Bolyphantes aculeatus Irfan, Zhang & Peng

Irfan, Muhammad, Zhou, Gu-Chun, Peng, Xian-Jin & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2025, Survey of Linyphiidae spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from some Oriental Regions of China, Megataxa 15 (1), pp. 1-248 : 25-28

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 ).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, dorsal view; D Palp, ventral view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; fg—Fickert’s gland; LC—lamella characteristica; MM—median membrane; PC—paracymbium; R—radix; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—terminal apophysis.

FIGURE 26. Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n., male paratype palp. A Dorsal tibial spine B Paracymbium C Embolic division, prolateral view; D Embolic division, retrolateral view.Abbreviations: E—embolus; fg—Fickert’s gland; LC—lamella characteristica; MM— median membrane; PC—paracymbium; R—radix; TA—terminal apophysis; TH—thumb.

FIGURE 27. Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n., female paratype. A, B Epigyne, ventral view; C Epigyne, dorsal view. Abbreviations: EG—entrance groove; LP—lateral pocket; PMP—posterior median plate; PS—pseudoscape; S—spermatheca; ST—stretcher.

FIGURE 28. Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n., male holotype (A–C) and female paratype (D–F). A, D Habitus, dorsal view; B, E Habitus, lateral view; C, F Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 310. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Guizhou Prov.: 1. Bathyphantes paracymbialis Tanasevitch, 2014; 2. Bifurcia ramosa (Li & Zhu, 1987); 3. Bolyphantes aculeatus sp. n.; 4. Bolyphantes arcuatus sp. n.; 5. Bolyphantes gladius sp. n.; 7. Dicristatus denticulatus sp. n.; 8. Diplocephalus tongrenensis sp. n.; 9. Diplocephaloides cucullus sp. n.; 10. Gonatium absidatum sp. n.; 11. Tapinocyba cornuta sp. n.; 12. Gongylidium demersum sp. n.; 13. Tapinocyba pingshanensis sp. n.; 14. Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall, 1830); 15. Nippononeta coreana (Paik, 1991); 16. Prosoponoides sinensis (Chen, 1991); 17. Ryojius fanjingshanensis sp. n.; 18. Ryojius fodingshanensis sp. n.; 19. Scotinotylus guizhouensis sp. n.; 20. Scotinotylus longiprojectus sp. n.; 21. Spelaeus cicatrix sp. n.; 6. Trematocephalus cristatus (Wider, 1834); 22. Walckenaeria asymmetrica Song & Li, 2011; 23. Walckenaeria xingdouensis sp. n..