Acantholycosa zhangi, Zhang & Zhang & Wang, 2025

Zhang, Xiang-Yun, Zhang, Zhi-Sheng & Wang, Lu-Yu, 2025, Review of the wolf spider genus Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908 from China (Araneae, Lycosidae), ZooKeys 1240, pp. 239-256 : 239-256

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1240.146399
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E716A54F-CFF2-45F0-8ADB-534EA97A6981
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15609702
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/690F63FB-226E-5481-8239-17AE20857EC4
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Acantholycosa zhangi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Acantholycosa zhangi sp. nov.

Figs 10 View Figure 10 , 11 View Figure 11 , 12 View Figure 12 , 13 View Figure 13

Acantholycosa baltoroi View in CoL : Song et al. 2001: 226, figs 138 A – D (♂ ♀); Zhang et al. 2022: 119, figs 83 A – J (♂ ♀). (misidentified).

Type material.

• Holotype ♂ ( SWUC -T-LY-26-01 ) and paratype ♀ ( SWUC -T-LY-26-02 ): China, Hebei Prov., Zhangjiakou City, Yu Co., Xiaowutai Nature Reserve, Jinhekou , 39°56'17"N, 114°58'4"E, elev. 1334 m, 1. 07. 2012, F. Zhang leg. GoogleMaps

Etymology.

The specific name comes from the family name of Prof. Feng Zhang of Hebei University (Hebei, China), who collected this new species.

Diagnosis.

The new species is similar to A. zang sp. nov. in having similar conformation of copulatory organs (Figs 10 A – E View Figure 10 , 11 B – F View Figure 11 , 12 B, C View Figure 12 ; 7 A – E View Figure 7 , 8 B – F View Figure 8 , 9 B, C View Figure 9 ), but differs by paleal apophysis rectangular with wavy tip in ventral view (Figs 10 A, C View Figure 10 , 11 B, D, F View Figure 11 ) (vs. triangular with pointed tip; Figs 7 A, C View Figure 7 , 8 B, D, F View Figure 8 ); median apophysis rectangular with hook-shaped basal arm and triangular spine (Figs 10 A View Figure 10 , 11 B, D View Figure 11 ) (vs. axe shaped without spine; Figs 7 A View Figure 7 , 8 B, D View Figure 8 ); embolus gradually tapering from base to tip and slightly curved (Figs 10 A, C View Figure 10 , 11 B, D, F View Figure 11 ) (vs. with parallel margins except for tip suddenly tapering; Figs 7 A, C View Figure 7 , 8 B, D, F View Figure 8 ). Females can be distinguished by two less pronounced (Figs 10 D View Figure 10 , 12 B View Figure 12 ) (vs. distinct hoods, Figs 7 D View Figure 7 , 9 B View Figure 9 ); width of hoods one-third septal posterior width (Figs 10 D View Figure 10 , 12 B View Figure 12 ) (vs. width of hoods equal to septal posterior width; Figs 7 D View Figure 7 , 9 B View Figure 9 ); septal base trapezoidal (Figs 10 D View Figure 10 , 12 B View Figure 12 ) (vs. base hexagonal without spine; Figs 7 D View Figure 7 , 9 B View Figure 9 ); spermathecal heads smooth (Figs 10 E View Figure 10 , 12 C View Figure 12 ) (vs. heads with wart-like projections; Figs 7 E View Figure 7 , 9 C View Figure 9 ).

Description.

Male holotype (Fig. 11 A View Figure 11 ) total length 9.47. Carapace 4.78 long, 3.86 wide; opisthosoma 4.61 long, 2.78 wide. Carapace black brown with dark margins. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.14, PME 0.50, PLE 0.35; AME – AME 0.14, AME – ALE 0.10, PME – PME 0.45, PME – PLE 0.62. Clypeus height 0.29. Leg measurements: I 14.56 (3.80, 5.20, 3.67, 1.89); II 14.29 (3.53, 5.08, 3.70, 1.98); III 14.16 (3.48, 4.46, 4.22, 2.00); IV 18.94 (4.47, 5.58, 6.26, 2.63). Femur I with 5 dorsal and 2 prolateral spines; tibia I with 2 dorsal, 1 prolateral, 1 retrolateral and 8 ventral spines; metatarsus I with 2 dorsal, 4 prolateral, 5 retrolateral and 3 ventral spines.

Palp (Figs 10 A – C View Figure 10 , 11 B – F View Figure 11 ). Cymbium with dense black setae and one claw. Paleal apophysis rectangular with wavy end. Terminal apophysis with a hook-shaped tip in retrolateral view. Median apophysis rectangular with hook-shaped basal arm and triangular spine. Embolus originating at 9 o’clock position, broad and almost straight, without basal spine, tapering from base to tip; distal end of embolus slightly curved, pointing posteriorly.

Female paratype (Fig. 12 A View Figure 12 ) total length 10.33. Carapace 5.16 long, 3.91 wide; opisthosoma 5.43 long, 3.72 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.15, PME 0.50, PLE 0.41; AME – AME 0.17, AME – ALE 0.10, PME – PME 0.49, PME – PLE 0.59. Clypeus 0.54 high. Leg measurements: I 14.89 (3.92, 5.47, 3.54, 1.96); II 14.68 (4.04, 5.06, 3.58, 2.00); III 14.73 (3.88, 4.57, 4.31, 1.97); IV 20.63 (5.03, 6.18, 6.55, 2.87). Femur I with 5 dorsal and 2 prolateral spines; tibia I with 2 prolateral, 2 retrolateral and 8 ventral spines; metatarsus I with 5 prolateral, 4 retrolateral and 3 ventral spines. Except for the lighter body color, the other features are the same as those of the males.

Epigyne (Figs 10 D, E View Figure 10 , 12 B, C View Figure 12 ). Two hoods less pronounced and shallow. Atrium rhomboid. Septum with trapeziodal base. Width of hoods one-third septal posterior width. Spermathecal heads clavate and smooth. Spermathecal stalks slightly curved. Fertilization ducts extending antero-laterally.

Distribution.

China (Hebei).

Comment.

This species belongs to the A. solituda - group.

Remarks.

Following the taxonomic revision by Sankaran and Caleb (2023) that transferred Acantholycosa baltoroi to the genus Evippa Simon, 1882 (currently recognized as E. baltoroi ), and the subsequent recognition that all previous records of A. baltoroi represented misidentifications, the former “ A. baltoroi - group ” requires nomenclatural adjustment. We hereby propose the reclassification of this species group as the Acantholycosa solituda - group, based on taxonomic priority. In addition, because of the closer morphological similarity between A. lignaria and A. zonsteini , we reclassify A. zonsteini along with the similar species A. levinae Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004 into the A. lignaria - group. Therefore, the A. solituda - group comprises the following valid species: A. sergeevi Fomichev, 2021 , A. solituda , A. sterneri , and the two newly described taxa ( A. zang sp. nov. and A. zhangi sp. nov.).