Chthonopes Wunderlich, 2011

Yang, Weicheng, Yu, Hao & Lin, Yucheng, 2022, A review of the spider genus Chthonopes (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae), with descriptions of two new species from China, ZooKeys 1124, pp. 147-160 : 147

Genus Chthonopes Wunderlich, 2011

Type species.

Chthonopes jaegeri Wunderlich, 2011 from Bolikhansay, Laos, by original designation.

Diagnosis.

Chthonopes species can be recognised by the copulatory organs: In males, the cymbium apically-ventrally bearing several setae or hairs; median apophysis large and flat, located at the basal or subbasal portion of the tegulum, distally bearing a horn; bulb with an erect distal apophysis located on the apical part of the tegulum; embolus long, accompanied by a tubular conductor, embolic distal end forked. In females, the epigynal plate possesses a scape; vulval center with a V-shaped medial structure; copulatory ducts long, proximally thin but thick-walled, extending anteriorly along flanks of the V-shaped structure, the latter half wide and forming two egg-shaped bursae, surface membranous, wrinkled and ribbed, then connecting with main spermathecae at the central axis of the vulva; main spermathecae small, strongly sclerotized, globular or reniform, separated by about 0.1 - 1.2 × their width; hyaline accessory spermathecae located laterally or anterolaterally to main spermathecae, usually claviform or tubular.

Description.

See Wunderlich (2011).

Composition and distribution.

Chthonopes cavernicola Wunderlich, 2011 (♂), C. jaegeri Wunderlich, 2011 (♂♀) and C. thakekensis Lin, Li & Jäger, 2014 (♀) from Laos, C. bifidum sp. nov. (♂♀) and C. jimudeng sp. nov. (♀) endemic to China.