Lepthyphantes frondeus 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 : 96-101

Lepthyphantes frondeus Irfan, Zhang & Peng , sp. n.

(叶äMme)

Figures 128–130 , 307 , 313 , 315

Types. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Hunan Prov.: Zhangjiajie City, Wulingyuan District, Suoxiyu Town , Wenfeng Vill. , 29.352935°N, 110.608325°E, 582 m, 23.IV.2016, W. Liu et al. leg. Paratypes: 1♂ 2♀, with same data as for holotype male. Hubei Prov.: 3♀, Xuanen Co., Wanzhai Township, Banchang Vill. , 30.147022°N, 109.612693°E, 721 m, 04.IV.2016, W. Liu et al. leg.; Chongqing: 1♂ 1♀, Nanchuan Co., Dayou Town , 28.99736°N, 107.33591°E, 1021 m, 13.VIII.2015, X.J. Peng et al. leg. ( HNU–CQ– IV–1508 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin adjective “frondeus ”, meaning “leafy” and referring to the leaf-shaped distal arm apex of paracymbium in male palp.

Diagnosis. The male of Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n. resembles those of L. ellipticus sp. n. and L. longihamatus in having the similar lamella charactristica and female resembles those of L. brevihamatus and L. ellipticus sp. n. in having the similar scape and stretcher ( Figs 128A–E , 129A–D ; Bosmans 1985, figs 8a–g), but can be distinguished by the distal arm of paracymbium leaf-shaped in L. frondeus sp. n. ( Fig. 128B ), vs. thumb-shaped with blunt end in L. brevihamatus and retrolateral margin wave-like in L. ellipticus sp. n.); terminal apophysis cross-fingers shaped in L. frondeus sp. n. ( Fig. 128A ), vs. tube-shaped, strongly curved in retrolateral view in L. ellipticus sp. n. ( Fig. 125B ) and with J-shaped in L. longihamatus ). Spermathecae oval, situates dorso-mesally in L. frondeus sp. n. ( Fig. 129E ; S-shaped, present dorso-laterally in L. brevihamatus and finger-like in L. ellipticus sp. n.); posterior median plate rectangular in L. frondeus sp. n. ( Fig. 129D ; vs. ear-lobe shaped in L. brevihamatus and trapezoid in L. ellipticus sp. n.).

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 130A–C ): Total length: 2.07. Carapace 0.97 long, 0.84 wide, yellowish brown. Clypeus 0.29 high. Chelicerae with one promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Sternum longer than wide, brownish black with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER straight, slightly wider. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.05, AME–ALE, 0.04, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.33, PLE–PLE 0.35, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 5.10 (1.23,1.71,1.35,0.81), II4.26 (1.07,1.37,1.13,0.69), III 3.58 (1.19, 1.01, 0.87, 0.51, 0.51), IV 4.06 (1.16, 1.15, 1.14, 0.61). TmI and TmIV present. Tibial spine formula: 2-2-2-2. Opisthosoma 1.19 long, 0.63 wide, oval, dusky grey, dorsally with brown band followed by four pairs of white patches; lateral side with white patches; ventral side brownish black with a white patch near the base of spinnerets.

Palp( Figs128A–D ):Femur unmodified,almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella shorter than tibia with a long dorsal spine. Tibia conic, with 2 retrolateral and 1 dorsal trichobothria; proximal cymbial apophysis (PCA) bean-shaped and the other tubele broad with blunt end; cymbium retrolateral margin with a shallow depression at the base, proximal cymbial apophysis (PCA) bifurcated at the proximal end; paracymbium (PC) proximal wider than long, with small projection and with fine spines, distal arm leaf-shaped, with finger like tip. The ventral part of the pit hook ( PH) broad slightly excavated with narrow hook-shaped dorsal tip. Radix (R) longer than wide with Fickert’s gland (fg) present at proximal end; lamella characteristica (LC) relatively sclerotized, curved, longer than wide with pointed end; terminal apophysis (TA) cross-fingers shaped with pointed end; embolus proper almost one and half times longer than the radix.

Female (one of the paratypes, Figs 130D–F ): Total length: 1.92. Carapace 0.83 long, 0.66 wide, yellowish brown. Clypeus 0. 24 high. Chelicerae with 5 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Sternum wider than long, brownish black with microsetae. Eyes, AER recurved, PER straight, slightly wider. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.04, AME–ALE, 0.03, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.27, PLE–PLE 0.30, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 4.35 (1.19, 1.39, 1.06, 0.71), II 3.74 (1.05, 1.17, 0.89, 0.63), III 2.88 (0.93, 0.86, 0.66, 0.43), IV 3.46 (1.11, 1.10, 0.69, 0.56). TmI and TmIV present.Tibial spine formula:2-2-2-2. Opisthosoma 1.19 long, 0.78 wide, all the other morphological character same as in male except darker in color.

Epigyne ( Figs 129A–E ): Protruding, scape broad, wider than long, with a deep notch distally in ventral view, proximal part of scape (PPS) oval, narrowing anteriorly; stretcher (ST) relatively small with a socket ventrally; entrance groove (EG) inside lateral pockets; Lateral pockets (LP) earlobe-shaped expanding laterally; posterior median plate (PMP) small, quadrate; spermathecae (S) small, situates dorso-mesally.

Distribution. Known only from the type localities (Chongqing, Hubei and Hunan Provinces, Figs 307 , 313 , 315 ).

Figures

FIGURE 125. Lepthyphantes ellipticus sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, dorsal view; D Palp, ventral view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; EP—embolus proper; fg—Fickert’s gland; LC—lamella characteristica; MM—median membrane; PC—paracymbium; PCA—proximal cymbial apophysis; PH—pit hook; R—radix; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—terminal apophysis.

FIGURE 128. Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, dorsal view; D Palp, ventral view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; EP—embolus proper; fg—Fickert’s gland; LC—lamella characteristica; MM—median membrane; PC—paracymbium; PCA—proximal cymbial apophysis; PH—pit hook; R—radix; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—terminal apophysis.

FIGURE 129. Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n., female paratype. A, C Epigyne, ventral view; B Epigyne, lateral view; D Vulva, dorsal view; E Vulva, anterior view. Abbreviations: EG—entrance groove; LP—lateral pocket; PMP—posterior median plate; PPS—proximal part of scape; S—spermatheca; ST—stretcher.

FIGURE 130. Lepthyphantes frondeus 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 307. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Chongqing: 1. Bathyphantes paracymbialis Tanasevitch, 2014; 2. Diplocephalus circularis sp. n.; 3. Frontinella zhui Li & Song, 1993; 4. Gnathonarium dentatum (Wider, 1834); 5. Gongylidioides acuminatus sp. n.; 6. Gongylidioides ensis sp. n.; 7. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n.; 8. Himalaphantes azumiensis (Oi, 1979); 9. Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall, 1830); 10. Indophantes wushanensis Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023; 11. Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n.; 12. Wulinggone qizimeiensis sp. n.; 13. Nematogmus ligulatus sp. n.; 14. Nematogmus sanguinolentus (Walckenaer, 1841); 15. Nippononeta alpina (Li & Zhu, 1993); 16. Nippononeta coreana (Paik, 1991); 17. Oia yinae sp. n.; 18. Oilinyphia xinqiaoensis sp. n.; 19. Oilinyphioides triangularis sp. n.; 20. Prosoponoides sinensis (Chen, 1991); 21. Scotinotylus guizhouensis sp. n.; 22. Sinolinyphia henanensis (Hu, Wang & Wang, 1991); 23. Syedra yuelushanensis sp. n.; 24. Ummeliata feminea (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906); 25. Ummeliata insecticeps (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906); 26. Walckenaeria sinuosa sp. n.; 27. Wuliphantes tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988).

FIGURE 313. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Hubei Prov.: 19. Lepthyphantes ellipticus sp. n.; 20. Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n.; 21. Linyphia songziyuanensis sp. n.; 22. Lenis longiabdominis sp. n.; 23. Wulinggone qizimeiensis sp. n.; 24. Nematogmus ligulatus sp. n.; 25. Nematogmus sanguinolentus (Walckenaer, 1841); 26. Nippononeta coreana (Paik, 1991); 27. Oedothorax collinus Ma & Zhu, 1991; 28. Paikiniana lurida (Seo, 1991); 29. Parameioneta bilobata Li & Zhu, 1993; 30. Wulingnus furcatus sp. n.; 31. Wulingnus inversus sp. n.; 32. Platyspira tanasevitchi Song & Li, 2009; 33. Prosoponoides sinensis (Chen, 1991); 34. Ryojius lianghekouensis sp. n.

FIGURE 315. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Hunan Prov.: 1. Acanoides cornutus sp. n.; 2. Acanoides ningxiangensis sp. n.; 4. Auriculaiana yongshunensis sp. n.; 5. Baryphyma xiaoxiense sp. n.; 6. Bathyphantes paracymbialis Tanasevitch, 2014; 7. Bathyphantes pseudogracilis sp. n.; 8. Bifurcia ramosa (Li & Zhu, 1987); 9. Bolyphantes arcuatus sp. n; 10. Bolyphantes gladius sp. n.; 11. Capsulia tianmushana (Chen & Song, 1987); 12. Dicristatus cordatus sp. n.; 13. Diplocephalus circularis sp. n.; 14. Drapetisca boletus sp. n.; 15. Drapetisca nanpingensis sp. n.; 16. Drapetisca yuelushanensis sp. n.; 17. Erigone prominens Bösenberg & Strand, 1906; 18. Frontinella zhui Li & Song, 1993; 19. Gnathonarium dentatum (Wider, 1834); 20. Gnathonarium gibberum Oi, 1960; 21. Oedothorax fortis sp. n.; 22. Tapinocyba sulcata sp. n.; 23. Himalaphantes azumiensis (Oi, 1979); 24. Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall, 1830); 25. Kaestneria bicultrata Chen & Yin, 2000; 26. Lepthyphantes frondeus sp. n.; 27. Microlinyphia zhejiangensis (Chen, 1991); 3. Microneta acutalis sp. n.; 28. Nematogmus sanguinolentus (Walckenaer, 1841); 29. Nippononeta alpina (Li & Zhu, 1993); 30. Nippononeta coreana (Paik, 1991); 31. Oia baiyunensis sp. n.; 32. Oia lata sp. n.; 33. Oia yinae sp. n.; 34. Oilinyphioides triangularis sp. n.; 35. Paikiniana lurida (Seo, 1991); 36. Parameioneta bilobata Li & Zhu, 1993; 37. Prosoponoides sinensis (Chen, 1991); 38. Ryojius lianghekouensis sp. n.; 39. Ryojius nanyuensis (Chen & Yin, 2000); 40. Scotinotylus longiprojectus sp. n.; 41. Shaanxinus insectus sp. n.; 42. Shaanxinus longiembolus sp. n.; 43. Sinolinyphia henanensis (Hu, Wang & Wang, 1991); 44. Syedra yuelushanensis sp. n.; 45. Tenuiphantes taipingensis sp. n.; 46. Ummeliata feminea (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906); 47. Ummeliata insecticeps (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906); 48. Walckenaeria xingdouensis sp. n.; 49. Walckenaeria extenuata sp. n.; 50. Walckenaeria yanglinensis sp. n.; 51. Wuliphantes tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988); 52. Yuelushannus diaotangensis sp. n.; 53. Yuelushannus jinyuanensis sp. n.; 54. Yuelushannus wenfengensis sp. n..