Tenuiphantes cauda 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 : 192-194

Tenuiphantes cauda Irfan, Zhang & Peng , sp. n.

(Xäāe)

Figures 266–268 , 318

Types. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Anhui Prov.: 31.377343°N, 117.047005°E, 28.X.1974.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin noun “cauda ” meaning “tail” referring to the proximal cymbial apophysis tail-like in male palp.

Diagnosis. Tenuiphantes cauda sp. n. resembles T. taipingensis sp. n. in having the similar paracymbium ( Figs 252A–D ; Figs 255A–D ), but can be distinguished by the proximal cymbial apophysis tail-like in T. cauda sp. n. ( Fig. 252C ), vs. with a small projection proximally with pointed end in T. taipingensis sp. n. ( Fig. 255D ); teeth absent at the base of embolus in T. cauda sp. n. ( Fig. 252A ), vs. with several teeth at the base embolus in T. taipingensis sp. n. ( Fig. 255A ).

Description. Male ( Figs 254A, B ): Total length: 2.19. Carapace 1.04 long, 0.81 wide, brown, fovea, cervical and radial grooves distinct. Clypeus 0.18 high. Chelicerae with four promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Sternum shield-like, brownish black with microsetae. Eyes: AER recurved, PER straight, wider than AER. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.07, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.05, AME–ALE, 0.06, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.34, PLE–PLE 0.36, ALE–PLE contiguous. Length of legs: I 4.46 (1.17, 1.45, 1.07, 0.77), II 4.02 (1.11, 1.29, 0.97, 0.65), III 3.17 (0.89, 0.98, 0.79, 0.51), IV 4.2 (1.15, 1.35, 1.06, 0.64). Tibial spine formula: 2-2-2-2. TmI 0.62 and TmIV 0.61. Opisthosoma 1.15 long, 0.77 wide, oval, dusky grey to brown; ventral side brownish black.

Palp ( Figs 252A–D , 253A, B ): Femur unmodified, almost longer than both patella and tibia. Patella as long as tibia, ventrally grooved, with a long dorsal spine. Tibia conical, unmodified, with two retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria; cymbium unmodified, retrolateral margin with a shallow depression at the base, proximal cymbial apophysis (PCA) tail-like with blunt tip; paracymbium (PC) U-shaped, distal arm with rectangular projection with blunt tip protruding upward. Pit hook ( PH) tip pointed. Radix (R) longer than wide, bean-shaped with Fickert’s glang (fg); lamella characteristica (LC) with about three projections radiating and protruding upward; terminal apophysis (TA) grooved with small projection extending forward with pointed end; embolus (E) longer than wide, thumb (TH) oval.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Anhui Province, Fig. 318 ).

Figures

FIGURE 252. Tenuiphantes cauda sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, dorsal view; D Palp, ventral view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; LC—lamella characteristica; MM—median membrane; PC—paracymbium; PCA—proximal cymbial apophysis; PH—pit hook; R—radix; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—terminal apophysis; TH— thumb.

FIGURE 253. Tenuiphantes cauda sp. n., male paratype palp. A Embolic division, prolateral view; B Embolic division, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: E—embolus; fg—Fickert’s gland; LC—lamella characteristica; MM—median membrane; R—radix; TH—thumb.

FIGURE 254. Tenuiphantes cauda sp. n., male holotype. A Habitus, dorsal view; B Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 255. Tenuiphantes taipingensis sp. n., male holotype. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, ventral view; D Palp, dorsal view.Abbreviations:E—embolus;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 266. Ummeliata insecticeps (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), female. A, B Epigyne, ventral view; C Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURE 267. Ummeliata insecticeps (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), male (A, B) and female (C, D). A, C Habitus, dorsal view; B, D Habitus, ventral view.

FIGURE 268. Walckenaeria asymmetrica Song & Li, 2011. A Palp, prolateral view; B Palp, retrolateral view; C Palp, dorsal view; D Palp, ventral view. Abbreviations: DSA—distal suprategular apophysis; DTA—dorsal tibial apophysis; E—embolus; Em—embolic membrane; PC—paracymbium; PT—protegulum; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; R—radix; ST—subtegulum; SPT—suprategulum; T—tegulum; TP—tailpiece of radix.

FIGURE 318. Distribution of Linyphiidae species in Anhui Prov. and Gansu Prov.: 1. Tenuiphantes aduncus (Zhu, Li & Sha, 1986); 2. Tenuiphantes cauda sp. n..