''Pasilobus hupingensis'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found in China and Japan. Females of the genus ''Pasilobus'' construct " spanning-thread webs" with only two sectors, making them appear triangular. Widely spaced threads with sticky drops span the three radii of these webs. One end is attached in such a way that it readily breaks free. When a prey item is caught on one of these threads, the line parts at this end and the prey hangs from the web until it is hauled up by the spider.

Description

Adult females have a total body length of about 8–9 mm. Overall, the body is dark reddish brown, with the

carapace A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...

and sternum being darker than the abdomen. The carapace is about 3.2–3.4 mm wide and about the same length. The legs are brownish with yellowish brown markings or vice versa. The first leg is longest at about 7.5–8.7 mm in total. The abdomen is about 6.3–6.7 mm long and 13.0–14.4 mm wide with complex markings. It has many protuberances and sigillae. The

epigyne The epigyne or epigynum is the external genital structure of female spiders. As the epigyne varies greatly in form in different species, even in closely related ones, it often provides the most distinctive characteristic for recognizing species. ...

is more or less rectangular with a hardened rim to the rear. There is no obvious scape. Adult males are darker and smaller, with a total body length of about 2.3–2.8 mm. The

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

of the palpal bulb wraps around the apex of the embolus and the median apophysis is hook-shaped.

Taxonomy

''Pasilobus hupingensis'' was first described in 2001. The species was discovered in a study of the spiders of Hunan, China. The specific name ''hupingensis'' is based on the type locality, Mount Huping in

Shimen County Shimen County () is a northernmost county of Hunan Province, China, it is under administration of the prefecture-level city of Changde. Located on the northern margin of Hunan and the west of Changde, Shimen County is bordered to the south and so ...

. The similarity of the species to ''

Pasilobus bufoninus ''Pasilobus bufoninus'' is a species of spider in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found in Taiwan and Indonesia ( Java and the Moluccas). Taxonomy ''Pasilobus bufoninus'' was first described by Eugène Simon in 1867, as ''Micrathena ...

'' was noted. Only the female was known in 2001. In 2006, spiders from Japan initially identified as ''

'' were shown to be ''P. hupingensis'', extending the distribution of the species from China to Japan. Adult males were identified as the same species by their DNA.

Distribution

, the species had been found in China and Japan. It is rare in Japan, and was only discovered in China in 2001.

References

{{taxonbar, from1=Q1957635 Araneidae Spiders of Asia Spiders described in 2001