Belisana zhouxi Wang, S. Li & Yao 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wang, Bing
name: Li, Jinglin
name: Li, Shuqiang
name: Yao, Zhiyuan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Pholcidae
Belisana
Belisana zhouxi

description: Belisana zhouxi Wang, S. Li & Yao sp. nov.
Figs 18, 19, 23 E, F, 25 G, H
Type material.
Holotype: China • ♂; Guizhou, Kaili, Zhouxi Town, Hebian Cave; 26 ° 29.280 ' N, 107 ° 55.442 ' E; alt. 665 m; 25 May 2007; J. Liu & Y. Lin leg.; IZCAS - Ar 45226. Paratypes: China • 2 ♀; same data as for holotype; IZCAS - Ar 45227 –28.
Diagnosis.
The new species resembles B. majiang sp. nov. (Figs 6, 7, 22 E, F, 24 E, F) by having similar male chelicerae (tips of distal apophyses pointing downwards; Fig. 19 D), bulbal apophysis (hooked; Fig. 19 C), and epigyne (epigynal pockets on antero-lateral part of epigynal plate, epigynal plate posteriorly curved; Figs 19 A, 25 G), but can be distinguished by procursus without ventro-subdistal membranous process and dorso-distal spine (Figs 18 C, 23 E vs present) and by vulval pore plates elliptic (2 × longer than wide, pp in Figs 19 B, 25 H vs 3 ×).
Description.
Male (holotype): Total length 1.17 (1.27 with clypeus), prosoma 0.46 long, 0.50 wide, opisthosoma 0.71 long, 0.61 wide. Leg I: 6.72 (1.84, 0.21, 1.66, 2.13, 0.88), leg II: 4.56 (1.36, 0.19, 1.06, 1.36, 0.59), leg III: 3.29 (0.96, 0.19, 0.66, 1.01, 0.47), leg IV: 4.69 (1.44, 0.18, 1.16, 1.42, 0.49); tibia I L / d: 27. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.08, PME 0.06, PME – ALE 0.02. Sternum width / length: 0.41 / 0.33. Habitus as in Fig. 19 E, F. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, without marks; clypeus and sternum yellowish. Legs whitish, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, without spots. Thoracic furrow absent. Clypeus unmodified. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses (pa in Fig. 19 D) and pair of curved distal apophyses (distance between tips: 0.19; da in Fig. 19 D). Palp as in Fig. 18 A, B; trochanter with ventral apophysis (as long as wide, arrow 1 in Fig. 18 B); femur with retrolatero-proximal protrusion (arrow 2 in Fig. 18 B); procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with prolatero-distal membranous lamella (arrow 1 in Figs 18 C, 23 E) bearing proximally slightly sclerotized part, dorso-subdistal membranous process (arrow 2 in Figs 18 C, 23 E), and retrolateral membranous flap (f in Figs 18 D, 23 F); bulb with hooked apophysis (ba in Fig. 19 C) and simple embolus (e in Fig. 19 C). Retrolateral trichobothria on tibia I at 7 % proximally; legs with short vertical setae on metatarsi; tarsus I with 14 distinct pseudosegments.
Female (paratype, IZCAS - Ar 45227): Similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 19 G, H. Total length 1.21 (1.31 with clypeus), prosoma 0.49 long, 0.57 wide, opisthosoma 0.72 long, 0.63 wide; tibia I: 1.22; tibia I L / d: 22. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.07, PME 0.06, PME – ALE 0.01. Sternum width / length: 0.43 / 0.32. Epigyne simple and flat, posteriorly curved, with pair of antero-lateral pockets 0.16 apart (ep in Figs 19 A, 25 G). Vulva with ridge-shaped anterior arch (aa in Figs 19 B, 25 H) and pair of elliptic pore plates (2 × longer than wide, pp in Figs 19 B, 25 H).
Variation.
Unknown. Leg I missing in another female paratype (IZCAS - Ar 45228).
Habitat.
The species was found in the dark zone inside the cave.
Distribution.
China (Guizhou, type locality; Fig. 1).
Etymology.
The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.
description: Published as part of Wang, Bing, Li, Jinglin, Li, Shuqiang & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2024, Nine new spider species of Belisana Thorell, 1898 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from karst caves, with a list of species of the genus from Guizhou, southwestern China, pp. 265-302 in ZooKeys 1216 on pages 265-302, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1216.132561