Synagelides lovecrafti, Ni & Li & Zhang, 2025

Ni, Yi, Li, Yijing & Zhang, Junxia, 2025, On five new species of the genus Synagelides Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Agoriini) from China, Zootaxa 5666 (2), pp. 239-261 : 244-247

Synagelides lovecrafti sp. nov.

Chinese name: ăĸāãu

Figs 5–8

Type material. CHINA • Yunnan Province: Holotype: ♂ (MHBU-ARA-00027444), Baoshan City, Longling County, Longxin Township , Xingshan, 12 May 2015, C. Jin & M. Wang leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (MHBU-ARA-00027445), 8♂ 1♀ (MHBU-ARA-00020130), with same data as for holotype .

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor of H. P. Lovecraft, a renowned writer of horror, science fiction and fantasy, who created the Cthulhu Mythos, noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles S. furcatoides Li, Cheng, Wang, Yang & Peng, 2023 , S. furcatus Li, Cheng, Wang, Yang & Peng, 2023 , and S. montiformis Li, Cheng, Wang, Yang & Peng, 2023 , but differs from them in the following characters: male: (1) the dorso-retrolateral tibial apophysis has a deep lamellar edge that is wavy and wider near the base in retrolateral view ( Figs 6A, D , 8A, B ; whereas it has a flat edge in these three species, see Li et al. 2023: figs 2, 3, 11, 12, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 32, 33); (2) the intermediate tibial apophysis is absent ( Figs 6D , 8B ; whereas it is prominent and nearly trapezoidal in S. furcatoides , see Li et al. 2023: figs 3, 12); (3) the lower proximal lobe is oriented towards the proximal end ( Figs 6A, D , 8A, B ; whereas its orientation is slightly prolateral in these three species, see Li et al. 2023: figs 2, 3, 11, 12, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 32, 33); (4) the distal lobe is bifurcated, with a serrated edge, and the one closer to the dorsal side is almost sub-triangular in ventral view ( Figs 6A, D , 8A, B ; whereas the one closer to the dorsal side is not prominent, with only a slight serrations at the ventral one’s tip in S. furcatoides , see Li et al. 2023: figs 2, 3, 11, 12; the edge is smooth without serrations, and the one closer to the dorsal side is stalk-like in S. furcatus , see Li et al. 2023: figs 16, 17, 21, 22; the edge is smooth without serrations, and the one closer to the dorsal side is absent in S. montiformis , see Li et al. 2023: figs 24, 25, 32, 33); female: (1) the septum is prominent, almost subtriangular ( Figs 7A , 8C ; whereas it is absent in S. furcatoides and S. montiformis , see Li et al. 2023: figs 4, 13, 26, 34); (2) the anterior part of the atrial ridge is almost entirely longitudinal, and the posterior portion approaches the center at a large angle ( Figs 7A , 8C ; whereas it consistently slopes towards the center in S. furcatoides and S. montiformis , see Li et al. 2023: figs 4, 13, 26, 34); (3) the pocket anterior to the atrial ridge is lacking ( Figs 7A , 8C , whereas it is present in S. furcatoides and S. montiformis , see Li et al. 2023: figs 4, 13, 26, 34).

Description. Male. Measurements of holotype: total length 4.07; carapace 1.91 long, 1.29 wide, abdomen 1.93 long, 1.22 wide; eye measurements: AME 0.43, ALE 0.24, PME 0.05, PLE 0.24; leg measurements: Ⅰ 4.40 (1.40, 1.06, 1.02, 0.57, 0.35), II 3.22 (0.99, 0.45, 0.71, 0.65, 0.42), III 3.46 (1.03, 0.42, 0.75, 0.87, 0.39), IV 4.54 (1.31, 0.56, 1.13, 1.07, 0.47); leg formula IV-Ⅰ-III-II. Chelicerae ( Fig. 5G ) brown, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal fissidentate tooth. Carapace ( Fig. 5A, C ) length approximately one and half width, rough, with numerous short setae; almost entirely reddish brown, except eye surroundings dark; fovea circular and pit-like; endites and labium pale yellow, sternum yellow. Legs ( Fig. 5A, E ) lacking stripes, femora to tarsi almost yellow, except femora slightly darker; leg Ⅰ spination: tibia v2-2, metatarsus v2-2. Dorsal of abdomen ( Fig. 5A ) almost entirely gray, with five darker transverse thick stripes, extending laterally and many small black stripes running anterior to posterior on both sides; ventral side off-white, with stripes like Chinese character " 工 " in shape, but two transverse stripes curved. Spinnerets ( Fig. 5A ) almost yellow, with some gray setae on surface.

Palp ( Figs 6A–E , 8A, B ): ventral femoral apophysis close to patella, wide and blunt; ventral tibial apophysis short and blunt; dorso-retrolateral tibial apophysis broad, center concaved, with deep lamellar edge, waved and wider near base in retrolateral view; dorsal cymbial apophysis broad and bluntly rounded, retrolateral cymbial apophysis near triangular; tegulum with cleft extending to prolateral distal edge, distal lobe bifurcated, with serrated edge, two proximal lobes bluntly rounded; embolus longer than distal lobe, base not coiled, accompanied by membrane, located in distal end of tegulum; median apophysis near base of embolus, with several processes; terminal apophysis wide, almost oval-shaped in ventral view.

Female. Measurements of paratype (MHBU-ARA-00027445): total length 3.55; carapace 1.61 long, 1.04 wide, abdomen 1.76 long, 0.96 wide; eye measurements: AME 0.36, ALE 0.22, PME 0.05, PLE 0.22; leg measurements: Ⅰ 3.61 (1.18, 0.86, 0.81, 0.43, 0.33), II 2.63 (0.81, 0.36, 0.53, 0.55, 0.38), III 2.81 (0.83, 0.33, 0.61, 0.68, 0.36), IV 3.66 (1.07, 0.43, 0.88, 0.88, 0.40); leg formula IV-Ⅰ-III-II. Chelicerae ( Fig. 5H ) yellow, dentation like that of male. Leg Ⅰ spination ( Fig. 5F ): tibia v2-2, metatarsus v2-2. Habitus ( Fig. 5B, D, F ) similar to that of male, but different in: coloration of carapace and legs slightly lighter, but darker in abdomen, stripes on ventral abdomen almost dot-like, mainly concentrated in posterior part.

Epigyne ( Figs 7A–D , 8C, D ): width greater than length; septum located in posterior part, almost sub-triangular; anterior atrial ridge almost entirely longitudinal, posterior approaching center at large angle; copulatory openings located on both sides of septum, openings facing centrally; accessory glands present but relatively small; spermathecae stomach-shaped, fertilization ducts short.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Remarks. This new species exhibits similarities to those of the genus Pseudosynagelides Żabka, 1991 , particularly in the male palpal structures. However, Pseudosynagelides has only been reported in Australia, while this new species was collected in Yunnan, China. Furthermore, all similar species found in China to date have been classified within the genus Synagelides ( Li et al. 2023; Wang et al. 2024; Yu et al. 2024). Therefore, in this study, we tentatively classify this species as Synagelides . The phylogenetic position of Pseudosynagelides remains unclear due to the lack of molecular data. Maddison (2015) placed it within Salticinae incertae sedis and speculated that it may belong to Astioida. Future phylogenetic studies of Synagelides in China may clarify whether these species discovered in China truly belong to Synagelides and their relationship with Pseudosynagelides .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Synagelides lovecrafti sp. nov., habitus of holotype male (A, C) and paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00027445, B, D); leg Ⅰ of holotype male (E) and paratype female (F); chelicera of holotype male (G) and paratype female (H); in dorsal (A, B), front (C, D), prolateral (E, F) and back (G, H) view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B), 0.5 mm (C–F), 0.1 mm (G, H).

FIGURE 6. Synagelides lovecrafti sp. nov., palp of holotype male (A–E), in ventral (A), dorsal (B), prolateral (C) and retrolateral (D, E) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–E).

FIGURE 7. Synagelides lovecrafti sp. nov., epigyne and vulva of paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00027445, A–D), in ventral (A) and dorsal (B–D) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D).

FIGURE 8. Synagelides lovecrafti sp. nov., palp of holotype male (A, B), epigyne (C) and vulva (D) of paratype female (MHBU-ARA-00027445), in ventral (A, C), dorsal (D) and retrolateral (B) view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D).