverted cone with swollen lateral sides (Figs 30,72,76).Pedicel: short, in live specimens not visible in dorsal view.Abdomen: elongate, covered with elongated pinnate scales (Fig. 32); dorsal scutum present in males; colour markings on dorsum simple, either consisting of a median yellow stripe (Figs 41,43,45) or two rows of spots with a pair of largest sports at the rear of dorsum .Book-lung covers: usual shape, not sclerotized.Spinnerets: posterior pair almost two times longer than anterior pair .Legs: subequally developed (Fig. 9); legs I in males usually with dark brown longitudinal stripes; trichobothrial bases relatively flat and striated (Fig. 14  similar bare structures occur on the carapace, see above, Figs 20,22), these structures resemble the second kind of skin pores described in Neon (Logunov 1998: figs 7, 11).Leg formula: IV,I,III,II in both sexes, rare IV,I,II,III in females.Leg spination: in males legs I and II are often spineless (or with a few spines on Mt I: v 2-2-2ap); in females Tb I v 2-2-2ap, Tb II pr and rt 0-1-0, v 1-1/0 and Mt I and II v 2-2-2ap; in both sexes Tb III and IV usually pr and rt 0-1-0 (or 0-1).Female palp: general form; with an apical claw .Male palp: swollen and relatively large for the size of the spiders ; femur of usual shape, except for E. prima , shorter than cymbium; patella swollen, with one (Figs 61,70,84,etc.)or two (Fig. 80) apophyses that sometimes are as long as the femur (E.prima; Fig. 80) or poorly-developed and inconspicuous (E.lehtineni sp.n.; Fig. 50), or sometimes bifid (Figs 96,126); tibia shorter than patella, with one or two tibial apophyses (Figs 49,59,116,etc.)(Figs 52,61) or strong, with a longitudinal groove on its anterior edge (e.g., in E. pappi sp.n. or E. thailandica sp.n.; Figs 66-68, 109); embolus usually very long and coiled, making 1.5-2 revolutions, with its terminal end resting on top of the cymbium (Figs 36,51,62), or can be short (Fig. 94) and even fingerlike and apically bifurcated in some species (E.yunnanensis; Fig. 125).Female copulatory organs: simple, with a pair of copulatory openings that usually spaced up from each other and poorly visible on the epigynal plate; epigynal plate flat (Figs 29,48,100) or sometimes with a central shallow atrium (E.yunnanensis; Fig. 127), usually covered with long light hairs ; insemination ducts relatively short, directed to each other (Fig. 101; see also Żabka (1985: fig. 169) or being subparallel (Figs 53,118); receptacles rounded or bean-shaped, usually much stronger sclerotized than insemination ducts (Figs 53,118,128); in most species receptacles and fertilization ducts are situated at the posterior end of the vulva (near the epigastric furrow), but sometimes lie at its anterior end (E. lehtineni sp. n.;. Diagnosis and affinities.Of the described salticid genera, Eupoa is closest to Corusca Zhou & Li, 2013 (10 species) and Sinoinsula Zhou & Li, 2013 (12 species) known from Hainan Island of China (Zhou and Li 2013a, b).Eupoa can vaguely be distinguished from Corusca by the presence of patellar apophysis in the males (except for C. viriosa Zhou &Li, 2013 andC. wuzhishanensis Zhou &Li, 2013) and the paired copulatory openings in the females.This is why none of the new species described in this paper has been assigned to Corusca, even Eupoa lehtineni sp.n. and Eupoa lobli sp.n. of which the conformation of male copulatory organs is very similar to that of the Corusca species.Eupoa can be distinguished from Sinoinsula by the conformation of copulatory organs in the males: viz., the presence of median apophysis and, more importantly, by the apical/medio-lateral origin of the embolus (prolateral in Sinoinsula).Nevertheless, despite the aforementioned differences it is likely that the three genera are not only closely related but could even be treated as one, under the name of Eupoa.The original differential diagnoses of Corusca and Sinoinsula (see Zhou and Li 2013a) were purely based on a few characters of the copulatory organs, some of which vary (e.g., the presence/absence of the patellar, tegular or compound terminal apophyses), whereas somatic morphology was largely neglected.It seems that at least the limits of Corusca are unclear and can be reconsidered in the future.In the opinion of one of us (DL), the genera Corusca and Sinoinsula would be better considered the subgenera of Eupoa (s.lato), unless additional reliable diagnostic characters in somatic morphology were found.However, no synonymy is being made at this time.This problem is outside the scope of the present paper and will be considered in more detail in the future.
The phylogenetic relationships of Eupoa remain poorly resolved.On the basis of two morphological characters (presence of the median apophysis and a tarsal claw in the female palp; Figs 15-16) and molecular data, Maddison et al. (2007) argued that the genus Eupoa is a basal salticid of which phylogenetic placement lies outside the Salticoidea, and even outside the Spartaeinae (as it lacks a recognised tegular furrow; sensu Wijesinghe 1992).Obviously, further studies are required to resolve the correct phylogenetic placement of Eupoa.
Distribution.Eupoa seems to be restricted to the Oriental Region, for all the described species thereof as well as those of two closely related genera, Corusca and Sinoinsula, are restricted to SE Asia (Żabka 1985;Peng and Kim 1997;Maddison et al. 2007;Zhou and Li 2013a;present data).Etymology.The species epithet is a noun taken in apposition of the type locality: Daklak province of Viet-Nam.

Descriptions
Diagnosis.The central shallow depression of the epigyne of E. daklak sp.n. (Fig. 33) is unique among all the Eupoa species known to us.The male of E. daklak sp.n. remains unknown.
Comments.Although this species is described on the basis of a single female, it is highly unlikely that it could belong to one of the three other new species described below on the basis of males (E.lobli sp.n. from Malaysia; E. pappi sp.n. and E. pulchella sp.n. from Thailand).All Eupoa species, as well as those of two closely related genera (Corusca and Sinoinsula), are litter-dwellers, with most of them (except for E. lehtineni sp.n.) having small, local ranges.For instance, 22 distinct species of Corusca and Sinoinsula were recently described from Hainan Island of China alone (Zhou and Li 2013a, b).Therefore, it is safe to conclude that this and three other Eupoa species that are described herein on the basis of a single sex from very distant localities indeed belong to different species.Finally, there is no technical way to match this female with one of the males, unless they were collected together.and rt 0-1-0; Mt pr 1-0-2ap, rt 1-0-1ap, v 1-0.Coloration (Fig. 35).Carapace yellow-brown, with brownish radial veins on thorax and yellow eye field.Blackened around eyes.Clypeus naked, yellow, with a brown marginal line.Sternum, maxillae, labium and chelicerae yellow, tinged with brown.All abdomen brownish yellowish, without a colour pattern.Book-lung covers yellow, tinged with brown.Spinnerets: anterior pair brownish, posterior pair pale yellow.All legs yellow, with poorly marked brownish patches at segment joints.Palps: femora and patellae brownish, metatarsi and tarsi yellow.Epigyne and vulva as in Figs 33-34: epigynal plate as a rounded shallow depression; insemination ducts thin and transparent; pear-shaped receptacles are close to each other, meeting up along the median line.
Etymology.The species is named in honour of our colleague and friend, Dr Pekka Lehtinen (Turku, Finland), who collected the holotype.
Diagnosis.By the conformation of the large, round tegulum, the tibial apophysis and the thin compound terminal apophysis that is hidden in the apical cavity of tegulum (Figs 26,52), the male of E. lehtineni sp.n. is most similar to that of E. lobli sp.n. , but can easily be distinguished by the shape of tegular and median apophyses.The female of E. lehtineni sp.n. has the easily recognizable triangle epigynal plate (Figs 29,(39)(40) and the mutual arrangement and shape of receptacles .
Distribution.From eastern India, south-eastward to Thailand and southern Viet-Nam (present data).but femora, patellae and tibiae I pro-ventrally with dark brown stripe.Palps: femora and patellae light brown, metatarsi and tarsi yellow.Epigyne and vulva as in Figs 29,[39][40][47][48][53][54] epigynal plate triangular, with obtuse tip directed anteriorly, covered with long whitish hairs; insemination ducts relatively short, subparallel and directed anteriorly; receptacles relatively small and rounded; receptacles and fertilization ducts situated in the anterior part of vulva.Etymology.The species is named after the famous coleopterist, Dr. Ivan Löbl (Geneva, Switzerland), who collected the holotype.59).Carapace light brown, sparsely covered with white elongated scales; eye field with a median yellow stripe.Blackened around eyes.Clypeus naked, yellow.Sternum, maxillae and labium yellow brownish.Abdomen light brown, with no colour pattern; dorsum completely covered with scutum.Book-lung covers light brown.Spinnerets: anterior pair brownish, posterior pair pale yellow.All legs yellow, with brownish patches at segment joints, but tibiae I and II pro-ventrally with dark brown longitudinal stripe.Palps brownish yellow, their structure as in Figs 55-57, 60-65: patellar apophysis short and wide, as if cut on its tip; tibial apophysis claw like, blade-shaped and directed dorsad; tegulum welldeveloped, with prominent, wide tegular apophysis apically possessing three hookshaped, obtuse teeth; median apophysis massive, directed latero-ventrad; compound terminal apophysis relatively short and thin, hidden inside the cavity formed by cymbium and tegulum; embolus coiled, making two revolutions, with its tip resting on top of the cymbium.FEMALE unknown.Diagnosis.By having the massive compound terminal apophysis with a deep longitudinal groove on its apical edge (Fig. 67), the male of E. pappi sp.n. is most similar to that of E. thailandica sp.n. (Figs 109,115), from which it differs in having the larger open cavity of tegulum and the shape of tegular and compound terminal apophyses.The female of E. pappi sp.n. remains unknown.

Eupoa pappi
Distribution.Leg II and III: no spines.Leg IV: Tb pr and rt 0-1-0; Mt pr and rt 1-1ap.Coloration.Carapace light yellow, with brownish margins.Eye field brownish, blackened around eyes.Clypeus naked, yellowish brownish.Sternum, maxillae, labium and chelicerae light yellow.Abdomen: dorsum yellow, with dark grey longitudinal lateral bands and two round, large dark grey spots in its rear part; venter yellow.Book-lung covers yellow.Spinnerets: anterior pair yellow, posterior pair dark grey.
All legs yellow, but patellae IV with brownish sides.Palps: femora yellow, remaining segments brownish yellow.Palpal structure as in Figs 66-71: patellar apophysis long, reaching almost a half of the cymbial lenght; tibia with a median bunch of thick white hairs; tibial apophysis sharpened at its tip directed anteriorly and with a wide, rounded base; tegulum flat and developed on its pro-lateral side only; tegular apophysis situated on the apical end of tegulum and bent laterad; median apophysis poorly developed, seen as a short triangle process at the base of compound terminal apophysis (but separated from it by membrane); compound terminal apophysis massive, with a deep longitudinal groove on its apical edge; embolus whip-shaped, making one revolution.
FEMALE unknown.Diagnosis.Both sexes of E. prima are most similar to those of E. jingwei and E. nezha known from Guangxi province of China; threes species seem to form a natural species group.Males of all three species can easily be separated by the shape of tegular and patellar apophyses; cf.Figs 80-84 with figs 1-3, 8-10 in Maddison et al. (2007).Females of these three species cannot be readily distinguished now as they have the virtually identical conformation of their epigynes; cf.fig.167 in Żabka (1985) and Figs 7, 13 in Maddison et al. (2007), whereas the vulvas of E. jingwei and E. nezha has not been studied and illustrated yet.
Comments.Unfortunately, neither the ♀ allotype deposited at the ZMTU, nor the ♀ paratype deposited at the HNHM possesses its epigyne, although in both cases there are separate micro-vials that should have contained them.Thus, our notion about the epigynal and vulval structures of E. prima is based on the original illustrations by Żabka (1985: figs 167-169).

Description. MALE (the holotype
Leg III: Tb pr and rt 0-1.Leg IV: Tb pr 0-1; Mt pr and rt 1ap, v 0-1-0.Coloration (78)(79).Carapace yellow-brown, with a large yellow spot occupying almost the entire eye field; blackened around eyes.Clypeus naked, yellow, with a dark brown marginal line.Sternum, maxillae and labium yellow, tinged with brown.Chelicerae yellow, each with an anterior longitudinal brown stripe.Abdomen: dorsum brown, with shining scutum and a poorly marked yellow spot; sides brown; venter yellow.Book-lung covers yellow.Spinnerets: anterior pair brownish, posterior pair yellow.All legs yellow, but pro-and retrolateral sides of all segments (except for tarsi) brownish.Palps yellow-brown.Palpal structure as in Figs 74, 80-84: femur modified, with a wide proximal-ventral protuberance (as a short apophysis); patella with two apophyses, short basal apophysis and long median one, reaching almost a third of the cymbial lenght; tibial apophysis bi-ramous: its ventral branch wide, massive and visibly sclerotized and its dorsal branch short and cone-shaped; cymbium with triangular lobe in retrobasal part; tegulum well-developed; tegular apophysis situated on the median side of tegulum and directly anteriroly; median apophysis thin and hook-shaped, directed laterad; compound terminal apophysis low and wide, situated at the embolic base; embolus whip-shaped, making one revolution, its tip is resting on the dorsal side of tegular apophysis (its course is shown in Fig. 74).
FEMALE unknown.Etymology.The species is named in honour of our colleague, the well-known arachnologist, Dr Peter Schwendinger (Geneva, Switzerland), who collected the type series and who made the majority of the Eupoa specimens treated in the present work available to us.

Eupoa schwendingeri
Diagnosis.The male palp of E. schwendingeri sp.n. differs from those of all Eupoa species known to us in having the rather small and inconspicous median and compound terminal apophyses .The female of E. schwendingeri sp.n. has the unique epigyne shaped as a square plate, with parallel sides (Fig. 100) and the entrances of insemination ducts directed to each other (Fig. 101).Besides, both sexes of this species have a very characteristic body colour pattern consisting of two longitudinal subparallel grey stripes on dorsum (Figs 89,(104)(105).
Distribution.The only locality in Thailand: Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.
Comments.The ♂ paratype was lost after having been photographed, as the observation glass was incidentally dropped down to the floor.Thus, the ♂ paratype is represented by the male palp only (Figs 97-99) that is retained in the MHNG.
Description.MALE (the holotype  with light grey retro-lateral longitudinal stripe.Leg II yellow, but tibia ventrally with light grey longitudinal stripe.Legs III and IV yellow.Palps yellow, with brownish cymbia.Palpal structure as in Figs 97-99: patellar apophysis short, fingerlike; tibial apophysis thick and obtuse, directed ventrad with its tip bend dorsad; tegulum developed on its prolateral side only; tegular apophysis poorly developed, looking like an anterior ridge of tegulum; median apophysis spine-shaped, situated at the proximal end of tegulum; compound terminal apophysis poorly developed, looking like a hook-shaped process at the basal part of embolus; embolus coiled, making two revolutions.Leg II: Tb pr 0-1, v 1-1; Mt v 2-2-2ap.Leg III: Tb pr and rt 0-1-0; Mt pr and rt 1-0.Leg IV: Tb pr and rt 0-1-0; Mt pr and rt 1-1.Coloration as in the male (Fig. 105), but palps and both pairs of spinnerets entirely yellow.Epigyne and vulva as in Figs 100-102: epigyne as squareshaped plate, with parallel sides; insemination ducts at their entrances directed to each other and then run posteriorly; receptacles small and pear-shaped.
Etymology.The species epithet originates from the country of origin of the type series.
Diagnosis.By having the massive compound terminal apophysis with a deep longitudinal groove on its apical edge (Fig. 109, 115), the male of E. thailandica sp.n. is most similar to that of E. pappi sp.n. (Fig. 67-68), from which it differs in having the smaller and more closed apical cavity of tegulum and the shape of tegular and compound terminal apophyses.The hook-shaped embolic tip of E. thailandica sp.n. (Fig. 110) is unique among all the Eupoa species known to us.The female of E. thailandica sp.n. has a characteristic, mushroom-shaped central epigynal plate (Fig. 117) and the distinct spermathecae (Fig. 118).Besides, both sexes of E. thailandica sp.n. have a very characteristic colour pattern on the dorsum containing a large transverse brown spot at its rear end ; of the Eupoa species known to us, only the female of E. yunnanensis has got a similar colour pattern (Fig. 121).with its sharp tip bend upward and directed anteriorly; cymbium with a median, basal bunch of thick white hairs; tegulum well-developed; tegular apophysis not developed; median apophysis thin, directed ventrad and situated in the central part of tegulum; compound terminal apophysis massive, as a large, thick hook having a longitudinal groove on its dorsal edge; embolus coiled, making one and a half revolutions, its tip hook-shaped.Leg II: Tb pr 0-1, v 1-2; Mt pr 1-1, rt 0-1-0, v 2-0-2ap.Leg III: Tb pr and rt 0-1-0; Mt pr and rt 0-1-0.Leg IV: Tb pr 0-1-0; Mt pr and rt 1-0-1ap.Coloration as the male, but the dark brown spot on dorsum is larger (Fig. 85).Epigyne and vulva as in Figs 117-118: central epigynal plate mushroom-shaped, sclerotized and contrastingly darker than the rest of epigyne; wide transparent insemination ducts; round receptacles that are spaced up.Diagnosis.The male of E. yunnanensis has the unique, widest and strongest patellar apophysis (Figs 124,126) among all the Eupoa species known to us.The female has the unique conformation of its epigyne: viz., the singular atrium formed by the posterior chitinous margin and the anterior transverse pocket (Fig. 127) and the S-shaped spermathecae (Fig. 128).

Eupoa yunnanensis
Distribution.China (Yunnan) (Peng and Kim 1997) 122).Carapace brownish, with a wide longitudinal median yellow stripe, the area between PLEs also yellow; blackened around eyes.Clypeus naked, brownish yellow.Sternum, labium, maxillae and chelicerae yellow.Abdomen: dorsum and sides dark grey, with two longitudinal rows of yellow spots on dorsum; dorsum with shining scutum; venter yellow.Book-lung covers yellow.Spinnerets: anterior pair dark grey, posterior pair yellow.All legs yellow, but femora I and patellae I grey on their sides, tibiae I ventrally grey and patellae II-IV grey on their sides.Palps brownish.Palpal structure as in Figs 123-126: patellar apophysis thick, massive and split at its tip, reaching almost a half of the cymbial length; tibial apophysis short and wide, poorly-developed; tegulum well-developed; tegular apophysis wide and strong, looking like a median extension; median apophysis thick and visibly sclerotized, situated in the central part of tegulum; compound terminal apophysis short, situated at the basis of embolus; embolus fingerlike, with a short hook-shaped process on its tip.atrium present, it is formed by the posterior chitinous margin and the anterior transverse pocket; relatively short, transparent insemination ducts make a C-shaped loop; there are also visible large transparent sacs that seem to be disconnected from the insemination ducts (in the studied vulva only one sac is left); sclerotized receptacles bean-shaped.
); tarsal organ as a rounded or ovoid pit (Figs 12-13); tarsal claws narrow, with poorly developed teeth (Figs 10-11); skin structures of two kinds present anteriorly on the dorsal surface of leg patellae, situated in a longitudinal row of about 20-30 pores (arrowed in Figs 19, 21, 23-24): structures of the first kind represents flat elongated and smooth bare patches with what looks like several micro-pustules situated on them (Figs 17, 24); structures of the second kind look like a rounded or elongated or circular smooth bare patch, slightly risen above the surrounding skin (Figs 21;
The type locality only.