Papiliocoelotes, Zhao, Zhe & Li, Shuqiang, 2016

Zhao, Zhe & Li, Shuqiang, 2016, Papiliocoelotes gen. n., a new genus of Coelotinae (Araneae, Agelenidae) spiders from the Wuling Mountains, China, ZooKeys 585, pp. 33-50 : 35-36

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Agelenidae

Genus Papiliocoelotes gen. n.

Type species.

Papiliocoelotes yezhouensis sp. n.

Etymology.

The generic name is derived from the Latin word “Papilio”, meaning "butterfly, moth", referring to the shape of the endogyne, and “Coelotes” referring to the similarity with the nominal genus of the subfamily. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis.

Males can be easily distinguished from other coelotines, except Platocoelotes Wang, 2002, by the absence of a median apophysis and the presence of an elongated tegular apophysis. They can be distinguished from Platocoelotes by the broad conductor without the embolus inside and the relatively short embolus that terminates at the base of conductor (Fig. 1 A–C; Wang 2002: figs 338, 339; Xu and Li 2008: figs 11-16; Chen et al. 2015a: fig. 1 A–C). Females can be easily distinguished from other coelotines, except Platocoelotes and Spiricoelotes Wang, 2002, by having no epigynal teeth and the presence of epigynal hoods. They can be distinguished from Platocoelotes by the shape of the copulatory ducts, which are weakly sclerotized and spiraled, whereas the copulatory ducts are usually broad in Platocoelotes (Fig. 2 A–B; Chen et al. 2015a). They can distinguished from Spiricoelotes by the positions of the epigynal hoods that are located mediolaterally or posterolaterally on the epigynal plate, whereas the epigynal hoods are usually located anterolaterally in Spiricoelotes , and by the sclerotized and spiral copulatory ducts (Fig. 2 A–B; Wang 2002: figs 360, 361; Chen et al. 2016: fig. 2 A–B).

Description.

Small to medium-sized, with a total length of 4-7 mm; body color is shallow, with black stripes; carapace nearly pear-shaped, with radial pattern; sternum yellowish; abdomen nearly oval-shaped, with herringbone pattern in dorsal view; chelicerae usually with 1 to 3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth in both sexes; leg formula (4> 1> 2 ≥ 3). Male palp with 1 patellar apophysis and 1 patellar condyle; retroventral tibial apophysis extending beyond the distal margin of tibia; conductor broad; tegulum with tegular apophysis; embolus filiform, relatively short and terminates at the base of conductor. Epigynal teeth absent; atrium usually small or indistinct; epigynal hoods located mediolaterally or posterolaterally; copulatory openings usually located centrally or posterior centrally on the epigyne plate; the shape of spermathecae and copulatory ducts butterfly-like; spermathecae located in posterior of epigyne; spermathecal head indistinct; copulatory ducts sclerotized and spiral.

Comments.

In addition to morphological study, we reconstructed the phylogeny of coelotine spiders based on molecular data from 18 genera and 286 coelotine species (the phylogenetic analysis results will be published in a subsequent paper). The molecular phylogenetic analyses support Papiliocoelotes as monophyletic and closely related to Platocoelotes and Spiricoelotes .

Distribution.

China (Hubei, Hunan) (Fig. 11).