Gongylidium uncatum 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 : 79-81

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 .

Figures

FIGURE 100. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, ventral view; D Palp, dorsal view.Abbreviations: DSA—distal suprategular apophysis; DTA—dorsal tibial apophysis; E—embolus; Em— embolic membrane; PC—paracymbium; PT—protegulum; R—radix; SPT—suprategulum; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum.

FIGURE 101. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n., female (one of paratypes). A, B Epigyne, ventral view; C Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CD—copulatory duct; CO—copulatory opening; DP—dorsal plate; FD—fertilization duct; S—spermatheca; VP— ventral plate.

FIGURE 102. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n., male holotype (A, B) and female paratype (C, D). A, C Habitus, dorsal view; B, D 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 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..

FIGURE 312. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Hubei Prov.: 2. Asiagone xingdouensis sp. n.; 3. Bathyphantes paracymbialis Tanasevitch, 2014; 4. Bifurcia cochlearis sp. n.; 5. Capsulia tianmushana (Chen & Song, 1987); 6. Dicristatus cordatus sp. n.; 7. Diplocephalus circularis sp. n.; 8. Erigone prominens Bösenberg & Strand, 1906; 9. Frontinella zhui Li & Song, 1993; 10. Gnathonarium dentatum (Wider, 1834); 11. Gongylidioides ensis sp. n.; 12. Gongylidioides microdontus sp. n.; 13. Gongylidium dawolongense sp. n.; 14. Gongylidium minutum sp. n.; 15. Gongylidium uncatum sp. n.; 16. Houshenzinus rimosus Tanasevitch, 2006; 17. Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall, 1830); 18. Indophantes wushanensis Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023; 1. Microneta maliuxiensis sp. n..