Brevitubus lunatus, Zhu & Liao & Yin & Xu, 2025

Zhu, Shixiong, Liao, Rongrong, Yin, Haiqiang & Xu, Xiang, 2025, Brevitubus gen. nov. (Araneae, Phrurolithidae), a new guardstone spider genus from southern China, with descriptions of four new species and proposal of four new combinations, Zootaxa 5637 (3), pp. 450-468 : 458-459

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5637.3.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2AEF30EC-BCE0-4A0D-8793-3CCDF0C6176B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15562630
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D766C41B-FFC4-FF9C-F4DC-6D88B2D4F949
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Brevitubus lunatus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Brevitubus lunatus sp. nov. (šnSŝe)

Figs 4 View FIGURE 4 , 8 View FIGURE 8

Type material. China • ♂ holotype; Guangxi, Laibin City, Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, Shengtangshan Scenic Area ; 23°58'03"N, 110°06'31"E; 1523 m a.s.l.; 11 Oct. 2021; A.L. He, J.X. Liu, Z.G. Huang, R. R. Liao, Q. Li, X.M. Yang, Y.L. Wen, Z. Ye, and Y. Liu leg.; HNU605 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The species epithet is the Latin word, “ lunatus ”, meaning “crescent-shaped”, in reference to the shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis; adjective.

Diagnosis. Male of the new species is similar to that of B. subpinglong sp. nov. in having a U-shaped sperm duct, palm-shaped membranous conductor, and short and small embolus (compare Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C−F with Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 C−F), but it can be distinguished by the shape of RTA with an additional branch besides a relatively short distal end in the new species, while RTA with a long distal end and without any additional branch in B. subpinglong sp. nov. (compare Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C−F with Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 C−F).

Description. Male (holotype): total length 3.49, carapace 1.57 long, 1.36 wide; abdomen 1.83 long, 1.08wide. Carapace brown, with a conspicuous chrysanthemum-petal-shaped pattern ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Cervical groove and radial furrow integrating into the pattern of carapace. Fovea dark red, longitudinal. AER and PER recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.09, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME−AME 0.03, AME−ALE 0.01, PME−PME 0.08, PME−PLE 0.04, ALE−PLE 0.09, AME−PME 0.07, ALE−ALE 0.40, PLE−PLE 0.57. CH 0.06. Chelicera with 3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth. MOA 0.22 long, anterior width 0.22, posterior width 0.28. Leg measurements: I 6.25 (1.48, 0.52, 1.90, 1.48, 0.87); II 5.00 (1.10, 0.47, 1.45, 1.15, 0.83); III 4.39 (1.07, 0.35, 1.04, 1.19, 0.74); IV 6.63 (1.70, 0.47, 1.68, 1.82, 0.96); Leg formula: 4123. Leg spination: Femur I pv1-1-1-1, II pv1-1-1; Tibia I v2-2-2- 2-2-2-2, II v2-2-2-2-2-2; Metatarsus I v2-2-2-2, II pv1-1-1-1, rv1-1-1. Abdomen oval. Dorsum almost black except for a short white stripe located at the posterior end ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Venter light-yellow, with 2 black longitudinal stripes and 1 black patch anterior to spinnerets, and with 1 additional light brown patch centrally ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ).

Palp. Femur with a distinct protrusion ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ). RTA very strong in retrolateral view ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ), with two apices in prolateral view ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ), and with a sharp distal end and a basal apophysis with two tiny apices in dorsal view ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Tegular apophysis triangular. Sperm duct distinct, U-shaped (forming about a three-quarter circle), occupying ~1/3 length of tegulum. Embolus small and short. Conductor membranous, longitudinally elongated and supporting the base of embolus ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Guangxi, China ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Note. Although DNA sequences could not be successfully obtained for this new species, its morphological characteristics strongly support its placement within the new genus.