Pholcus huludao S. Li & Yao, 2025

Pholcus huludao S. Li & Yao sp. nov.

Figs 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8

Type material.

Holotype: China • ♂; Liaoning, Huludao, Jianchang County, Laodazhangzi Town, Longtan Grand Canyon Scenic Spot ; 40.554405°N, 119.349993°E; alt. 504 m; 21 Jul. 2024; Z. Yao, J. Li & M. Yan leg.; SYNU -Ar 00423 GoogleMaps . Paratypes: China • 1 ♂; same data as for the holotype; SYNU -Ar 00424 GoogleMaps • 2 ♀; same data as for the holotype; SYNU -Ar 00425 –26 GoogleMaps .

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles known congeners from the Lüliang Mountains (e. g., Pholcus wenshui Zhao, Li & Yao, 2023 , P. jiaocheng Zhao, Li & Yao, 2023 , P. luliang Zhao, Li & Yao, 2023 , P. zhongyang Zhao, Li & Yao, 2023 ; Zhao et al. 2023 b: 7, figs 2 B, 4 C, D, 10 C, D, 12 C, D, 18 C, D) by having similar male chelicerae (Fig. 8 D View Figure 8 ) and a curved uncus (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ), but it can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: ventro-distal membranous lamella of procursus distally blunt and strongly curved (arrow 2 in Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 vs. distally pointed and straight), dorso-distal membranous lamella of procursus strongly curved (arrow 3 in Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 vs. straight), uncus proximally wide and distally narrow, and dorso-medially strongly protruding (arrow 1 in Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 vs. wide and pointed, not protruding), epigyne posteriorly slightly curved (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 vs. strongly curved), vulval pore plates nearly semi-circular (pp in Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 vs. elliptical).

Description.

Male (holotype): Total length 4.68 (4.80 with clypeus), carapace 1.44 long, 1.72 wide, opisthosoma 3.24 long, 1.27 wide. Leg I: 39.99 (9.94, 0.75, 10.13, 16.67, 2.50), leg II: 27.14 (7.45, 0.67, 6.73, 10.64, 1.65), leg III: 18.98 (5.58, 0.64, 4.62, 7.05, 1.09), leg IV: 25.51 (7.40, 0.66, 6.35, 9.62, 1.48); tibia I L / d: 68. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.23, PME 0.15, PME – ALE 0.04, AME – AME 0.05, AME 0.10. Sternum width / length: 1.17 / 0.98. Habitus as in Fig. 8 E, F View Figure 8 . Carapace yellowish, with brown radiating marks and marginal brown bands; ocular area yellowish, with median and lateral brown bands; clypeus brown; sternum yellowish, with brown marks. Legs yellowish, dark brown on patellae and whitish on distal parts of femora and tibiae, with darker rings on subdistal parts of femora and proximal and subdistal parts of tibiae. Opisthosoma yellowish, with dorsal and lateral brown spots. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses (pa in Fig. 8 D View Figure 8 ), pair of distal apophyses (da in Fig. 8 D View Figure 8 ) with two teeth each, and pair of frontal apophyses (fa in Fig. 8 D View Figure 8 ). Palps as in Fig. 7 A, B View Figure 7 ; trochanter with long (4 × longer than wide), retrolaterally bulged ventral apophysis; femur with retrolatero-proximal protrusion (arrow in Fig. 7 B View Figure 7 ) and distinct ventral protrusion; tibia with prolatero-ventral protrusion; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with raised, prolatero-subdistal membranous edge bearing pointed, sclerotized apophysis (arrow 1 in Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 ), curved, ventro-distal membranous lamella (arrow 2 in Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 ), curved, dorso-distal membranous lamella (arrow 3 in Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 ), and one slender dorsal spine (arrow in Fig. 7 D View Figure 7 ); uncus curved, proximally wide and distally narrow, with scales (u in Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ); “ pseudo-appendix ” semi-transparent (arrow 2 in Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ); embolus weakly sclerotized, with transparent distal projections (e in Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ). Retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia I at 2 % proximally; legs with short, vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi; tarsus I with 30 distinct pseudosegments.

Female (paratype, SYNU -Ar 00425 ): Similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 8 G, H View Figure 8 . Total length 5.13 (5.26 with clypeus), carapace 1.53 long, 1.95 wide, opisthosoma 3.60 long, 1.60 wide; tibia I: 8.78; tibia I L / d: 59. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.21, PME 0.14, PME – ALE 0.05, AME – AME 0.05, AME 0.10. Sternum width / length: 1.11 / 0.97. Epigyne posteriorly slightly curved, with lateral brown marks and knob (kn in Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ). Vulva with curved, sclerotized anterior arch (aa in Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 ) and pair of nearly semi-circular pore plates (pp in Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 ).

Variation.

Tibia I in paratype male ( SYNU -Ar 00424 ): 9.80. Tibia I in another paratype female ( SYNU -Ar 00426 ): 9.25.

Habitat.

Underside of overhang on rocky cliffs in mountainous area.

Distribution.

Liaoning; known only from the type locality (Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 C View Figure 2 ).