Pholcus pingwu Yan, Li & Yao, 2025

Pholcus pingwu Yan, Li & Yao sp. nov.

Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 B View Figure 6

Type material.

Holotype: China • ♂; Sichuan, Mianyang, Pingwu County, Baima Town ; 32.7130°N, 104.3770°E; alt. 1801 m; 14 Oct. 2018; Z. Zhang, L. Wang & Z. Fan et al. leg.; SYNU -Ar 00514 GoogleMaps . Paratypes: China • 5 ♂; same data as for the holotype; SYNU -Ar 00515 –519 GoogleMaps • 4 ♀; same data as for the holotype; SYNU -Ar 00520 –523 GoogleMaps .

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; it is used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles P. qingchengensis Gao, Gao & Zhu, 2002 (only ♂; Zhang and Zhu 2009: 72, fig. 40; Yao and Li 2012: 30, fig. 146) by having similar appendix (a in Fig. 5 A View Figure 5 ) and sclerotized dorso-subdistal apophysis ( dsa in Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ) on procursus ( pr), but can be distinguished by procursus ( pr) without sclerotized retrolatero-distal apophysis (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 vs present) and distal membranous process ( dp) of procursus without pointed branch (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 vs present), by uncus (u) latero-medially strongly contracted (arrow in Fig. 5 A View Figure 5 vs slightly contracted), and by male chelicerae with one pair of frontal apophyses ( fa in Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 vs two pairs).

Description.

Male ( holotype) measurements: total length 6.82 (6.98 with clypeus), carapace 1.97 long, 2.30 wide, opisthosoma 4.85 long, 1.91 wide. Leg I: 62.60 (15.58, 0.91, 15.83, 26.92, 3.36), leg II: 39.06 (10.71, 0.90, 9.97, 15.51, 1.97), leg III: 26.02 (7.66, 0.83, 6.41, 9.90, 1.22), leg IV: 34.91 (10.38, 0.86, 8.64, 13.30, 1.73); tibia I L / d: 83. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.31, PME 0.20, PME – ALE 0.06, AME – AME 0.09, AME 0.13. Sternum width / length: 1.52 / 1.32.

Colour: carapace yellowish, with brown radiating marks and marginal brown bands; ocular area yellowish; clypeus and sternum yellowish, with brown marks (Fig. 5 E, F View Figure 5 ). Legs yellowish, but dark brown on patellae and whitish on distal parts of femora and tibiae, with darker rings on subproximal, submedian, and subdistal parts of femora and proximal, subproximal, submedian, and subdistal parts of tibiae. Opisthosoma yellowish, with dorsal and lateral spots (Fig. 5 E, F View Figure 5 ).

Body: as in Fig. 5 E, F View Figure 5 ; ocular area elevated, each eye triad on top of laterally directed eye-stalks.

Chelicerae: as in Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 , with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses ( pa), pair of distal apophyses ( da) with two teeth each, and pair of frontal apophyses ( fa).

Palp: as in Fig. 4 A, B View Figure 4 ; trochanter with short (2 × longer than wide), retrolatero-proximally strongly bulged ventral apophysis ( va); femur with retrolatero-proximal apophysis ( rpa) and distinct ventral protrusion ( vp); tibia with prolatero-ventral protrusion ( pvp). Procursus ( pr) simple proximally, but complex distally, with raised prolatero-subdistal edge bearing distal membranous process ( dp) and sclerotized dorso-subdistal apophysis ( dsa), retrolatero-distal membranous process ( rdp), and two strong and one slender dorsal spines ( ds). Bulb: uncus (u) latero-medially contracted, with proximal apophysis ( pra, visible in Fig. 6 B View Figure 6 ) and distally scaly edge; appendix (a) curved, with distal scales and angular median branch ( mb); embolus (e) weakly sclerotized, with transparent distal projections (Figs 5 A View Figure 5 , 6 B View Figure 6 ).

Legs: retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia I situated at 3 % proximally; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi; tarsus I with 39 distinct pseudosegments.

Female ( paratype, SYNU -Ar 00520 ): similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 5 G, H View Figure 5 . Total length 5.70 (6.00 with clypeus), carapace 1.50 long, 1.83 wide, opisthosoma 4.20 long, 2.03 wide; tibia I: 10.83; tibia I L / d: 68. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.21, PME 0.17, PME – ALE 0.07, AME – AME 0.08, AME 0.10. Sternum width / length: 1.19 / 0.85. Ocular area with lateral brown bands. Epigyne (Fig. 5 C View Figure 5 ) nearly triangular, strongly sclerotized, with knob ( kn). Vulva (Fig. 5 D View Figure 5 ) with laterally strongly curved anterior arch ( aa) and pair of elliptic pore plates ( pp).

Variation.

Tibia I in five male paratypes ( SYNU -Ar 00515 –519): 12.37–15.96. Tibia I in the other three female paratypes ( SYNU -Ar 00521 –523): 9.62, 10.06, 10.19.

Habitat.

Underside of overhang on rocky cliffs in mountainous area.

Distribution.

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