Spiricoelotes zhengi sp. nov.

Figs 3 A – C, 4 C, D, 5, 7 C, D, 8

Type materials.

Holotype • ♂ (CBEE, LJ 202385), China: Hubei Province: Xianning City, Chongyang County, entrance of Daquan Cave, 29.5534°N, 114.2662°E, elevation: 124 m, 31.X.2023, Jian Chang, Mian Wei, Guoyuan Zhang and Haosiyi Zhu leg. Paratypes: • 2 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ (CBEE, LJ 202386 – LJ 202391), same data as holotype; • 1 ♀ (CBEE, LJ 202392), China: Hubei Province: Huangshi City, Daye County, entrance of East Cave, 30.1800°N, 115.1043°E, elevation: 174 m, 26.XI.2023, Jian Chang, Hailun Chen, Jie Liu, Zhuoning Liu and Mian Wei leg.; • 1 ♀ (CBEE, LJ 202393), China: Hubei Province: Huangshi City, Daye County, West Cave, 30.1789°N, 115.1027°E, elevation: 165 m, 26.XI.2023, Jian Chang, Hailun Chen, Jie Liu, Zhuoning Liu and Mian Wei leg.; • 3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ (CBEE, LJ 202394 – LJ 202399), China: Hubei Province: Xianning City, Xianan District, entrance of a nameless cave, 29.7715°N, 114.3122°E, elevation: 89 m, 10.XII.2023, Jian Chang, Guolong Huang and Mian Wei leg.

Etymology.

The specific name is dedicated to Yuandong Zheng, in appreciation of his specimen donations to our research group; this name is treated as a noun (name) in the genitive case.

Diagnosis.

Spiricoelotes zhengi sp. nov. resembles S. zonatus and S. urumensis. The males resemble those of the latter in 1) having a spiculate and spiral distal part of the dorsal margin of the conductor (Figs 3 B, E, 4 D, F; figs 25, 26 in Shimojana 1989); 2) the cymbial furrow being deep and relatively long, measuring no less than 1 / 3 or subequal to 1 / 2 the length of the cymbium (Fig. 3 C, F; fig. 26 in Shimojana 1989). In other congeners, the conductor is thick and short (fig. 7 in Chen et al. 2016), or long and sometimes coiled but not spiral (figs 1 B, 3 B, 5 B, 9 B in Chen et al. 2016); the cymbial furrow is less than 1 / 3 the length of the cymbium (figs 1 C, 3 C, 5 C, 7 C, 9 C in Chen et al. 2016), or extremely long, subequal to 4 / 5 the length of the cymbium (Fig. 1 C). However, S. zhengi sp. nov. can be distinguished from the latter by 1) having a relatively short cymbial furrow, less than 1 / 2 the length of the cymbium (Fig. 3 C), versus being subequal to 1 / 2 the length of the cymbium in S. zonatus (Fig. 3 F); 2) the patellar apophysis is shorter than the patella (Fig. 3 C), versus being subequal to the length of the patella in S. zonatus (Fig. 3 F), or obviously longer than the patella in S. urumensis (fig. 26 in Shimojana 1989); 3) the dorsal margin of the conductor is broad, with the spiral part of the dorsal margin of the conductor relatively short (Fig. 3 A – C), versus being relatively thin in S. zonatus (Fig. 3 D – F), or having an extremely long spiral part in S. urumensis (figs 25, 26 in Shimojana 1989); 4) the embolus is relatively short (Figs 3 A, B, 4 C, D), versus being long in S. zonatus (Figs 3 D, E, 4 E, F). The females of the new species resemble those of S. zonatus in 1) lacking an atrium and having large, round copulatory openings (Figs 5 A, 6 A); 2) spermathecal stalk being long and coiled (Figs 5 B, 6 B). In other congeners, the atria are weak and separated, and the copulatory openings are small or large, but irregularly shaped (fig. 2 A; fig. 28 in Shimojana 1989; figs 2 A, B, 4 A, B, 6 A, B, 8 A, B, 10 A, B, 11 A, B in Chen et al. 2016); the spermathecal stalks are short and not coiled (fig. 29 in Shimojana 1989; figs 2 B, 4 B, 6 B, 8 B, 10 B, 11 B in Chen et al. 2016). However, S. zhengi sp. nov. can be distinguished from S. zonatus in having 1) relatively short copulatory ducts, which are almost covered by the coiled spermathecal stalk (Fig. 5 B), versus are relatively long in S. zonatus (Fig. 6 B); 2) thick spermathecal stalks and the posterior part of the spermathecal stalk with a right-angled turn (Fig. 5 B), versus spermathecal stalks relatively thin and the posterior part of the spermathecal stalk has a U-shaped turn in S. zonatus (Fig. 6 B); 3) the spermathecal bases are nearly capsule-shaped (Fig. 5 B), versus are mildly curved and kidney-shaped in S. zonatus (Fig. 6 B).

Description.

Male holotype (Fig. 7 C). Carapace yellowish, cervical and radial grooves indistinct, with weak patterns. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth and 5 retromarginal teeth, condyle weak. Sternum longer than wide. Abdomen dark, with 6 yellowish chevron-shaped patterns, covered by blueish gray hairs. Legs yellowish. Total length 6.82. Carapace 3.43 long, 2.50 wide. Abdomen 3.20 long, 2.16 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.16, PME 0.16, PLE 0.16; AME – AME 0.08, AME – ALE 0.03, PME – PME 0.10, PME – PLE 0.09. Measurements of legs: I 13. 72 (3.83, 1.07, 3.66, 3.35, 1.81), II 13. 31 (3.74, 0.93, 3.70, 2.80, 2.14), III 12. 30 (3.27, 0.58, 2.69, 3.37, 1.64), IV 15. 25 (3.79, 0.92, 3.65, 4.67, 2.22). Chelicera with 3 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth.

Palp (Fig. 3 A – C). Patellar apophysis approximately 2 / 3 length of patella, hook-shaped, and with distal tip strongly curved backward. Retrolateral tibia apophysis with semicircular tip. Lateral tibial apophysis short, approximately 1 / 3 length of retrolateral tibia apophysis. Cymbial furrow long, approximately 2 / 5 the length of cymbium. Conductor pointed upward, ventral margin short and sclerotized; dorsal margin consisted with a smooth basal part and a spiral distal part, and with a membranous ridge; apophysis of dorsal margin of conductor ridge-shaped. Tegulum with a large slice-shaped ridge situated retrolaterally, matched with the ridge-shaped dorsal apophysis of conductor. Embolus arising in a 5: 00–5: 30 o’clock-position. Median apohysis absent.

Female paratype (Fig. 7 D). Same in abdominal patterns and chelicera teeth as male but in darker colour. Total length 7.48. Carapace 3.62 long, 2.68 wide. Abdomen 3.78 long, 2.30 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.13, PME 0.17, PLE 0.15; AME – AME 0.07, AME – ALE 0.12, PME – PME 0.10, PME – PLE 0.10. Measurements of legs: I 13. 59 (3.17, 0.98, 3.83, 3.41, 2.20), II 12. 79 (3.45, 1.31, 2.89, 3.16, 1.89), III 11. 37 (3.16, 0.83, 3.34, 2.36, 1.68), IV 15. 04 (4.03, 1.10, 3.08, 4.70, 2.13).

Epigyne (Fig. 5). Epigynal plate wider than long. Atrium absent. Copulatory openings large and distinct, located antero-medially. Hoods distinct, located laterally, above copulatory openings. Copulatory ducts short and membranous, nearly hidden by spermathecal stalks. Spermathecal heads small, situated near the beginning of spermathecal stalks; spermathecal stalks long and coiled twice, posterior part with a U-shaped turn; spermathecal bases capsule-shaped. Fertilization ducts short, posteriorly situated.

Variation.

The median apophysis present in some individuals as a small, sclerotized patch.

Distribution.

Only known from the type localities (Fig. 8).