Telema auricoma sp. nov.

Figs 1, 20

Type material: Holotype: female (IZCAS) from CHINA: Guizhou: Daxiao Cave (Alt.: 1186 m; T.: 15˚C; H.: 88%), Shiqiang Village, Xiaotun Town, Dafang County [27º05.549΄N, 105º33.306΄E], 4 May 2007, J. Liu and Y.C. Lin leg. Paratypes: 48 females (IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Other material examined. CHINA: Guizhou: 8 females (IZCAS), Longdong Cave (El.: 1323 m; T: 9˚C; H: 95%), Yangliu Village, Chengguan Town, Zhijin County [26º49.975΄N, 105º47.085΄E], 24 April 2007, J. Liu and Y.C. Lin leg.; Yunnan: 38 females (IZCAS), Dashi Cave (El.: 2120 m; T: 10˚C; H: 90%), Machong Village, Xiaohe Town, Kunming City [25º11.406΄N, 102º47.309΄E], 4 April 2007, J. Liu and Y.C. Lin leg.

Etymology. The specific name derives from Latin “ auricomus = with golden hairs”, in reference to the beautiful color of opisthosomal setae.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Telema oculata Tong & Li, 2008 and T. nipponica (Yaginuma, 1972), but can be distinguished by the distinctly smaller body size, the golden opisthosomal setae, the presence of a row of short setae between labium and sternum on triangular sternum, the non-swollen spermatheca distally (asymmetrically flexural tube in T. nipponica) and the colulus long subequal to width.

Description. Holotype female. Total length 1.06. Prosoma 0.54 long, 0.52 wide. Clypeus 0.12 high. Sternum 0.33 long, 0.30 wide. Opisthosoma 0.64 long, 0.66 wide. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow, pearshaped, with radial shadings, dim margins. Six eyes, with black ring, posterior eyes row slightly recurved, lateral eyes contiguous, ocular area dark. Chelicerae, endites and labium yellow. Endites subequal to chelicerae in length. Chelicerae slender, fang furrow with 11 plumose setae, 2 big teeth and 3 tiny granulous denticles on promargin, with 4 small triangular denticles retromargin. Sternum brown, triangular, flexural marginally, fused to labium, covered with sparse long setae, a row of orderly short setae between sternum and labium. Pedipalp simple, sturdy, pedipalpal femur equal tarsus, patella subequal tibia in length, a distal spine and a proximal trichobothrium at patella dorsally, tarsus bears regular bristles dorsally and sparse serrated setae ventrally. All legs with a dorsal spine and a retrolateral tuber at patella distally. Leg measurements: I 3.16 (0.96, 0.20, 0.87, 0.63, 0.50); II 2.80 (0.84, 0.18, 0.76, 0.56, 0.46); III 2.13 (0.68, 0.17, 0.52, 0.42, 0.34); IV 2.70 (0.88, 0.18, 0.66, 0.57, 0.41). Leg formula: I-II-IV-III. Opisthosoma globose, glaucous dorsally and purple-brown ventrally, covered with densely golden setae. Spinnerets area brown. Posterior spinnerets with 2, medians 3 spines. Colulus length subequal to width.

Genital area with a row of long setae on postomargin anteriorly, postomargin slender and straight, another row of short setae posterior to epigastric furrow. Spermatheca slender and translucent, tube-shaped, abruptly reflexed at one third position proximally, slightly curved distally.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 20).