Pholcus kaebyaiensis Yao & Li sp. nov.

Figs 25–26

Type material. Holotype: male, Tham (cave) Kaeb Yai (19°34.620′N, 99°03.681′E, elevation 684 m), 25 km North North-East of Chiang Dao, Chiangmai, Thailand, 26 June 2014, P. Jäger and E. Grall leg. Paratype: 1 female, same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective.

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. m u s en s i s sp. nov. (Figs 27–28) in having similar male chelicerae (Fig. 26 D), uncus (Fig. 26 C), and female external genitalia (Fig. 26 A) but can be distinguished by the presence of a nearly angular median branch on the appendix (Fig. 26 C), by the strongly protruding medially prolatero-distal membranous process on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 25 C), by the presence of a large, sclerotized retrolateral apophysis (with a small, pointed prolateral apophysis; arrow in Fig. 25 C) distally on the procursus, by the anterior arch of the vulva strongly protruding medially (Fig. 26 B). This species also resembles P. songkhonensis sp. nov. (Figs 29–30) in having similar male chelicerae (Fig. 26 D), bulbal apophyses (Fig. 26 C), and female external genitalia (Fig. 26 A) but can be distinguished by the short eye-stalks on the male ocular area (as in P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov., cf. Fig. 31 E), by the strongly protruding medially prolatero-distal membranous process on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 25 C), and by the nearly elliptic pore plates on vulva (Fig. 26 B).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 5.12 (5.64 with clypeus), carapace 1.40 long, 1.40 wide, opisthosoma 3.72 long, 2.13 wide. Leg I: 60.10 (14.36 + 0.80 + 14.17 + 24.10 + 6.67), leg II: 35.39 (9.74 + 0.72 + 8.97 +14.42 + 1.54), leg III: 25.18 (7.31 + 0.70 + 6.35 + 9.62 + 1.20), leg IV: 32.02 (9.10 + 0.71 + 8.21 + 12.50 + 1.50); tibia I L/d: 89. Distance PME-PME 0.52; diameter PME 0.13; distance PME-ALE 0.02; distance AME- AME 0.06; diameter AME 0.06. Sternum wider than long (0.94/0.86). Habitus as in Figs 26 E–F. Carapace yellowish, with brown marks extending to ocular area; ocular area yellow, with two median brown bands; sternum yellow. Legs yellow, darker rings absent. Opisthosoma pale brown, without spots. Ocular area elevated; each eye triad on top of a short, laterally directed eye-stalk (as in P. zhuchuandiani sp. nov., cf. Fig. 31 E). Thoracic furrow absent. Chelicerae as in Fig. 26 D, with a pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, a pair of black distal apophyses, and a pair of frontal apophyses. Pedipalps as in Figs 25 A–B; trochanter with a short ventral apophysis; femur with a distinct ventral modification; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with two prolatero-dorsal spines distally (arrow in Fig. 25 C); uncus with a scaly edge; appendix hooked, with a median branch; embolus sclerotized, with some transparent projections distally. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 7.3%; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; without spines and curved setae; tarsus I with approximately 11 distinct pseudosegments.

Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 26 G–H. Total length 4.47 (4.81 with clypeus), carapace 1.36 long, 1.44 wide, opisthosoma 3.11 long, 1.56 wide; tibia I: 9.87; tibia I L/d: 66. Distance PME-PME 0.26; diameter PME 0.10; distance PME-ALE 0.03; distance AME-AME 0.05; diameter AME 0.05. Sternum wider than long (0.95/ 0.80). Ocular area without eye-stalks. External genitalia (Fig. 26 A) with a knob. Vulva (Fig. 26 B) with a sclerotized anterior arch and two nearly elliptic pore plates.

Distribution. Thailand (Chiangmai, type locality; Fig. 32).

Natural history. The species was found in the aphotic zone inside the cave.