Leptonetela taixu spec. nov.

Figs 3–4, 11C, 14

Type material. CHINA: Guizhou: Holotype: male, Shiqian County, Tongren, Taixu Cave, 27°29’43.50”N, 108°12’33.18”E, ca. 640 m elevation, Huifeng Zhao leg. 12.8.2012 (IZCAS-Ar42303) . Paratypes: 2 females, with same data as for holotype (IZCAS-Ar42304–Ar42305) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of this species resembles L. chenjia Wang & Li, 2017 (see Wang et al. 2017: 340, figs 12– 13, 97) by having a similarly shaped embolus and by the absence of a median apophysis, but it can be distinguished by the presence of six spines on the retrolateral surface of the palpal tibia, with the strongest spine bifurcated distally (Fig. 3D) (vs five spines in L. chenjia), by having a broad, semicircular conductor (vs reduced in L. xianren, Fig. 11D), and the cymbium is 1.5 times the length of the bulb (Figs 3C–D) (vs twice the length in L. chenjia). Females can be distinguished from L. chenjia by the presence of six eyes.

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.25 (Fig. 3A). Carapace 1.00 long, 0.80 wide. Opisthosoma 1.25 long, 0.80 wide. Carapace yellowish. Ocular area with a pair of long setae. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.09, PLE 0.08, PME 0.07. Distance between eyes: ALE-PME 0.09, PLE-PLE 0.09, PLE-PME 0.07. Median groove needle shaped, cervical grooves and radial furrows distinct. Clypeus 0.60 high. Opisthosoma grey, ovoid. Leg measurements: I 7.86 (2.30, 0.41, 2.15, 1.75, 1.25); II 6.22 (1.81, 0.30, 1.75, 1.35, 1.01); III – (1.51, 0.30, –, –, –); IV – (2.01, 0.35, –, –, –). Male palp (Figs 3C–D): basal part of tibia swollen slightly, tibia with 1 seta and 5 spines retrolaterally, with spine I strongest, asymmetrically bifurcated and located at the base of tibia, spines I and II of equal length. Cymbium constricted medially, attached to a small, earlobe-shaped process retrolaterally. Embolus triangular, prolateral lobe oval. Median apophysis absent. Conductor broad, semicircular in ventral view (Figs 3B, 11C).

Female (paratype, IZCAS-Ar42304): Similar to male in colour and general features but larger and with shorter legs. Total length 2.45 (Figs 4A–B). Carapace 1.15 long, 0.80 wide. Opisthosoma 1.30 long, 0.95 wide. Clypeus 0.75 high. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.07, PLE 0.07, PME 0.03. Distance between eyes: ALE-PME 0.11, PLE-PLE 0.07, PLE-PME 0.09. Leg measurements: I 7.77 (2.10, 0.40, 2.21, 1.74, 1.32); II 5.98 (1.75, 0.40, 1.63, 1.31, 0.89); III 5.22 (1.51, 0.35, 1.36, 1.22, 0.78); IV 6.83 (2.06, 0.40, 1.96, 1.51, 0.90). Vulva (Fig. 4C): spermathecae coiled, atrium trapezoidal.

Distribution. Guizhou, China (Fig. 14).