Pholcus linzhou Zhang & Zhang, 2000

Zhang, Feng & Zhu, Ming-Sheng, 2009, A review of the genus Pholcus (Araneae: Pholcidae) from China, Zootaxa 2037 (1), pp. 1-114 : 50-52

Pholcus linzhou Zhang & Zhang, 2000

( Fig. 25)

Pholcus linzhou Zhang & Zhang 2000: 152 , f. 2A–I.

Diagnosis. This species, one of seven similar species (see remark P. henanensis ), is very similar to P. mianshanensis sp. nov. in the shape of the epigynum, both with long whip-shaped apophysis ( Figs. 25A and 16A). It differs from the latter by the shape of the tip of the procursus ( Figs. 25G–H), and by the mountain range-shaped uncus ( Fig. 25G).

Redescription. Male (holotype) total length 5.0: cephalothorax 1.5 long, 1.8 wide; abdomen 3.5 long, 1.5 wide. Leg I: 36.1 (9.1+0.8+8.7+15.1+2.4), tibia II: 6.0, tibia III: 4.2, tibia IV: 6.1; tibia I L/D: 62. Prosoma shape as in Fig. 25C. Carapace short, broad and almost circular, ochre, with pair of brown marks broadly connecting to ocular area. Cephalic region raised, with brown central stripe, ocular area dark yellow. Clypeus 0.50, slightly ochre, without marks. Distance AME–AME 0.04. Diameter AME 0.09, ALE 0.14, PME 0.14, PLE 0.16. Chelicerae as in Fig. 25E, with pair of black apophyses distally and pair of unsclerotized thumbshaped apophyses proximolaterally. Labium and endites yellow. Sternum slightly ochre, with four pairs of yellow marginal marks and a central mark on it as in Fig. 25F. Femora, patellae and tibiae ochre, with dark rings, metatarsi and tarsi brown. Abdomen cylindrical, pale ochre, dorsum with many of brown spots on it as in Fig. 25C. Venter pale brown, without marks. Palps as in Figs. 25G and 25H, bulb with a mountain rangeshaped uncus and short appendix.

Variation. Tibia I in 14 male paratypes (two males missing tibia I): 7.9–9.0 (mean 8.6). Body length in 16 males paratypes: 4.1–5.2.

Female: in general very similar to male. Total length of paratype bodies 4.6–5.5. A paratype measured, total length 5.3: cephalothorax 1.6 long, 1.5 wide; abdomen 3.7 long, 1.8 wide. Tibia I: 7.8. Clypeus 0.58 high. Epigynum roughly semicircular as in Fig. 25A, with a long whip-shaped apophysis on the top and a semicircular dark shadow centrally. Dorsal view as in Fig. 25B, with a mounded sclerotized arch anteriorly and a pair of oval pore plates.

Distribution. Henan, Hebei.

Material examined. CHINA: Henan, Linzhou City, Hongqi Canal , May 11, 1999, leg. F. Zhang, male holotype, 5♂, 3♀ paratypes ( MHBU) ; Shibanyan , July 24, 2006, leg. B. S. Zhang, 5♀ ( MHBU) ; Dengfeng County, Sanhuangzhai Scenic Spot , August 6, 2002, leg. J. Y. Yang, 3♂, 2♀ ( MHBU) . Hebei, Wu’an County, Liejiang Town , June 28, 1999, leg. F. Zhang, 11♂, 5♀ paratypes ( MHBU) .