Nippononeta anchorata, Yan & Wu & Zhou & Peng, 2025

Nippononeta anchorata sp. nov.

Figs 7 A – C View Figure 7 , 8 A – D View Figure 8

Type material.

Holotype: • ♀ ( HNU -BLXS 2404-19 ), China, Hunan Prov., Yueyang City, Pingjiang County, Jiayi Town, Beiluoxiao National Forest Park ; 28.597247 ° N, 113.908166 ° E; 181.33 m a. s. l.; 12 November 2024; S. L. Wang, S. L. Li, G. Tang, W. L. Yan leg. GoogleMaps Paratypes: • 3 ♀ ( HNU -HMF 2303-4 ), China, Hunan Prov., Changsha City, Wangcheng District, Qiaoyi Town, Changsha Heimifeng National Forest Park, Heimifeng Village ; 28.46921 ° N, 113.00199 ° E; 98 m a. s. l.; 28 November 2023; X. J. Peng, S. L. Li, Z. Y. Liu, X. Y. Qin, G. Tang leg. GoogleMaps • 1 ♀ ( HNU -XFS-2203 ), China, Hunan Prov., Shaoyang City, Dongkou County, Jiangkou Town ; 27.144129 ° N, 110.341206 ° E; 1250.66 m a. s. l.; 10 July 2022; Y. C. Zhou, S. L. Li, Y Peng, M. T. Zhang, L. F. Li leg. GoogleMaps

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin noun “ anchora ” meaning “ anchor ” and referring to the junction of the dorsal scape and stretcher, which broadens to an anchor shape.

Diagnosis.

The female of this new species resembles that of N. coreana (Paik, 1991) in having a similar scape and stretcher (Fig. 8 A – D View Figure 8 ; Irfan et al. 2025, fig. 160 A – D), but can be differentiated by the (1) copulatory grooves parallel to each other in dorsal view (Fig. 8 A, C View Figure 8 ; vs. having a somewhat heart-shaped outline); and (2) spermathecae S-shaped (Fig. 8 A, C View Figure 8 ; vs. C-shaped).

Description.

Female ( holotype, Fig. 7 A – C View Figure 7 ). Total length 1.15. Carapace 1.62 long, 0.53 wide; abdomen 0.78 long, 0.59 wide. Carapace blackish brown; cervical and radial grooves distinct, fovea thin; AER and PER horizontal. Chelicerae pale, with five promarginal and five weak retromarginal teeth. Endite and labium pale; sternum blackish brown. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.06, PLE 0.05; AME - AME 0.02, AME - ALE 0.03, PME - PME 0.04, PME - PLE 0.02, ALE - PLE 0.01. MOA 0.13 long, anterior width 0.11, posterior width 0.16. Clypeus height 0.08. Leg measurements: I 2.06 (0.59, 0.69, 0.41, 0.37), II 1.96 (0.55, 0.63, 0.44, 0.34), III 1.57 (0.44, 0.50, 0.36, 0.27), IV 2.09 (0.62, 0.68, 0.47, 0.32). Leg formula: 4123. Legs pale white. Abdomen oval; black dorsum with one large pale macula. Spinneret pale grey.

Epigyne (Fig. 8 A – D View Figure 8 ). Plate inverted anchor-shaped, as wide as long; VP kidney-shaped, about 2 × wider than long. Scape sigmoid folded; ventral scape slender, broadened at turning point; dorsal scape inverted triangular. The junction of dorsal scape and stretcher well broadened to anchor shape; CD right-angled; sigmoid spermathecae located at the lateral margin of ventral plate.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

China ( Hunan) (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ).

Variation.

Females ( N = 5): total length 1.15–1.41.