Draconarius circinatus, Li & Zhou & Liu & Liu & Peng, 2025

Li, Song-Lin, Zhou, Yu-Chen, Liu, Ping, Liu, Feng & Peng, Xian-Jin, 2025, Three new species of the genus Draconarius Ovtchinnikov, 1999 (Araneae: Agelenidae) from Hunan Province, China, Zootaxa 5659 (4), pp. 581-588 : 582-583

Draconarius circinatus sp. nov.

Figure 1 , 2 , 6

Type material. Holotype ♂: CHINA: Hunan Province: Huaihua City, Hongjiang County, Xuefeng Town , 27.319272°N, 110.398296°E, 1282 m, 21 Sep. 2023, Yu-Chen Zhou, Zi-Yue Liu, Yong Peng, Xin-Yu Qin, Gang Tang leg. ( HNU-XFS-2302 ) . Paratypes: 1♀, Shaoyang City, Dongkou County, Jiangkou Town , 27.146777°N, 110.321231°E, 1340 m, 9 Jul. 2022, Yu-Chen Zhou, Song-Lin Li, Yong Peng, Meng-Ting Zhang, Li-Fen Li leg. ( HNU-XFS-2202-01 ) ; 1♀, Shaoyang City, Dongkou County, Jiangkou Town , 27.146883°N, 110.343392°E, 1294 m, 11 Jul. 2022, Yu-Chen Zhou, Song-Lin Li, Yong Peng, Meng-Ting Zhang, Li-Fen Li leg. ( HNU-XFS-2204-01 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin “ circinatus ” (coiled), referring to the coiled conductor, adjective.

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from other Draconarius species by the male palp with distal portion of conductor banded and coiled clockwise and female vulva with spermathecal heads connected with round spherical chamber and situated laterally. The male of this new species is similar to that of Draconarius latus sp. nov. in the shape of prolateral tibial apophysis, rodlike lateral tibial apophysis and coiled distal end of conductor, but can be distinguished by: 1) patellar apophysis narrowed abruptly from the middle in retrolateral view in D. circinatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 2C ), while narrowed gradually from the base in D. latus sp. nov. ( Fig. 5C ); 2) retrolateral tibial apophysis semilunar in retrolateral view in D. circinatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 2C ), while trapezoid in D. latus sp. nov. ( Fig. 5C ); 3) cymbial furrow approximately 1/2 length of the cymbium in D. circinatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 2C ), while approximately 1/4 length of the cymbium in D. latus sp. nov. ( Fig. 5C ); 4) the distal end of the conductor band-shaped in ventral view in D. circinatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 2B ), while cap-shaped in ventral view in D. latus sp. nov. ( Fig. 5B ); 5) embolus extended above to the conductor dorsal margin in prolateral view in D. circinatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 2A ), while distinctly below the conductor dorsal margin in prolateral view in D. latus sp. nov. ( Fig. 5A ).

Description. Male (holotype) ( Fig. 1A, B ). Total length 6.24; carapace 3.45 long, 2.24 wide; clypeus 0.17 high. Abdomen 2.89 long, 1.68 wide. Carapace yellowish-brown, covered with black setae. Fovea longitudinal, radial and cervical grooves distinct. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.17, ALE 0.18, PME 0.12, PLE 0.17, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.04. Chelicerae dark brown, with 3 promarginal teeth and 2 retromarginal teeth. Endites buff and labium brown, distal ends white and with dark setae. Sternum buff with brown edge. Leg yellowish-brown. Measurements of legs: I, 10.20 (2.78, 3.40, 2.22, 1.80); II, 8.47 (2.38, 2.70, 1.97, 1.42); III, 8.05 (2.16, 2.60, 2.25, 1.04); IV, 11.51 (2.92, 3.39, 3.55, 1.65). Leg formula: 4123. Abdomen oval, dorsum with two pairs of white spots and a white longitudinal band on the anterior area, and 5 light herring-bones on the posterior median area; venter light yellow, with black maculation.

Palp ( Fig. 2A–C ). Patellar apophysis as long as the patella, narrowed abruptly from the middle in retrolateral view. Prolateral tibial apophysis digital, retrolateral tibial apophysis semilunar and lateral tibial apophysis short. Cymbial furrow about 1/2 length of cymbium. Conductor: distal portion banded and coiled in clockwise, basal lamella semilunar, dorsal margin cambered, dorsal apophysis rodlike. Embolus long and thin, originated at about 6:00 o’clock position.

Female (Paratype) ( Fig. 1C, D ). Total length 8.14; carapace 3.73 long, 2.41 wide; clypeus 0.17 high. Abdomen 4.67 long, 3.21 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.20, PME 0.17, PLE 0.20, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.03, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.14. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth and 2 retromarginal teeth. Measurements of legs: I 9.19 (2.65, 3.20, 2.01, 1.33); II 8.19 (2.42, 2.69, 1.93, 1.15); III 7.78 (2.18, 2.50, 2.03, 1.07); IV 10.46 (2.82, 3.41, 3.01, 1.22). Leg formula: 4123. Color yellow brown, pattern same as in male.

Epigyne ( Fig. 2C, D ). With 2 triangular teeth on the anterior sides of epigyne, pointing to center. Hoods shallow. Atrium semicircular, posteriorly located. Copulatory openings located below the anterior margin of the atrium. Copulatory ducts banded with wavy margins, located between the spermathecae. Spermathecal base wrinkled, spermathecal heads connected with round spherical chamber and situated laterally. Fertilization duct digitiform.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 6 ).

GenBank accession number. Holotype (HNU-XFS-2302): PV660706; paratype (HNU-XFS-2202-01): PV660705.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Draconarius circinatus sp. nov. A Male holotype, habitus, dorsal view; B Ditto, ventral view; C Female paratype, habitus, dorsal view; D Ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Draconarius circinatus sp. nov. A Male holotype, left palp, prolateral view; B Ditto, ventral view; C Ditto, retrolateral view; D Female paratype, epigyne, ventral view; E. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–C); 0.2 mm (D, E).

FIGURE 5. Draconarius latus sp. nov. A Male holotype, left palp, prolateral view; B Ditto, ventral view; C Ditto, retrolateral view; D Female paratype, epigyne, ventral view; E. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–C); 0.2 mm (D, E).

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Draconarius circinatus sp. nov., Draconarius jiemuxiensis sp. nov. and Draconarius latus sp. nov.