Aponetius n. gen.

[Japanese name: Tsuzura-kemurigumo-zoku]

Type species. Zelotes gladius Kamura 1999 .

Diagnosis. The new genus is distinguished from the known zelotine genera except Zelotes by having an intercalary sclerite in the male palp, and from Zelotes by the male palp with an embolar radix reduced, a long embolus arising ventrally and a curved ridge on the retrolateral side of the cymbium, and the female genitalia with internal ducts complexly winding.

Description. Anterior eye row weakly recurved and posterior eye row straight or slightly procurved as seen from dorsal side, PME separated from each other by less than the eye size, MOA slightly longer than wide, with anterior width slightly narrower than or almost as wide as the posterior. Chelicera with three or four relatively large teeth on promargin of fang furrow, with three or four relatively small teeth on retromargin (Fig. 3 A). Thoracic groove longitudinal, distinct. Trochanters of legs without ventral notch. Metatarsi III and IV with preening comb on ventrodistal end. Metatarsi and tarsi of legs without scopula. Leg formula 4-1-2-3. Male abdomen with dorsal scutum variable from two- to threefifths of abdomen in length. Spinnerets: female (Fig. 3 B): ALS with five or six piriform gland spigots and two major ampullate gland spigots; PMS swollen with four cylindrical gland spigots, one minor ampullate gland spigot and about ten aciniform gland spigots; PLS with two cylindrical gland spigots, one minor ampullate gland spigot and about ten aciniform gland spigots; male (Fig. 3 C): ALS with five or six piriform gland spigots and one or two major ampullate gland spigots; PMS and PLS each with one minor ampullate gland spigot and about ten aciniform gland spigots. Male palp (Fig. 1 E–H): intercalary sclerite, terminal apophysis and median apophysis present; embolus long, arising ventrally, surrounding bulb dorsally and reappearing retrolaterally; embolar radix reduced, situated in central part of bulb; conductor reduced, situated from dorsally to prolaterally to embolar base; proximal part of embolus pushing aside intercalary sclerite, and often intercalary sclerite and tegulum extremely pressed retrolaterally; cymbium with distinct curved ridge on retrolateral side; retrolateral tibial apophysis present. Female internal genitalia with copulatory ducts complexly winding (Fig. 1 I).

Etymology. Generic name is an arbitrary combination of letters and is masculine in gender.

Species included. Three species previously assigned to Zelotes: Aponetius gladius (Kamura 1999) n. comb., A. ryukyuensis (Kamura 1999) n. comb. and A. flexuosus (Kamura 1999) n. comb.; two new species described below.