Belisana zhouxi Wang, S. Li & Yao, 2024

Wang, Bing, Li, Jinglin, Li, Shuqiang & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2024, Nine new spider species of Belisana Thorell, 1898 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from karst caves, with a list of species of the genus from Guizhou, southwestern China, ZooKeys 1216, pp. 265-302 : 265-302

Belisana zhouxi Wang, S. Li & Yao sp. nov.

Figs 18 , 19 , 23 E, F , 25 G, H

Type material.

Holotype: China • ♂; Guizhou, Kaili, Zhouxi Town, Hebian Cave ; 26 ° 29.280 ' N, 107 ° 55.442 ' E; alt. 665 m; 25 May 2007; J. Liu & Y. Lin leg.; IZCAS - Ar 45226 . Paratypes: China • 2 ♀; same data as for holotype; IZCAS - Ar 45227 –28 .

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles B. majiang sp. nov. (Figs 6 , 7 , 22 E, F , 24 E, F ) by having similar male chelicerae (tips of distal apophyses pointing downwards; Fig. 19 D ), bulbal apophysis (hooked; Fig. 19 C ), and epigyne (epigynal pockets on antero-lateral part of epigynal plate, epigynal plate posteriorly curved; Figs 19 A , 25 G ), but can be distinguished by procursus without ventro-subdistal membranous process and dorso-distal spine (Figs 18 C , 23 E vs present) and by vulval pore plates elliptic (2 × longer than wide, pp in Figs 19 B , 25 H vs 3 ×).

Description.

Male (holotype): Total length 1.17 (1.27 with clypeus), prosoma 0.46 long, 0.50 wide, opisthosoma 0.71 long, 0.61 wide. Leg I: 6.72 (1.84, 0.21, 1.66, 2.13, 0.88), leg II: 4.56 (1.36, 0.19, 1.06, 1.36, 0.59), leg III: 3.29 (0.96, 0.19, 0.66, 1.01, 0.47), leg IV: 4.69 (1.44, 0.18, 1.16, 1.42, 0.49); tibia I L / d: 27. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.08, PME 0.06, PME – ALE 0.02. Sternum width / length: 0.41 / 0.33. Habitus as in Fig. 19 E, F . Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, without marks; clypeus and sternum yellowish. Legs whitish, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, without spots. Thoracic furrow absent. Clypeus unmodified. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses (pa in Fig. 19 D ) and pair of curved distal apophyses (distance between tips: 0.19; da in Fig. 19 D ). Palp as in Fig. 18 A, B ; trochanter with ventral apophysis (as long as wide, arrow 1 in Fig. 18 B ); femur with retrolatero-proximal protrusion (arrow 2 in Fig. 18 B ); procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with prolatero-distal membranous lamella (arrow 1 in Figs 18 C , 23 E ) bearing proximally slightly sclerotized part, dorso-subdistal membranous process (arrow 2 in Figs 18 C , 23 E ), and retrolateral membranous flap (f in Figs 18 D , 23 F ); bulb with hooked apophysis (ba in Fig. 19 C ) and simple embolus (e in Fig. 19 C ). Retrolateral trichobothria on tibia I at 7 % proximally; legs with short vertical setae on metatarsi; tarsus I with 14 distinct pseudosegments.

Female (paratype, IZCAS - Ar 45227 ): Similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 19 G, H . Total length 1.21 (1.31 with clypeus), prosoma 0.49 long, 0.57 wide, opisthosoma 0.72 long, 0.63 wide; tibia I: 1.22; tibia I L / d: 22. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.07, PME 0.06, PME – ALE 0.01. Sternum width / length: 0.43 / 0.32. Epigyne simple and flat, posteriorly curved, with pair of antero-lateral pockets 0.16 apart (ep in Figs 19 A , 25 G ). Vulva with ridge-shaped anterior arch (aa in Figs 19 B , 25 H ) and pair of elliptic pore plates (2 × longer than wide, pp in Figs 19 B , 25 H ).

Variation.

Unknown. Leg I missing in another female paratype ( IZCAS - Ar 45228 ).

Habitat.

The species was found in the dark zone inside the cave.

Distribution.

China (Guizhou, type locality; Fig. 1 ).

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution records of the Belisana species from Guizhou, China 1 Belisana bijie sp. nov. 2 B. daji Chen, Zhang & Zhu, 2009 3 B. douqing Chen, Zhang & Zhu, 2009 4 B. galeiformis Zhang & Peng, 2011 5 B. lii Chen, Yu & Guo, 2016 6 B. liupanshui sp. nov. 7 B. majiang sp. nov. 8 B. nayong sp. nov. 9 B. qixingguan sp. nov. 10 B. wangchengi Wang, Yao & Zhang, 2024 11 B. xishui Chen, Zhang & Zhu, 2009 12 B. xiuwen sp. nov. 13 B. yanhe Chen, Zhang & Zhu, 2009 14 B. yongcong sp. nov. 15 B. yuhaoi Yang & Yao, 2023 16 B. zhangi Tong & Li, 2007 17 B. zhouxi sp. nov. 18 B. zunyi sp. nov.

Figure 6. Belisana majiang sp. nov., holotype male A, B palp (A prolateral view B retrolateral view, arrow 1 points at ventral apophysis, arrow 2 points at retrolatero-proximal protrusion) C, D distal part of procursus (C prolateral view, arrow 1 points at ventro-subdistal membranous process, arrow 2 points at prolatero-distal membranous lamella, arrow 3 points at dorso-distal spine, arrow 4 points at dorso-subdistal membranous process D retrolateral view). Abbreviations: b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, e = embolus, f = flap, pr = procursus. Scale bars: 0.10 (A, B); 0.02 (C, D).

Figure 7. Belisana majiang sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A, B, G, H) A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view C bulb, prolateral view D chelicerae, frontal view E – H habitus (E, G dorsal view F lateral view H ventral view). Abbreviations: aa = anterior arch, b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, ep = epigynal pocket, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.05 (A – D); 0.30 (E – H).

Figure 18. Belisana zhouxi sp. nov., holotype male A, B palp (A prolateral view B retrolateral view, arrow 1 points at ventral apophysis, arrow 2 points at retrolatero-proximal protrusion) C, D distal part of procursus (C prolateral view, arrow 1 points at prolatero-distal membranous lamella, arrow 2 points at dorso-subdistal membranous process D retrolateral view). Abbreviations: b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, e = embolus, f = flap, pr = procursus. Scale bars: 0.05 (A, B); 0.02 (C, D).

Figure 19. Belisana zhouxi sp. nov., holotype male (C – F) and paratype female (A, B, G, H) A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view C bulb, prolateral view D chelicerae, frontal view E – H habitus (E, G dorsal view F lateral view H ventral view). Abbreviations: aa = anterior arch, b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, ep = epigynal pocket, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.05 (A – D); 0.20 (E – H).

Figure 22. Procursus in prolateral and retrolateral views (The arrows point at the same structures as those shown in the photos of each species) A, B Belisana bijie sp. nov. C, D B. liupanshui sp. nov. E, F B. majiang sp. nov. G, H B. nayong sp. nov. I, J B. qixingguan sp. nov. K, L B. xiuwen sp. nov. Abbreviation: f = flap. Scale bars: 0.10.

Figure 23. Procursus in prolateral and retrolateral views (The arrows point at the same structures as those shown in the photos of each species) A, B Belisana yongcong sp. nov. C, D B. zhangi Tong & Li, 2007 E, F B. zhouxi sp. nov. G, H B. zunyi sp. nov. Abbreviation: f = flap. Scale bars: 0.10.

Figure 24. Female genitalia in ventral and dorsal views A, B Belisana bijie sp. nov., arrow points at lateral sclerite C, D B. liupanshui sp. nov., arrow points at lateral sclerite E, F B. majiang sp. nov. G, H B. nayong sp. nov I, J B. qixingguan sp. nov., arrow points at sclerotized protrusion. Abbreviations: aa = anterior arch, ep = epigynal pocket, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.10.

Figure 25. Female genitalia in ventral and dorsal views A, B Belisana xiuwen sp. nov. C, D B. yongcong sp. nov. E, F B. zhangi Tong & Li, 2007 G, H B. zhouxi sp. nov. I, J B. zunyi sp. nov. Abbreviations: aa = anterior arch, ep = epigynal pocket, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.10.