Spelaeus Irfan, Zhang & Peng

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhou, Gu-Chun, Peng, Xian-Jin & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2025, Survey of Linyphiidae spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from some Oriental Regions of China, Megataxa 15 (1), pp. 1-248 : 176

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/megataxa.15.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14990619
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CD8788-8D94-FF66-4ACD-CF92AEB9FABC
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Spelaeus Irfan, Zhang & Peng
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Spelaeus Irfan, Zhang & Peng , gen. n.

(ȇmeø)

Type species: Spelaeus cicatrix sp. n.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin noun “ Spelaeum ” meaning “cave” referring to the type specimens collected from Niujiao Cave . Gender masculine

Diagnosis. Spelaeus gen. n. can be distinguished from all the other Erigoninae genera by the radix longer than wide, tailpiece absent, anterior radical process strongly sclerotized with serrated margin ( Figs 231A–D View FIGURE 231 , 232A–C View FIGURE 232 ). Female can be distinguished by the epigynal plate broad, anteriorly with a septum containing copulatory opening underneath ( Figs 233A–C View FIGURE 233 ).

Description. Same as for type species.

Remarks. Spelaeus gen. n. closely resembles the genus Scotinotylus and Spirembolus in having the similar long spiral embolus and tibial with long dorsal tibial apophysis in male palp ( Figs 231A–D View FIGURE 231 , 232A–C View FIGURE 232 ; Figs 208 View FIGURE 208 , 209 View FIGURE 209 , 212 View FIGURE 212 , 213 View FIGURE 213 ; Tanasevitch 2013, figs 111–117; Millidge, 1980, figs 1–3) and transverse chitinous epigynal plate with long sinuous copulatory ducts in epigyne ( Figs 210A–C View FIGURE 210 , 214A–C View FIGURE 214 ; Millidge, 1981, figs 22, 23; Millidge, 1980, figs 11, 17), and can be distinguished by the radix longer than wide and tailpiece absent in Spelaeus gen. n. ( Figs 231A–C View FIGURE 231 , 232A–C View FIGURE 232 ; vs. radix with tailpiece present both in Scotinotylus and Spirembolus ); embolic division with a strongly sclerotized anterior radicalapophysis in Spelaeus gen. n. ( Figs 231A–C View FIGURE 231 , 232A–C View FIGURE 232 ; vs. absent both in Scotinotylus and Spirembolus ); epigynal plate widest at middle and posteriorly narrow with a shallow depression in Spelaeus gen. n. ( Figs 233A–C View FIGURE 233 ; vs. epigynal plate as long as wide and widest posteriorly both in Scotinotylus and Spirembolus ); scapoid absent both in Spelaeus gen. n. ( Figs 233A–C View FIGURE 233 ) and Spirembolus ; vs. present in Scotinotylus ).