Guineta, Lin & Li, 2010

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2010, Leptonetid spiders from caves of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China (Araneae: Leptonetidae) 2587, Zootaxa 2587 (1), pp. 1-93 : 6

Guineta gen. nov.

Type species. Guineta gigachela sp. nov.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the syllable "Gui" referring to the Guizhou Province and " - neta " as part of the genus Leptoneta . Gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. Guineta gen. nov. may be recognized by the strong chelicerae ( Fig. 2D, E ), the long pedipalpus, the subequal tibia and tarsus in length ( Fig. 1A, B ), the presence of a ventral apophysis in the middle of the pedipalpal tarsus ( Fig. 1A, B ), the absence of median apophysis in the male ( Fig. 1C ), and the nearly circular genital atrium in the female ( Fig. 3B ).

Description. Prosoma yellow. Thoracic median groove present, needle-shaped, brown. Cervical grooves and radial furrows distinct, light brown. Six eyes, ALE and PLE adjacent, modified black ring at ocular base. PER strongly recurved. PME in contact, behind ALE and PLE ( Fig. 2A ). Male chelicerae extremely robust, promarginal and retromarginal teeth more than eight at fang furrow ( Fig. 2D, E ). Sternum peltate. Legs thin and long. Leg formula: I-IV-II-III. One finely serrated hairs-comb at ventral base of metatarsi II and III respectively. Male pedipalpal femur, tibia and tarsus with setae; tibia lacking apophysis or knurl and trichobothria; pedipalpal tarsus not constricted, with a ventrally mesial process; bulb simple; median apophysis absent ( Fig. 1A, B ). Female genitalia with paired spermathecae; atrium subround ( Fig. 3B ).

Composition. The genus Guineta gen. nov. is a monotypic genus. It shares many typical characteristics with the family Leptonitidae including a small body size (1.0–3.0 mm), three-clawed, six eyes arranged in a semicircle of four in front and two behind, a hairs-comb at metatarsi II and III, haplogyne and living dark caves. Apparently, it is the sister group of the other leptonetids genera. Guineta gen. nov. seems most similar to Calileptoneta Platnick, 1986 in having a very long male pedipalpi, large chelicerae in male and a pair of twisted spermathecae. However, it can be distinguished by its shorter patella (long in Calileptoneta ) and longer tarsus (short and not exceed the pedipalpal bulb in Calileptoneta ) on pedipalpi, the presence of long setae in pedipalpal tibia, a simple pedipalpal bulb (complicated in Calileptoneta ), and the closer spermathecae (distant in Calileptoneta ).

Distribution. Guizhou ( China).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Guineta gigachela sp. nov. A. Male left pedipalpus, prolateral view; B. Ditto, retrolateral view; C. Pedipalpal bulb, prolateral view. Scales: 0.20 mm.

FIGURE 2. Guineta gigachela sp. nov. A. Male ocular area, dorsal view; B. Male body, lateral view; C. Female left chelicera, posterior view; D. Male left chelicera, posterior view; E. Ditto, anterior view. Scales: 0.20 mm.

FIGURE 3. Guineta gigachela sp. nov. A. Female genital area, ventral view; B. Female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale: 0.20 mm.