Bolyphantes aculeatus 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 aculeatus

description: Bolyphantes aculeatus Irfan, Zhang & Peng, sp. n.
(尖刺ù刺e)
Figures 25–28, 310
Types. Holotype ♂ (HNU–GZ– IV–1703), CHINA, Guizhou Prov.: Tongren City, Shiqian Co., Pingshan Town, Fodingshan Vill., Fodingshan NNR, 27.33086°N, 108.15612°E, 655 m, 01.XI.2017 G.C. Zhou leg. Paratypes: 2♂ 11♀, with same data as for holotype male (HNU–GZ– IV–1703); 8♂ 11♀, Tongren City, Shiqian Co., Pingshan Town, Fodingshan Vill., Fodingshan NNR, 27.34899°N, 108.16272°E, 666 m, 01.XI.2017 G.C. Zhou leg. (HNU–GZ– IV–1706).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin adjective “aculeatus ” meaning “pointed” and referring to pointed end of the patellar spine in male palp.
Diagnosis. The male of Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n. resembles that of B. luteolus in having the patella with a unique long thick spine, stands on a conical elevation (Figs 25A–D, 26C, D; Roberts 1998, p. 367; Wiehle 1956 figs 263–267), but can be distinguished by the paracymbium distal thumb-shaped in B. aculeatus sp. n. (Figs. 25B, C, 26B; vs. V-shaped); proximal cymbia apophysis absent in B. aculeatus sp. n. (Fig. 25D; vs. present). Female can be distinguished from B. luteolus by the stretcher tongue shaped in B. aculeatus sp. n. (Fig. 27C; vs. round); spermathecae oval in B. aculeatus sp. n. (Fig. 27C; vs. rod-like slightly curved).
Description. Male (holotype, Figs 28A–C): Total length: 2.57. Carapace 1.14 long, 0.89 wide, mid dorsally slightly elevated, yellowish with grey pattren, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.26 high. Chelicerae with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Sternum wider than long, yellowish with black patches, with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER slightly procurved and wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.09, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.03, AME–ALE, 0.04, PME–PLE 0.06, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.34, PLE–PLE 0.37, ALE–PLE contiguous. Legs with alternative light and dark bands. Length of legs: I 4.19 (1.13, 1.45, 0.91, 0.70), II 3.92 (1.12, 1.31, 0.84, 0.65), III 3.36 (0.96, 1.09, 0.73, 0.58), IV 4.51 (1.29, 1.47, 1.01, 0.74). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-2-2. TmI 0.56 and TmIV absent. Opisthosoma 1.43 long, 0.77 wide, oval, dorsally with distinct pattern of alternative blackish and light patches starting from the proximal part of opisthosoma to extending to base of spinnerets, densely covered with fine setae, and ventral side black with light patches.
Palp (Figs 25A–D, 26A–D): Femur unmodified, almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella half the length of tibia, ventrally grooved, dorsally with long spine, distal end hook-shaped with pointed end. Tibia two times the length of patella, unmodified, with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria. Cymbium unmodified, retrolateral margin with a shallow depression at the base, retrolateral margin with an outh growth; paracymbium (PC) U-shaped, ventro-lateral margin with small projection, ventral margin serrated, distal arm tip with blunt end. Radix (R) sclerotized, long, S-shaped;; Fickert’s gland (fg) present at proximal end of radix; m edian membrane (MM) originating from the dorsal margin of radix; terminal apophysis (TA) extending above with pointed tip; lamella charactristica (LC) sclerotized, robust, distal end round; embolus (E) longer than wide, apex somewhat triangular with pointed end; thumb (TH) somewhat D-shaped.
Female (one of paratype, Figs 28D–F): Total length: 2.31. Carapace 0.93 long, 0.71 wide, mid dorsally slightly elevated, yellowish with grey pattern, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.18 high. Chelicerae with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Sternum wider than long, yellowish with black patches, with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER slightly procurved and wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.03, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.27, PLE–PLE 0.31, ALE– PLE contiguous. Legs with alternative light and dark bands. Length of legs: I 3.29 (0.92, 1.11, 0.69, 0.57), II 3.05 (0.87, 1.03, 0.61, 0.54), III 2.67 (0.77, 0.89, 0.58, 0.43), IV 3.44 (0.87, 1.23, 0.73, 0.61). Tibial spine formula: 2-2- 2-2. TmI 0.62 and TmIV absent. Opisthosoma 1.38 long, 0.84 wide, oval, grey, densely covered with fine setae, and ventral side greyish black.
Epigyne (Figs 27A–D): Protruding, pseudoscape (PS) narrowing posteriorly, posterior margin with well-developed stretcher; stretcher (ST) short with small pit, entrance groove arch-shaped, originating inside lateral pockets (LP); posterior median plate (PMP) ear lobe-shaped, wider than long; spermathecae (S) present anterolaterally, pointing towards lateral sides.
Distribution. Known only from the type localities (Guizhou Province, Fig. 310).
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 25-28, DOI: 10.11646/megataxa.15.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14985176