Gongylidium uncatum 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
Gongylidium
Gongylidium uncatum

description: Gongylidium uncatum Irfan, Zhang & Peng, sp. n.
(Nä圆ae)
Figures 100–102, 307, 307, 312
Types. Holotype ♂ (HNU–HB– IV–1715), CHINA, Hubei Prov.: Enshi Co., Huangjindong Town, Maliuxi Vill., 30.03902°N, 109.14274°E, 1114 m, 19.V.2017, M. Irfan & G.C. Zhou leg. Paratypes: 22♀, with same data as for holotype (HNU–HB– IV–1715); 1♀, Enshi Co., Xingdou MNNR, 30.03748°N, 109.14548°E, 1078 m, 19.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HB– IV–1714); 3♀, Enshi Co., Xingdou MNNR, 30.04166°N, 109.13377°E, 1253 m, 18.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HB– IV–1710); 6♀, Enshi Co., Xingdou MNNR, 30.04611°N, 109.13038°E, 1205 m, 18.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–HB– IV–1712); 2♀, Enshi Co., Xingdou MNNR, 30.039022°N, 109.14274°E, 1114 m, 20.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–T20170520); Chongqing: 1♀, Youyang Co., Taohuayuan Scenic Spot, 28.85096°N, 108.75037°E, 995 m, 23.VII.2017, M. Irfan & G.C. Zhou leg. (HNU– CQ– IV–1718); 2♀, Youyang Co., Taohuayuan Scenic Spot, 28.85264°°N, 108.75444°E, 954 m, 26.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HNU–CQ– IV–1709); 1♀, Youyang Co., Xiaoba Town, Xinqiao Vill., 28.837783°N, 108.723728°E, 924 m, 27.V.2017, G.C. Zhou et al. leg. (HUN–CQ– IV–1712).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin adjective "uncatus " meaning "hooked" referring to hook-shaped embolus in male palp.
Diagnosis. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the distal end of tibia two times wider than proximal end, dorsal tibial apophysis small with blunt end (Figs 100A–D), tip of embolus as wide as Radix in male palp. Female can be differentiated by the ventral plate sclerotized, tombshaped anteriorly; copulatory ducts wave-like in epigyne (Figs 101A–C).
Description. Male (holotype, Figs 102A, B): Total length: 2.06. Carapace 0.85 long, 0.66 wide, orange brown, cephalic region strongly elevated, with cephalic pits, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.18 high. Chelicerae with five promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Sternum longer than wide, orange with greyish patches and microsetae. Eyes:AER recurved, PER procurved, slightly wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.03, ALE 0.04, PME 0.04, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.01, PME–PME 0.09, AME–ALE, 0.06, PME–PLE 0.14, AME–PME 0.17, ALE–ALE 0.29, PLE–PLE 0.31, ALE–PLE 0.01. Length of legs: I 2.08 (0.59, 0.73, 0.40, 0.36), II 1.92 (0.58, 0.63, 0.37, 0.34), III 1.6 (0.55, 0.55, 0.25, 0.25), IV 2.10 (0.68, 0.76, 0.39, 0.27). TmI 0.68 and TmIV 0.62. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1-1. Opisthosoma 1.21 long, 1.03 wide, oval, grey, proximally with two pairs of sigillae and irregular light spots.
Palp (Figs 100A–D): Femur unmodified, almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella as long as tibia, slightly curved mesally. Tibia conic, with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria, dorsal tibial apophysis (DTA) sclerotized, tip slightly curved with blunt end; cymbium unmodified, globular in dorsal view; paracymbium (PC) small, distal arm tip hook-shaped, basally with spines; tegulum (T) almost round, proximally bulging above the subtegulum, protegulum (PT) distinctly developed, membranous; distal suprategular apophysis (DSA) sclerotized, distal end slightly grooved, with blunt end. Radix(R) globular, ventrally grooved, slightly overlapping the suprategulum. Embolic membrane (EM) barely visible on unexpended palp. Embolus (E) sclerotized, moderately long, extending above the apex of cymbium.
Female (one of paratype, Figs 102C, D): Total length: 1.96. Carapace 0.87 long, 0.63 wide, orange, cephalic region slightly elevated, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.17 high. Chelicerae with five promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER procurved, slightly wider than AER. Sternum longer than wide, orange with greyish patches and microsetae. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.06, PME 0.05, PLE 0.04, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, AME–ALE, 0.02, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.25, PLE–PLE 0.27, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 2.28 (0.72, 0.78, 0.42, 0.36), II 2.02 (0.59, 0.68, 0.41, 0.34), III 1.70 (0.55, 0.54, 0.34, 0.27), IV 2.24 (0.71, 0.79, 0.41, 0.33).TmI 0.69 and TmIV 0.61. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-1- 1. Opisthosoma 1.09 long, 0.77 wide, oval, grey, proximally with two pairs of sigillae, dorsally irregular light spots.
Epigyne (Figs 101A–C): Ventral plate (VP) sclerotized, wider than long; dorsal plate (DP) somewhat triangular; copulatory opening (CO) present mid ventrally at the junction of dorsal and ventral plate; copulatory ducts (CD) present mid dorsally; spermathecae (S) globular, present dorsolaterally; fertilization ducts (FD) short, extending mesally.
Distribution. Known only from the type localities (Chongqing and Hubei Province, Figs 310, 312).
Comment. The palps and epigynes of Gongylidium uncatum sp. n. differ from those of the type species and the European species G. soror, which has a modified patella and different tibia, as well as an unmodified carapace. Therefore, this new species is provisionally placed within the genus Gongylidium.
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 79-81, DOI: 10.11646/megataxa.15.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14985176