Lipocrea guiyang J. Zhang, Yu & Mi, 2025

Lipocrea guiyang J. Zhang, Yu & Mi sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 , 11 View Figure 11

Type material.

Holotype • ♂ ( YHGY 208 ), China: Guizhou Prov.: Guiyang City, Kaiyang Co., Nanjiang Grand Canyon , 26.94°N, 106.97°E, c. 861 m, by hand, 7 VI 2022, H. Yu & Q. Lu leg. GoogleMaps Paratypes: • 2 ♀ ( YHGY 209 , YHGY 428 ), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Other material examined.

• 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( YHGY 218 , YHGY 318 ), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Males of L. guiyang sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from all other congeners with the exception of L. phosop by having a bifurcate terminal apophysis ( TA); a terminal apophysis appendix ( TAA) that is relatively short, with its apex not extending beyond the apex of the TA and directed distally; and a relatively long conductor ( C) that is nearly as long as the tegular extension ( TE) (Figs 8 A – C View Figure 8 , 9 A – E View Figure 9 ; Tanikawa et al. 2023: figs 3–5, 9–11) ( TA not bifurcate, TAA tongue-shaped, wrapping around TA, apex directed proximally, C rostrate and distinctly shorter than TE, such as in L. epeiroides , L. fusiformis and L. longissima as in Fig. 13 A – C View Figure 13 , Levy 1986: figs 32–34, Tanikawa 2009: figs 191, 192, Grasshoff 1970: figs 12 a, b, 15 a, b) but can be easily differentiated from L. phosop by: (1) TA distinctly bifurcating into two apophyses (vs slightly bifurcate and not forming two processes) (cf. Figs 8 B, C View Figure 8 , 9 A, B, D, E and Tanikawa et al. 2023 View Figure 9 : figs 3–5, 9–11); (2) TAA digitiform (vs papilliform) (cf. Figs 8 B, C View Figure 8 , 9 B, C, E and Tanikawa et al. 2023 View Figure 9 : figs 3, 9–11); (3) process of median apophysis ( HP) hook-shaped, distinctly curved (vs nearly triangular) (cf. Figs 8 A – C View Figure 8 , 9 A – C, E and Tanikawa et al. 2023 View Figure 9 : figs 3–5, 9–11); (4) C shaped like a ox horn (vs finger-shaped) (cf. Figs 8 A – C View Figure 8 , 9 A – C, E and Tanikawa et al. 2023 View Figure 9 : figs 3–5, 9–11). Females of L. guiyang sp. nov. also resemble those of L. phosop by the presence of a knob-shaped projection ( KP) (epigyne with a scape instead of a KP in all other congeners, such as L. fusiformis ; as in Fig. 14 A – D View Figure 14 ), but it can be easily differentiated from L. phosop by the following features: (1) epigyne nearly trapeziform or disc-shaped in ventral view (vs inverted heart shape) (cf. Figs 10 C View Figure 10 , 11 A, C View Figure 11 and Tanikawa et al. 2023: figs 6, 12); (2) KP partly membranous and translucent (vs KP more sclerotized, non-transparent) (cf. Fig. 10 C View Figure 10 and Tanikawa et al. 2023: figs 6, 12); (3) copulatory openings ( CO) located on comma-shaped or circular windows, with the posterior margin clearly separated from the posterior margin of epigyne (vs windows shaped like a horizontally oriented check mark, posterior margin of CO close to posterior margin of epigyne) (cf. Figs 10 C View Figure 10 , 11 A, C View Figure 11 and Tanikawa et al. 2023: figs 6, 12).

Description.

Male ( holotype, YHGY 208 ). Measurements. Total length 6.09. Carapace 2.70 long, 1.77 wide. Abdomen 3.55 long, 1.52 wide. Sternum 1.30 long and 0.76 wide. Labium 0.19 long and 0.39 wide. Endites 0.55 long and 0.35 wide. Clypeus height 0.10. Both margins of chelicerae with four teeth. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.17, ALE 0.12, PME 0.14, PLE 0.11, AME – AME 0.20, ALE – AME 0.12, PME – PME 0.03, PME – PLE 0.26. MOQ 0.43 long, anterior width 0.47, posterior width 0.28. Leg measurements: I missing, II 12.63 (3.07, 4.55, 3.91, 1.10), III 6.22 (2.09, 2.03, 1.45, 0.65), IV 10.53 (3.11, 3.53, 3.08, 0.81).

Habitus (Fig. 6 A – D View Figure 6 ). Carapace nearly oval, basically yellowish white, with a narrow red midline extending from just behind the PME almost to the black fovea; a faint dark spot present approximately at the midpoint of the midline; pars cephalica distinctly narrowed; cervical groove and radial grooves invisible; tegument smooth. AER distinctly recurved, PER nearly as wide as AER, almost straight in dorsal view. Sternum bright yellow, shield shaped; anterior margin nearly straight, posterior region strongly protruding between coxae III. Chelicerae colored as carapace, with reddish fangs. Labium and endites colored as carapace; labium nearly triangular, concave laterally; endites depressed posteriorly, slightly convergent anteriorly, with dense scopulae on inner margin. Legs uniformly colored as carapace. Abdomen elongate-oval; dorsum reddish brown, with a sword-shaped median band extending along its entire length, bordered with yellow lines and bearing a prominent large black spot anteriorly; laterally with two distinct yellow longitudinal lines, each line accompanied by approximately four small black spots; venter grayish, without distinct pattern; spinnerets yellow.

Palp (Figs 8 A – D View Figure 8 , 9 A – E View Figure 9 ). Cymbium ( Cy) navicular, ~ 2.2 × longer than wide, dorsally with sparse, long setae (all detached in ethanol), basoretrolaterally with a thumb-like paracymbium ( Pc). Pc moderately large, about 1 / 5 length of cymbium, apex blunt, slightly curved and pointing retrolatero-distally. Tegulum ( T) disc-shaped, slightly wider than cymbium, with distinct sperm duct along anterior margin, proximally covered by broad subtegulum ( St). Tegular extension ( TE) laminar, extending dorsally, almost completely concealed by conductor ( C) in ventral view. St ~ 1 / 2 cymbium length, partly membranous, surface wrinkled and ribbed, with numerous diagonal ridges. Radix ( R) leaf shaped, ~ ½ the width of the subtegulum length, distally with a triangular apophysis ( RA). RA hyaline, nearly as long as radix, apex sharp and pointing distally. Median apophysis ( MA) heavily sclerotized, located prolaterally to tegulum, consisting of a broad base and a hook-shaped process ( HP); base navicular, ~ 2 / 5 the width of the subtegulum in length; HP nearly as long as base, apex sharp, distinctly curved and pointing retrolaterally. Terminal apophysis ( TA) hidden behind tegulum, extending distally, apex surpassing the tegulum and bifurcating into two apophyses, forming a C-shape in anterior view; both terminal apophysis I ( TA I) and terminal apophysis II ( TA II) heavily sclerotized, with blunt apices pointing prolaterally; TA I relatively large, its length nearly equal to the width of the tegulum; TA II smaller and humble, ~ ½ the length of TAI. Terminal apophysis appendix ( TAA) membranous, digitiform, accompanied by terminal apophysis, hidden behind tegulum, extending distally. C originating from dorsal-anterior portion of tegulum, proximally fused to weakly sclerotized TE; tip distinctly curved, shaped like an ox horn, with a sharp apex pointing dorso-distally. Embolus ( Em) spine-shaped, nearly as long as the hook-shaped process of the median apophysis, originating centrally in anterior view, extending distally, surrounded by the RA, MA, TA, and C.

Female ( YHGY 428 ). Total length 7.30. Carapace 2.83 long, 1.81 wide. Abdomen 4.96 long, 2.67 wide. Sternum 1.25 long and 0.84 wide. Labium 0.28 long and 0.49 wide. Endites 0.61 long and 0.43 wide. Clypeus height 0.10. Both margins of chelicerae with four teeth. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.13, PME 0.13, PLE 0.11, AME – AME 0.23, ALE – AME 0.19, PME – PME 0.02, PME – PLE 0.35. MOQ 0.44 long, anterior width 0.48, posterior width 0.27. Leg measurements: I 14.53 (3.33, 5.36, 4.54, 1.30), II 13.15 (3.26, 4.89, 3.86, 1.14), III 6.96 (2.31, 2.27, 1.58, 0.80), IV 11.80 (3.28, 4.39, 3.14, 0.99).

Habitus (Fig. 7 A – C View Figure 7 , 10 A View Figure 10 ). Similar to males, but the dorsum of the abdomen lacks the prominent anterior black spot.

Genitalia (Fig. 10 B – F View Figure 10 ). Epigyne strongly sclerotized with large postero-lateral lobes, distinctly wider than long, nearly trapeziform in ventral view and inverted triangular in lateral view. Knob-shaped projection ( KP) represented by a small, partly membranous tubercle, located at anterior portion of epigynal plate. Copulatory openings ( CO) large, located on the comma-shaped window (or pockets with chitinous posterior margins) is at the postero-lateral portion of the epigynal plate, separated by indistinct median septum ( MS). Copulatory ducts ( CD) short, diverging and ascending obliquely, forming V-shaped course in dorsal view, finally entering anteriorly located spermathecae. Spermathecae ( Sp) oval, ~ 1.2 × longer than wide, relatively large, ~ 2 / 3 of epigyne length; two spermathecae close together, separated by ~ 2 / 3 of their width. Fertilization ducts ( FD) membranous, relatively long, ~ 2 / 3 of spermathecae length, located on dorsal-basal surface of spermathecae.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality; noun in apposition.

Comments.

In spite of the stable morphology of the male palp and the consistent coloration of the male habitus, considerable morphological variation is observed among female individuals, primarily related to epigynal structures. These variations involve features such as the presence or absence of a knob-shaped projection ( KP), the shape of the copulatory openings ( CO), and whether the median septum ( MS) is distinct or indistinct. For example, in some females (e. g., YHGY 428 , as in Fig. 10 B, C, E View Figure 10 ), the KP is distinct, the CO is situated on a comma-shaped window (or within pockets with chitinous posterior margins), and the MS is indistinct. In contrast, in other individuals (e. g., YHGY 209 , as in Fig. 11 A – C, E View Figure 11 ), the KP is broken off, the CO is positioned on a nearly circular window (or within pockets bordered anteriorly, internally, and posteriorly), and the MS is distinct. In addition, some variation related to the abdominal pattern is also observed: the dorsum of the abdomen bears a median band extending along its entire length in some individuals (e. g., YHGY 428 ), whereas in others (e. g., YHGY 209 ), the median band is restricted to the posterior quarter of the dorsum (cf. Fig. 7 A View Figure 7 and Fig. 7 D View Figure 7 ). However, the morphological variation was determined to be intraspecific variation based on the molecular species delimitation analysis.

Compiled from data in Table 1 View Table 1 .

♂ ex.; China, Guizhou Prov., Kaiyang County, Guiyang City, Nanjiang Grand Canyon , lat: 26.94, long: 106.97, elev: 861; YHGY 208 ; PX 230067 ; ( Table 1 View Table 1 ) GoogleMaps • ♀ ex.; China, Guizhou Prov., Kaiyang County, Guiyang City, Nanjiang Grand Canyon , lat: 26.94, long: 106.97, elev: 861; YHGY 209 ; PX 230068 ; ( Table 1 View Table 1 ) GoogleMaps • ♀ ex.; China, Guizhou Prov., Kaiyang County, Guiyang City, Nanjiang Grand Canyon , lat: 26.94, long: 106.97, elev: 861; YHGY 428 ; PX 230069 ; ( Table 1 View Table 1 ) GoogleMaps .