Gongylidioides acuminatus Irfan, Zhang & Peng, sp. n.

(尖ä圆be)

Figures 84–87, 307

Types. Holotype ♂ (HNU–CQ– IV–1721), CHINA, Chongqing: Pengshui Co., Mowei MSS, 29.18643°N, 108.041981°E, 1568 m, 25.VII.2017, M. Irfan & G.C. Zhou leg. Paratypes: 7♂ 28♀, with same data as for holotype (HNU–CQ– IV–1721).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin adjective “acuminatus ” meaning “sharp” and referring to the sharp and pointed embolus in male palp.

Diagnosis. Gongylidioides acuminatus sp. n. resembles G.ussuricus in having the similar paracymbium, the embolic division and the epigyne with dorsal plate protruding above the epigastric furrow (Figs 84A–D, 85A–C, 86A–D; Fei & Zhu 1992, figs E, G), but can be distinguished by the cephalothorax mid dorsally without cephalic lobe in male in G. acuminatus sp. n. (Figs 84A, B; vs. with conspicuous cephalic lobe); tibia with two tibial apophyses in G. acuminatus sp. n. (Fig. 84B; vs. with three tibial apophyses); retrolateral tibial apophysis with blunt end in G. acuminatus sp. n. (Fig. 84B; vs. tip bifurcated); lamella semicircular in G. acuminatus sp. n. (Figs 84B, 85A–C; vs. longer than wide, without round margin). The female can be distinguished by the copulatory ducts six times longer than spermathecae diameter in G. acuminatus sp. n. (Figs 86A–D; vs. three times longer).

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 87A–C): Total length: 1.97. Carapace 0.94 long, 0.75 wide, yellowish brown, cephalic region elevated, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.22 high. Chelicerae with four promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Sternum longer than wide, greyish brown with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER straight, slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.03, AME–ALE, 0.02, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.27, PLE–PLE 0.31, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 3.29 (0.91, 1.07, 0.80, 0.51), II 3.05 (0.86, 0.96, 0.73, 0.50), III 2.30 (0.64, 0.76, 0.54, 0.36), IV 3.30 (0.98, 0.99, 0.87, 0.46). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. TmI 0.37 and TmIV 0.28. Opisthosoma 1.03 long, 0.66 wide, oval, dusky grey, dorsally with dark grey band, lateral side with longitudinal grey band, ventral side dusky grey with grey band.

Palp (Figs 84A–D, 85A–C): Femur unmodified, almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella as long as tibia, slightly curved mesally. tibia with one reterolateral and one dorsal trichobothria; reterolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) long, somewhat triangular; dorsal tibial apophysis (DTA) small with pointed end; cymbium unmodified, hoof-shaped; paracymbium (PC) sclerotized, U-shaped, apical tip with hook-shaped; tegulum (T) with a transparent protegulum (PT), tip bifurcated, extending almost equal to the apex of cymbium; distal suprategular apophysis (DSA) sclerotized, distal end semicircular, gradually narrow towards tip. Radix sclerotized, with broad tailpiece (TP) with blunt tip pointing towards the ventral margin of tibia; lamella (L) sclerotized, with round margin, extending forward; embolus (E) sclerotized, knife-shaped with sharp pointed end, extending above the apex of cymbium.

Female (one of paratype, Figs 87D–F): Total length: 2.25. Carapace 0.97 long, 0.71 wide, cephalic region elevated, brown, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.19 high. Chelicerae with 5 promarginal and 6 retromarginal teeth. Sternum longer than wide, greyish brown with microsetae. Eyes:AER recurved, PER straight, slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.25, PLE–PLE 0.30, ALE– PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 2.68 (0.76, 0.86, 0.68, 0.48), II 2.50 (0.69, 0.75, 0.61, 0.45), III 2.13 (0.61, 0.69, 0.54, 0.39), IV 2.79 (0.86, 0.76, 0.74, 0.42). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. TmI 0.34 and TmIV 0.26. Opisthosoma 1.28 long, 0.78 wide, oval, dusky grey, dorsally with black band, lateral side with longitudinal black band, ventral side dusky grey with grey band.

Epigyne (Figs 86A–D): Ventral plate (VP) wider than long, narrow posteriorly; copulatory opening (CO) present inside the atrium ventro-mesally at the junction of dorsal and ventral plate. Dorsal plate (DP) extending above the epigastric furrow; copulatory ducts (CD) long, sinuosus, forming broad loop mid ventrally before entering spermathecae; spermathecae (S) globular, present dorso-laterally, pointing towards the lateral margin of ventral plate, spaced by four diameters; fertilization ducts (FD) short, extending mesally.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Chongqing, Fig. 307).

Remarks. Gongylidioides acuminatus sp. n. is provisionally placed in the genus Gongylidioides . In the future, if a more closely related new species is collected, it could provide further data to justify erecting a new genus. For now, we ensure that the provisional placement is well-documented in our study, so it can be revisited and revised as necessary.