Belisana xishui, Chen, Hui-Ming & Zhu, Ming-Sheng, 2009

Chen, Hui-Ming & Zhu, Ming-Sheng, 2009, Four new troglophilous species of the genus Belisana Thorell, 1898 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Guizhou Province, China, Zootaxa 2092, pp. 58-68 : 65

Belisana xishui sp. nov.

Figs. 22–30

Holotype. Male from Gao Cave (28° 24΄N, 106° 15΄E, alt. 1125 m), Donghuang town, Xishui County, Guizhou Province, 26 July 2004, collected by H.M. Chen (HBU).

Paratype. One female, data are same as holotype (HBU).

Diagnosis. Relatively large, long-legged species with globular opisthosoma; distinguished from relatives by the shapes of procursus ( Figs. 25–27 ), bulbal projections ( Fig. 26 ) on the male, and the female genitalia (external aspect and internal structures, Figs. 29, 30 ). The new species is similar to B. daji sp. nov., but distinguished by the procursus with spine longer than procursus tip ( Figs. 25–27 ) and male chelicerae with widely separated apophyses ( Fig. 24 , cf. B. daji , Fig. 15 ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.8 (1.9 with clypeus), carapace width 0.80. Leg I: 15.50 (3.98 + 0.36 + 3.97 + 5.92 + 1.28), tibiae II and tibia III lost, tibia IV: 2.35; tibia I L/d: 44. Habitus as in Figs. 22 and 23 . Carapace pale yellowish, with ochre-yellow margins and large slightly dark on middle part ( Fig. 22 ), thoracic furrow absent, only a darker median line ( Fig. 22 ), sternum yellowish, legs ochre-yellow, without darker rings, opisthosoma yellowish, with darker spots ( Figs. 22, 23 ), with sparse hairs. Ocular area elevated, six eyes in two triads, distance PME-PME 0.116; diameter PME 0.052; distance PME-ALE 0.025. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum 0.55 long, 0.59 wide. Chelicerae as in Fig. 24 , with pair of curved apophyses, tips unmodified, 0.41 apart. Palps as in Figs. 25, 26 and 27 ; trochanter with retrolateral apophysis, femur with proximo-dorsal apophysis, procursus with long and curved, thick and long spine ( Figs. 25–27 ) and with ventral membranous flap (small), bulb with hooked apophysis ( Fig. 26 ). Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 5.2%; legs without spines and curved hairs; tarsus I with ~17 pseudosegments.

Female (Paratype): In general similar to male. Epigynum simple externally ( Fig. 29 ), pockets 0.41 apart. Dorsal view as in Fig. 30 .

Distribution: The species is known only from the type locality in Guizhou Province, China ( Fig. 12).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality. Gender feminine.

Natural history. Troglophilous, collected from entirely dark parts of moist cave. Cave is larger. Spiders were found on the cave walls.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 30. B. xishui sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype: 22, male habitus, dorsal view; 23, male habitus, lateral view; 24, male prosoma frontal view; 25, male left palp, prolateral view; 26, male left palp, dorsal view; 27, male left palp, retrolateral view; 28, male left palp trochanter and apophysis, retrolateral view; 29, female genitalia, ventral view; 30, female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bar: 22 – 28, 0.2 mm; 29 – 30, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 21. B. daji sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype: 13, male habitus, dorsal view; 14, male habitus, lateral view; 15, male prosoma frontal view; 16, male left palp, prolateral view; 17, male left palp, dorsal view; 18, male left palp, retrolateral view; 19, male left palp trochanter and apophysis, retrolateral view; 20, female genitalia, ventral view; 21, female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bar: 13 – 14, 0.4 mm; 15, 0.2 mm; 16 – 21, 0.1 mm.