Pararana jiufushanensis Yao & K. K. Liu, 2025

Wang, Zhong-Jing, Liu, Bin-Lu, Yao, Yan-Bin, Shi, Ying-Ying & Liu, Ke-Ke, 2025, Preliminary survey of midget cave spiders (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from forest ecosystems in southern China with the description of three new species, ZooKeys 1247, pp. 187-205 : 187-205

Pararana jiufushanensis Yao & K. K. Liu sp. nov.

Figs 5 A-I , 6 A-F , 7 A-C , 12 C, D

Type material.

Holotype: • ♂, China: Fujian Province, Sanming City, Youxi County, Jiufu Mountain Eco-tourism Scenic Spot , 26°6'1.67"N, 118°4'52.25"E, 1 March 2025, Y. Yao, J. Gong, H. Yu, M. Wu and R. Zhao leg. (Lep-25, ASM-JGSU) . Paratypes: • 2 ♂, 2 ♀, other data as same as the holotype. (Lep-25, ASM-JGSU) .

Diagnosis.

The male of this species is similar to that of Pararana mingxuani ( Liu et al. 2024: 317, figs 25 B-D, 26 A-E) in having the cymbium with a notch and the swollen patella, but can be easily separated by the patella with two thin and short stick-like spines (vs seven short tooth-like spines), the tibia with a thick and straight spine (vs relatively curved and thin), the thick and highly elongated median apophysis (vs short and thin) and the slightly straight tube embolus (vs curved and rod-like) (Figs 5 C-I , 6 A-F ). The female can be easily distinguished from that of P. mingxuani ( Liu et al. 2024: 317, fig. 27 C) by the sub-trapezoidal atrium (vs bell-shaped) and the C-shaped spermathecal stalk (vs S-shaped) (Fig. 7 C ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 5 A, B . Total length 1.72, carapace 0.66 long, 0.54 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances (Fig. 5 A ): ALE 0.04, PME 0.05, PLE 0.05, ALE - PME 0.06, PLE - PLE 0.07, PLE - PME 0.02; AER 0.09, PER 0.12. Clypeus 0.11 high. Chelicerae with eight promarginal and five retromarginal teeth. Endites oval-shaped, longer than wide, with 9 club-shaped setae on the upper inner side and dense long setae on the lower inner side. Labium nearly semicircular, wider than long, with a few setae on the upper side. Sternum (Fig. 5 B ) shield-shaped, nearly as long as wide, with a few setae medially. Legs (Fig. 5 A, B ): with abundant short setae; measurements: I 1.3 (1.1, 0.2, missing); II 3.13 (0.84, 0.21, 0.83, 0.69, 0.56); III 2.7 (0.77, 0.19, 0.65, 0.61, 0.48); IV 3.74 (1.06, 0.2, 1.04, 0.85, 0.59). Pedicel 0.09. Abdomen (Fig. 5 A, B ) 0.98 long, 0.55 wide.

Coloration (Fig. 5 A, B ). Carapace yellow to brown, outer edge darker, with three pairs of radially arranged dark brown patches on both sides. Chelicerae dark yellow. Endites dark yellow to black, with brown spots on the outer margin. Labium dark yellow. Sternum yellow to dark brown, with many ruleless dark brown spots on the surface and with a dark yellow stripe medially. Legs yellowish, with dense small brown spots. Abdomen yellowish to brown, with brown patches along the margin; venter yellow to black, with large areas of scale-like brown and yellow spots.

Palp (Figs 5 C-I , 6 A-F ). Femur with strong spines on each side, ventral view with three long and stout spines especially; patella expanded, with two thin and short stick-like spines; tibia with a very thick spine retrolaterally. Cymbium with a notch subapically. Bulb (Fig. 5 F-I ): embolus tube-like, middle part slightly curved, located behind the conductor; median apophysis lamellar, extremely long, with a net-shaped surface; conductor membranous, with serrulate margin; Dorsally with two apophysis, one sclerotized and tipped with a hook, the other membranous and pointed.

Female (paratype). Habitus as in Fig. 7 A, B . As in male, except as noted. Total length 1.88, carapace 0.66 long, 0.54 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances (Fig. 7 A ): ALE 0.04, PME 0.05, PLE 0.05, ALE - PME 0.06, PLE - PLE 0.07, PLE - PME 0.03; AER 0.09, PER 0.13. Clypeus 0.09 high. Legs (Fig. 7 A, B ): measurements: I 3.94 (1.06, 0.21, 1.15, 0.84, 0.68); II 2.87 (0.78, 0.21, 0.75, 0.61, 0.52); III 2.61 (0.72, 0.19, 0.63, 0.58, 0.49); IV 3.61 (0.97, 0.21, 1.05, 0.81, 0.57). Pedicel 0.07. Abdomen (Fig. 7 A, B ) 1.15 long, 0.65 wide.

Coloration (Fig. 7 A, B ). Darker than male.

Endogyne (Fig. 7 C ). Internal genitalia with sub-trapezoidal atrium, slightly spheroidal spermathecae, and C-shaped spermathecal stalk.

Biology.

Sampled on the woodland floor.

Distribution.

Known only from Fujian Province, China (Fig. 13 ).

Etymology.

The name is taken from the type locality, noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 5. Pararana jiufushanensis sp. nov., male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Same, ventral view; C. Palp, prolateral view; D. Same, ventral view; E. Same, retrolateral view; F. Left bulb, prolateral view; G. Same, ventral view; H. Same, retrolateral view; I. Same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: Con – conductor, Em – embolus, MA – medial apophysis, PS – prolateral sclerite, VS – ventral sclerite. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B), 0.1 mm (C – I).

Figure 6. SEM micrographs of Pararana jiufushanensis sp. nov., male paratype. A. Right palp, prolateral view; B. Same, detail of the spine on the tibia; C. Same, detail of medial apophysis and conductor; D. Left palp, ventral view; E. Same, detail of the spine on the tibia; F. Same, detail of conductor and ventral sclerite. Abbreviations: Con – conductor, MA – medial apophysis, VS – ventral sclerite. Scale bars: 20 μm (A – D, F), 10 μm (E).

Figure 7. Pararana jiufushanensis sp. nov., female paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Same, ventral view; C. Genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: At – atrium, Spe – spermatheca, SS – spermathecae stalk. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B), 0.1 mm (C).

Figure 12. Photographs of living specimens from China. A. Pararana gaofani Lin & Li, 2022, male; B. Same, female; C. P. jiufushanensis sp. nov., male; D. Same, female; E, F. Rhyssoleptoneta lishan Tong, 2024, male.

Figure 13. Records of Leptonetela zhaoruii sp. nov., Pararana gaofani Lin & Li, 2022, P. jiufushanensis sp. nov., P. songyuani sp. nov., P. mingxuani Yao & Liu, 2024, Rhyssoleptoneta lishan Tong, 2024 from China.