Edelithus Liu & Li, 2022

Liu, Keke, Ying, Yuanhao & Li, Shuqiang, 2022, One new genus and two new species of the spider family Phrurolithidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Southwest China, ZooKeys 1117, pp. 71-94 : 71

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1117.89211

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6D5ED7FE-C48B-4239-92CE-CB6165708939

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/59555B23-B0D4-4DD9-B5C9-3BCF0E6C98EE

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:59555B23-B0D4-4DD9-B5C9-3BCF0E6C98EE

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Edelithus Liu & Li
status

gen. nov.

Edelithus Liu & Li gen. nov.

Type species.

Edelithus shenmiguo Liu & Li sp. nov. by designation herein.

Diagnosis.

The new genus differs from Labialithus Kamura, 2021 (see Kamura 2021: figs 9F-J, 10B, C) by the small PME with indistinct black pigment around the eye cup (vs large PME with clear pigment around the eye cup in Labialithus ) (Figs 1D View Figure 1 , 4C View Figure 4 , 6D View Figure 6 , 11D View Figure 11 ), the femora I with one dorsal spine (vs absent in Labialithus ) and three prolateral spines (vs one in Labialithus ) (Figs 1F View Figure 1 , 4F View Figure 4 , 6F View Figure 6 , 8A View Figure 8 , 11F View Figure 11 ) and the metatarsi III-IV lacking ventral spines (vs usually with two pairs in Labialithus ), the male scutum covering nearly 1/2 of abdomen (vs more than 2/3 in Labialithus ) and by the palpal tibia with a dorsal apophysis (vs absent in Labialithus ). It can be separated from Otacilia (see Wang et al. 2015: fig. 14A; Liu et al. 2022: suppl. 2, figs 72, 74, 75, 77-79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93-96, 98, 99, 101-105, 107-109, 111, 113, 114, 116-118, 120, 124, 137, 141) by the light abdomen lacking dark stripes (vs present in Otacilia ) (Figs 1A View Figure 1 , 4A View Figure 4 , 6A View Figure 6 , 11A View Figure 11 ), femora II lacking prolateral spine (in most specimens) or with one prolateral spine (in the few specimens) (vs 2-4 spines in Otacilia ) (Figs 1G View Figure 1 , 4G View Figure 4 , 6G View Figure 6 , 8C View Figure 8 , 11G View Figure 11 ), the palpal femur with a weakly protruded ventral apophysis (vs moderately or strongly protruded in Otacilia ) (Figs 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 ) and the small, short embolus (vs relatively large hook-shaped or spine-like embolus) (Figs 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 ). Male of this genus can be easily distinguished from Phrurolithus (see Wang et al. 2015: fig. 15C-E; Zamani and Marusik 2020: figs 4A-C, E, F, 7A-E) by the scutum covering nearly 1/2 of abdomen (vs nearly entire abdomen in Phrurolithus ) (Figs 1A View Figure 1 , 6A View Figure 6 ) and by the palpal tibia with a dorsal apophysis (vs absent Phrurolithus ) (Figs 2D View Figure 2 , 3H View Figure 3 , 9E View Figure 9 , 10I View Figure 10 ). Females of this genus can be separated from the genus Labialithus by the very small, widely separated copulatory openings without atrium (vs relatively large, slightly separated copulatory openings with distinct atrium) (Figs 5 View Figure 5 , 12 View Figure 12 ). Furthermore, Edelithus spp. differ from some phrurolithid genera by the tarsal claws lacking tooth (Fig. 8B, D, I View Figure 8 ), while present in Acrolithus and Aculithus Liu & Li, 2022 with three teeth, in Alboculus with two teeth, and in Grandilithus and Otacilia with four teeth (see Liu et al. 2020a: fig. 5J; Liu et al. 2022: figs 4C, D, G, H, L, P, 38D, E, H, K, O, 122B, C, E, I, M), but in Phrurolithus only with degenerated and inconspicuous blunt teeth ( Ramírez 2014: fig. 75E).

Etymology.

The name is a combination of the first three letters of " edentatus " (referring to the tarsal claws lacking tooth) and the latter half of Phrurolithus . The gender is masculine.

Description.

Small, body length 1.0-2.5. Eyes (Figs 1D View Figure 1 , 4C View Figure 4 , 6D View Figure 6 , 7A View Figure 7 , 11D View Figure 11 ): AER straight and PER procurved in dorsal view, AME clearly smaller than other eyes, PME with indistinct black pigment around eye cups, smaller than ALE and PLE, nearly separated by their diameter. Chelicera (Figs 1D View Figure 1 , 4A View Figure 4 , 6D View Figure 6 , 7A, B View Figure 7 , 11D View Figure 11 ) with one frontal strong spine, three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Legs without annulations and stripes. Femora I-IV with one dorsal spine each (Figs 1F, G View Figure 1 , 4F, G View Figure 4 , 6F, G View Figure 6 , 8A, C View Figure 8 , 11F, G View Figure 11 ), femur I with three prolateral spines, and femur II with one prolateral spine or none, tibiae I and II with six pairs of ventral spines; metatarsi I and II with tour pairs of ventral spines. Scutum (Figs 1A View Figure 1 , 6A View Figure 6 ) covers nearly 1/2 of abdomen in males, but absent in females (Figs 4A View Figure 4 , 11A View Figure 11 ).

Male palp (Figs 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 ): femur with a weak ventral extension; tibia with two well-developed apophyses, retrolateral apophysis very thick, as long as or shorter than tibia, dorsal apophysis hook-shaped, shorter than the retrolateral one; tegulum with a leaf-shaped subdistal apophysis and a blunt retrolateral apophysis; embolus short, shorter than subdistal tegular apophysis, with a round sperm pore, touching subdistal tegular apophysis.

Epigyne (Figs 5 View Figure 5 , 12 View Figure 12 ) with a pair of small copulatory openings, located posteriorly or subposteriorly; median septum absent or located posteriorly; bursae large, covering nearly 1/2 of epigynal plate, anteriorly located.

Composition.

Edelithus puer sp. nov. and E. shenmiguo sp. nov.

Distribution.

China (Yunnan Province).