Grandilithus globosus Shi, Mu & Zhang, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Shi, Songtao
name: Mu, Yannan
name: Zhang, Feng
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Phrurolithidae
Grandilithus
Grandilithus globosus

description: Grandilithus globosus sp. nov.
Chinese name: ḣkṄĦ
Figs 1–3, 10
Type material. Holotype ♂ (MHBU-Ara-AN2014060801), CHINA: Anhui Province: Xuancheng, Jixi Co., Fuling, Yonglai Vill., Qingliangfeng, Zhanlingwan (30°8′42.44″N 118°52′14.07″E, 782 m a. s. l.), 08.06.2014, leg. Shanjie Zha.
Paratypes: 1 ♂ 1♀ (MHBU-Ara-AN2014060801), with same data as holotype.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word “ globosus ”, referring to the almost globular copulatory ducts; adjective.
Diagnosis. The male of the new species resembles that of G. jingshi Liu & Li, 2022 in having similar shape of bulb, sperm duct, and embolus but can be recognized by: 1) retrolateral tibial apophysis as long as tibia, gradually tapering from the base to the tip (vs shorter than the tibia, suddenly narrows; cf. Fig. 2B–D and fig. 48E–F in Liu & Li (2022)); 2) tegular apophysis tip sharp (vs tip blunt; cf. Fig. 2C and fig. 48D in Liu & Li (2022)); 3) tubercle not prominent (vs prominent; cf. Fig. 2A–C and fig. 48C–E in Liu & Li (2022)).
The female of the new species resembles that of G. jingshi Liu & Li, 2022 in having a similar shape of the copulatory duct and connecting tube but can be recognized by: 1) copulatory openings located slightly to the center of copulatory ducts, facing each other (vs located anteriorly, close to each other; cf. Fig. 2E and fig. 50C in Liu & Li (2022)); 2) copulatory openings oval (vs slit-like; cf. Fig. 2E and fig. 50C in Liu & Li (2022)); 3) median septum posteriorly wider (vs anteriorly as wide as posteriorly; cf. Fig. 2E and fig. 50C in Liu & Li (2022)).
Description. Male (holotype): total length 3.67, carapace 1.75 long, 1.92 wide; abdomen 1.92 long, 1.12 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.12, ALE 0.11, PME 0.09, PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE– ALE 0.34, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.44, ALE–PLE 0.10. EAW 0.58, CRW 0.80, EAW/CRW 0.73, CRW/CW 0.53. MOA width 0.33 long, anterior 0.31, posterior width 0.32. CH 0.15, CH /AME 1.25. Labium 0.18 long, 0.26 wide. Sternum 0.96 long, 0.85 wide. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 9.12 (2.22, 0.62, 2.65, 2.10, 1.53), II 6.91 (1.72, 0.58, 1.84, 1.64, 1.13), III 5.86 (1.56, 0.56, 1.26, 1.59, 0.89), IV 9.36 (2.52, 0.60, 2.22, 2.70, 1.32). Spination: femora I–IV d 1, femora I pl 6, II pl 3, tibiae Ⅰ pv 8 rv 9, II pv 8 rv 7, metatarsi Ⅰ pv4 rv4, II pv 4 rv 3.
Coloration. Carapace yellow, with subtle black mottling around margin. Abdomen with a small, yellow dorsal scutum anteriorly and black pattern posteriorly. Small, slightly sclerotized area in front of spinnerets with several black setae (Fig. 1A, B). Legs yellow.
Palp as in Fig 2A–D, 3A–D. Femoral apophysis well-developed. Tibia half as long as femur. Tubercle not prominent. Retrolateral tibial apophysis base wide, tapering, tip spinous, curved towards ventral in retrolateral view, as long as tibia. Sperm duct distinct, tapering. Tegular apophysis near embolic base, with sharp tip in ventral view. Embolus hook-shaped, tip sharp.
Female: total length 5.01, carapace 1.96 long, 1.70 wide; abdomen 3.05 long, 2.06 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.10, PME 0.09, PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.35, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.44, ALE–PLE 0.10. EAW 0.59, CRW 0.88, EAW/CRW 0.67, CRW/ CW 0.52. MOA 0.33 long, anterior width 0.29, posterior width 0.31. CH 0.14, CH /AME 1.27. Labium 0.20 long, 0.30 wide. Sternum 1.17 long, 0.97 wide. Leg measurements: Ⅰ 9.45 (2.34, 0.68, 2.87, 2.09, 1.47), II 6.43 (1.95, 0.61, 1.29, 1.67, 0.91), III 6.02 (1.54, 0.61, 1.29, 1.67, 0.91), IV 9.35 (2.58, 0.66, 2.23, 2.65, 1.23). Spination: femora I–IV d 1, femora I pl 6, II pl 4, tibiae Ⅰ pv 9 rv 10, II pv 8 rv 8, metatarsi Ⅰ pv5 rv4, II pv 4 rv 3. Legs yellow. Other characters as in male, except: carapace darker; dorsal scutum absent (Fig. 1C).
Epigyne as in Figs 2E–F, 3E–F.Epigynal plate sclerotized.Median septum posteriorly wider.Copulatory openings oval, located slightly to center of copulatory ducts, facing each other. Copulatory ducts near globular. Connecting tubes slightly curved, shorter than copulatory ducts. Glandular appendages mastoid-shaped. Bursae large, balloon-shaped, basally separated. Spermathecae clavate, slightly separated. Fertilization ducts located at anterior margin of spermathecae. Lower edge of epigyne with a membranous structure, covering 1/3 of spermathecae.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 10).
description: Published as part of Shi, Songtao, Mu, Yannan & Zhang, Feng, 2025, Description of three new species of Grandilithus Liu & Li, 2022 (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from China, pp. 267-282 in Zootaxa 5575 (2) on pages 268-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/14746673