Bolyphantes arcuatus Irfan, Zhang & Peng, sp. n.
Creators: name: Irfan, Muhammad
name: Zhou, Gu-Chun
name: Peng, Xian-Jin
name: Zhang, Zhi-Sheng
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Linyphiidae
Bolyphantes
Bolyphantes arcuatus

description: Bolyphantes arcuatus Irfan, Zhang & Peng, sp. n.
(àäù刺e)
Figures 29–32, 310, 315
Types. Holotype ♂ (HNU–HNDWS–18–05), CHINA, Hunan Prov.: Liuyang City, Mudu Vill., Daweishan NFP, 28.43388°N, 114.03376°E, 379 m, 14.I.2018, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. Paratypes: 2♂ 11♀, with same data as for holotype male (HNU–HNDWS–18–05); 1♀, Liuyang City, Liuyang City, Daweishan Town, Zhongduan Vill., 28.45404°N, 113.96450°E, 193 m, 14.I.2018, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HNDWS–18–06); 1♂, Liuyang City, Mudu Vill., Daweishan NFP, 28.43416°N, 114.04668°E, 315 m, 13.I.2018, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HNDWS– 18–03); 1♂ 4♀, Liuyang City, Mudu Vill., Daweishan NFP, 28.43567°N, 114.04928°E, 286 m, 14.I.2018, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HNDWS–18–03); Guizhou Prov.: 3♂ 8♀, Tongren City, Shiqian Co., Pingshan Town, Pingshan NNR, 27.33086°N, 108.15612°E, 655 m, 01.XI.2017, G.C. Zhou leg. (HNU–GZ– IV–1703); 1♂, Tongren City, Shiqian Co., Pingshan Town, Pingshan NNR, 27.331575°N, 108.15597°E, 672 m, 01.XI.2017, G.C. Zhou leg. (HNU–GZ– IV–1704).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin adjective “arcuatus ” meaning “curved” and referring to slightly curved lamella charactristica in male palp.
Diagnosis. Bolyphantes arcuatus sp. n. resembles B. alticeps in having the similar patellar spine stands on a conical elevation, densely covered with denticales from base to the tip (Helsdingen et al. 2001, figs 3, 4; Tao et al. 1995, figs 11–20), but can be distinguished by the the lamella charactristica almost as long as cymbium,apex with two teeth with pointed in B. arcuatus sp. n. (Figs 29A–C, 30A, B; vs. half the length of patellar spine with bifurcated tip); tip of distal arm of paracymbium bifurcated in B. arcuatus sp. n. (Figs 29A–C, 30A, B; vs. not bifurcated); thumb horn-shaped with pointed end in B. arcuatus sp. n. (Figs 29A, 30A, B; vs. globular with membranous ventral margin). Epigyne can also be distinguished from all other congeners by the spermathecae J-shaped (Figs 31A–C).
Description. Male (holotype, Figs 32A–C): Total length: 2.21. Carapace 0.96 long, 0.83 wide, cephalic region slightly elevated, yellowish, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.24 high. Chelicerae with three retromarginal and promarginal teeth absent. Sternum wider than long, dark grey, with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER straight and slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.08, PME 0.06, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.05, AME–ALE, 0.06, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.31, PLE–PLE 0.33, ALE–PLE contiguous. Legs with alternative light and dark bands. Length of legs: I 6.33 (1.71, 2.04, 1.73, 0.85), II 5 (1.38 1.55, 1.36, 0.71), III 3.69 (1.11, 1.15, 0.94, 0.49), IV 4.89 (1.41, 1.51, 1.33, 0.64). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-2-2. TmI 0.69 and TmIV absent. Opisthosoma 1.25 long, 0.73 wide, oval, dusky grey, dorsally with six black cheverons extending posteriorly to the base of spinnerets; lateral sides black with white patches, ventral side dusky grey with broad greenish black patch anteriorly.
Palp (Figs 29A–D, 30A–D): Femur unmodified, almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella almost as long as tibia, dorsal spine morelonger than both patella and tibia length, with several teeth extending forward. Tibia with two retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria and a prominent ventral outgrowth equipped with seta. Cymbium retrolateral margin with a shallow depression at the base, retrolateral margin extending above the subtegulum; dorsally with a small tubercle (PCA) with blunt tip; paracymbium (PC) U-shaped, ventro-lateral margin with small horn-shaped projection, distal arm tip bifurcated. radix (R) sclerotized, long; median membrane (MM) sheet-like, originating from the base of terminal apophysis and from the dorsal margin of radix, with frayed margin; terminal apophysis (TA) short, half the length of embolus, with blunt tip; lamella charactristica (LC) long, highly sclerotized, basally curved, extending forward pointed end; embolus proper (E) short, tapering towards tip.
Female (paratype, Figs 32D–F): Total length: 2.04. Carapace 0.72 long, 0.71 wide, cephalic region slightly elevated, yellowish, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.21 high. Chelicerae with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Sternum wider than long, dark gray, with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER straight and slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04 ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.04, AME– ALE, 0.04, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.29 PLE–PLE 0.31, ALE–PLE contiguous. Legs with alternative light and dark bands. Length of legs: I 3.36 (0.91, 1.11, 0.76, 0.58), II 2.95 (0.84, 0.93, 0.66, 0.52), III 2.32 (0.69, 0.71, 0.53, 0.39), IV 3.01 (0.87, 0.93, 0.69, 0.52). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-2-2. TmI 0.62 and TmIV absent. Opisthosoma 1.31 long, 0.0.89 wide, oval, dorsally with six cheverons extending to the base of spinnerets, lateral sides also with longitudinal black bands with white patches, ventral side greenish black.
Epigyne (Figs 31A–D): Protruding, pseudoscape (PS) wider than long, with well-developed stretcher (ST) with pit ventrally; entrance groove (EG) inside lateral pockets (LP) at their median edges; posterior median plate (PMP) broad, wider than long, completely covering the stretcher, spermathecae (S) strongly curved, pointing towards the postero-lateral margin.
Distribution. Known from type localities (Hunan and Guizhou Provinces, Figs 310, 315).
description: Published as part of Irfan, Muhammad, Zhou, Gu-Chun, Peng, Xian-Jin & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2025, Survey of Linyphiidae spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from some Oriental Regions of China, pp. 1-248 in Megataxa 15 (1) on pages 28-31, DOI: 10.11646/megataxa.15.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14985176