Beatitas, Mu, Yannan & Zhang, Feng, 2023

Mu, Yannan & Zhang, Feng, 2023, Further additions to the guardstone spider fauna from China (Araneae: Phrurolithidae), Zootaxa 5338 (1), pp. 1-104 : 15

Beatitas gen. nov. (ffiffƌ)

Etymology. The generic name “ Beatitas ” is a Latin word meaning happiness, referring to the beautiful appearance of spiders of this genus, which elicits positive feelings. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis. This new genus can be distinguished from all other Phrurolithidae genera by: 1) the round fovea, 2) the male with one long spine on the anterior surface of the chelicerae ( Fig. 11E, F ), but the female with two pairs (one long and one short) ( Fig. 12C ), 3) all femora with one dorsal spine near base, and anterior femora without prolateral spines, 4) legs yellow except black femora, and patellae, tibiae and metatarsi with black annuli, 5) embolus thick, strong, directed anteriorly, and 6) atrium diamond-shaped and bursa placed anteriorly, with connecting tubes nearly surrounding spermathecae.

Description. Small spiders, total length 2.27–2.86 mm. Carapace oval, granular, black, widest at coxae II, highest near fovea. Cervical groove inconspicuous. Fovea round. PER slightly wider than AER. Chelicerae brown, with one long spine anteriorly in the male, two spines in female. Sternum yellow, granular, without pattern. Legs yellow to black; all femora black, with one dorsal spine near base; tibiae I–II usually with five or six pairs of strong spines; metatarsi I–II usually with four proventral spines and three retroventral spines; posterior tibia and metatarsi lack spines. Abdomen oval, dorsum black, with scutum in males.

Male palp: femur with slight swelling near tip; tibia about 1/2 length of femur, tibia with one large retroventral apophysis and one long dorsal apophysis; tegulum oval, tegular apophysis small; conductor membranous; embolus strong, extending upwards. Female epigyne: epigynal plate weakly sclerotized, with septum; copulatory openings located at sides of diamond-shaped atrium; spermathecae globular, located posteriorly, nearly surrounded by connecting tubes; glandular appendages absent; pair of oval bursa located anteriorly.

Type species. Beatitas octomaculatus sp. nov. (ĀỄẸĦ).

Composition. Beatitas octomaculatus sp. nov..

Figures

FIGURE 11. Beatitas octomaculatus sp. nov.: A. Male left palp, prolateral view; B. Same, retrolateral view; C. Same, ventral view; D. Same, dorsal view; E. Ocular area, dorsal view; F. Cephalothorax, frontal view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; C— conductor; DTA—dorsal tibial apophysis; FA—femoral apophysis; RvTA—retroventral tibial apophysis; SD—sperm duct; TA—tegular apophysis.

FIGURE 12. Beatitas octomaculatus sp. nov.: A. Epigyne, ventral view; B. Same, dorsal view; C. Ocular area, dorsal view; D. Male spinnerets; E. Female spinnerets. Abbreviations: B—bursa; CO—copulatory opening; CD—copulatory duct; CT— connecting tube; FD—fertilization duct; S—spermathecae.