Vacrothele fuyuanensis, Zheng & Zhao & Yang, 2025

Vacrothele fuyuanensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6BB2A5D4-A6CF-4519-A87E-C667EC182C41

Figs 1–4 View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

The new species is similar to V. pseudohunanica Tang et al., 2022 in having the conical spines dorsally on palpal tibia and the embolus of the same shape, but males can be distinguished by the following characters: palpal tibia with 13 short spines visible in dorsal view (vs 7 short spines on the palpal tibia); relatively large bend in the middle of the embolus (vs relatively small bend). Females of V. fuyuanensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from V. pseudohunanica by copulatory duct extending flatly from the middle to the distal end (vs copulatory duct curved from the middle to the distal end).

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the type locality.

Material examined

Holotype

CHINA • ♂; Yunnan Province, Qujing City, Fuyuan County; 25°33′3′′ N, 104°17′58′′ E; 1914 m a.s.l.; 2 Aug. 2021; Yong-Ming You, Li-Jun Ding, Xiao-Liang Gu leg.; DUIER, Specimen No. YN-VA-20210802001 .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; DUIER, Specimen No. YN-VA-20210802002 • 3 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; YN-VA-20210802003 to YN-VA-20210802005 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Qujing City, Yingshang Town, Xiaojiagou ; 25°28′45′′ N, 104°17′37′′ E; 1910 m a.s.l.; 31 Jul. 2021; Yong-Ming You, Li-Jun Ding, Xiao-Liang Gu leg.; DUIER, Specimen No. YN-VA-20210731001 GoogleMaps • 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; DUIER, Specimen No. YN-VA-20210731002 to YN-VA-20210731005 GoogleMaps .

GoogleMaps

Description

Male (holotype Figs 2–3 View Fig View Fig )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 13.15 (not including chelicerae and spinnerets): cephalothorax 5.55 long, 4.68 wide; abdomen 7.40 long, 5.29 wide ( Fig. 2A View Fig ).

PROSOMA. Carapace hirsute, dark chestnut and grey. Fovea transverse. Dorsal view with both eyes concave. Labium brown, with ca 87 cuspules; maxillae 1.80 long, cuspules area 1.10 long. Sternum black, with three pairs of sigilla ( Fig. 2B View Fig ).

EYES. Eyes sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.27, ALE 0.40, PME 0.18, PLE 0.25; ALE–AME 0.14, AME–AME 0.18, ALE–PLE 0.21, PLE–PME 0.10, PME–PME 0.59. Eye group 1.01 long, 1.54 wide.

CHELICERAE. Black brown, with 11 stout promarginal teeth and 11 small teeth plus 20 tiny basomesal teeth ( Fig. 2D View Fig ).

PALP. Palpal tibia with 13 stout dorsal spines ( Fig. 3A–C View Fig ). Embolus thick and long, tapering from base to end, flared at end, length 3.72 ( Fig. 3D–G View Fig ).

LEGS. Brown, with numerous spines. Leg I: NPFS 1; NPPS 2; NPTS 1, NRTS 2, NVTS 5; NPMS 1, and NVMS 16; NPTaS 3 and NRTaS 4. Leg II: NPFS 1; NPPS 2; NPTS 1, NVTS 4 ( Fig. 2E View Fig ); NPMS 1, NVMS 6; NPTaS 5, NRTaS 4, with 3 claws. Leg III: NRPS 1, NRPS 1; NPTS 2, NRTS 2, NDTS 2, NVTS 7; NVMS 8, NPMS 4, NRMS 3; NPTaS 4, NRTas 5. Leg IV: NPFS 1; NPPS 2, NRPS 1; NPTS 3, NRTS 2, NVTS 9, NDTS 1; NPMS 3, NRMS 2, NDMS 1, NVMS 9; NPTaS 7, NRTaS 6. Measurement of legs: I 13.44 (3.19, 1.36, 3.43, 3.67, 1.79); II 13.84 (3.62, 1.47, 3.42, 3.76, 1.57); III 14 (3.13, 1.34, 3.77, 3.89, 1.87); IV 14.2 (3.37, 1.40, 3.94, 3.79, 1.70). Leg formula: 4321.

SPINNERETS. PMS white; PLS slenderness, basal, distal end white; PMS 2.23 long, 0.48 wide; PLS 11.79 long (3.39, 3.62, 4.78); PMS–PMS 1.33 ( Fig. 2C View Fig ).

Female ( Fig. 4 View Fig )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 11.21 (not including chelicerae and spinnerets), cephalothorax 5.35 long, 4.65 wide; abdomen 8.60 long, 6.32 wide ( Fig. 4A View Fig ).

EYES. Eyes sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.24, ALE 0.39, PME 0.26, PLE 0.38; AME–AME 0.25, ALE–AME 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.25, PME–PME 0.62, PLE–PME 0.17. Eye group 0.94 long, 1.79 wide.

CHELICERAE. Chelicerae brownish, with 11 stout internal teeth, basomesally with 20 tiny teeth, with 11 smaller external teeth ( Fig. 4B View Fig ).

LEGS. Brown, with numerous spines. Leg I: NVMS 5; NPTaS 5, NRTaS 4. Leg II: NPTS 1, NVTS 2; NPMS 5, NRMS 6; NPTaS 5, NRTaS 4. Leg III: NPPS 2, NRPS 2; NPTS 3, NRTS 2, NDTS 1, NVTS 2; NVMS 6, NPMS 5, NRMS 2, NDMS 2; NPTaS 5, NRTaS 6. Leg IV: NPPS 2, NRPS 1; NPTS 2, NRTS 2, NVTS 2; NPMS 3, NRMS 4, NVMS 8, NDMS 3; NPTaS 9, NRTaS 6. Measurement of legs: I 11.64 (2.85, 1.58, 3.01, 2.97, 1.23); II 11.79 (2.98, 1.39, 2.85, 3.10, 1.47); III 12.25 (2.78, 1.30, 3.35, 3.68, 1.14); IV 12.61 (2.97, 1.74, 3.33, 2.97, 1.60). Leg formula: 4321.

SPERMATHECAE. Receptacula finger-like. Copulatory ducts broad at base, gradually tapering posteriorly ( Fig. 4C View Fig ).

SPINNERETS. PMS white; PLS slenderness, distal end white. PMS 1.97 long, 0.43 wide; PLS 6.44 long (2.27, 1.92, 2.25); PMS–PMS 1.72

Natural history

The spiders primarily inhabit existing rock crevices or caves, dirt slopes, and under leaf litter along highways.

Distribution

Qujing, Yunnan Province, China