Bifidocoelotes elongatus, Liao & Wang & Yin & Xu, 2022

Liao, Rongrong, Wang, Ziwei, Yin, Haiqiang & Xu, Xiang, 2022, A review of the genus Bifidocoelotes Wang, 2002, with the description of three new species from China (Araneae, Agelenidae), Zootaxa 5222 (2), pp. 179-189 : 181-183

Bifidocoelotes elongatus sp. nov. (KȒDĦ)

Figures 3 , 7

Type material. Holotype female ( HNU603 ), China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Fangchenggang City , Shangsi County, Shiwandashan Mountain , Pinglong Protection Station , 21°50.53'N, 107°53.03'E, 749 m, 28 IV, 2021, Ailan He, Jinxin Liu, Yun Liang, Rongrong Liao and Qin Li leg.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, referring to the epigynal tooth that is extremely long, extending nearly to the posterior margin of the epigyne.

Diagnosis. The female of this new species is similar to that of B. obscurus Zhou, Yuen & Zhang, 2017 in having a long and slightly bifurcated epigynal tooth which almost reaches the posterior margin of epigyne, but can be distinguished by the different shape of spermathecal heads and different configuration of spermathecae and copulatory ducts: the spermathecal head is thumb-shaped, and the copulatory duct tends to twist around the spermatheca in the new species, while the spermathecal head is mammiform, and the copulatory duct is hard to differentiate from the spermatheca in B. obscurus (compare Fig. 3D with Zhou et al. 2 017: figs 1B, 2D).

Description. Female: Total length 4.91, carapace 2.48 long, 1.50 wide, abdomen 2.61 long, 1.89 wide. Carapace pyriform, head region raised with anterior margin broad and almost straight, thoracic region with lateral margins black and sublateral margins yellow-brown. Fovea brown, short, linear. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.12, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.05, ALE–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.46, PLE–PLE 0.60. MOA 0.26 long, anterior width 0.21, posterior width 0.29. Clypeus height 0.11. Chelicerae yellow-brown. Endite yellow-brown, longer than wide. Labium yellowbrown. Sternum yellow, with sparse brown setae. Legs yellow-brown, with black annulations and some spines. Leg measurements: I 6.58 (1.71, 0.67, 1.55, 1.50, 1.15); II 5.73 (1.63, 0.69, 1.19, 1.36, 0.86); III 5.22 (1.47, 0.61, 1.05, 1.39, 0.70); IV 7.43 (2.01, 0.73, 1.69, 2.00, 1.00); leg formula IV, I, II, III. Abdomen oval, dorsum black, with four yellow-brown chevrons ( Fig. 3A ); ventral side yellowish, with scattered, irregular dark spots. Spinnerets yellowish ( Fig. 3B ).

Epigyne ( Fig. 3C, D ): Epigynal tooth (ET) long, originating from middle of anterior epigynal margin, strongly extended backwards and almost reaching posterior epigynal margin, very slightly bifurcated distally. Copulatory openings (CO) small, unobtrusive, a bit distant from lateral margins of epigynal tooth. Copulatory ducts (CD) long, strongly convoluted, tending to circle around spermathecae from which they are hardly distinguishable. Spermathecae (Sp) oval, enclosed by CD. Spermathecal heads (SH) thumb-shaped, with the base hidden by CD. Fertilization ducts (FD) separated from each other, originating from the inner posterior margins of spermathecae.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in China (Guangxi) ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bifidocoelotes elongatus sp. nov., holotype female. A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Same, ventral view; C. Epigyne, ventral view; D. Same, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory opening; ET, epigynal tooth; FD, fertilization duct; SH, spermathecal head; Sp, spermatheca. Scale bars: A, B = 1 mm; C, D = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Collection localities for Bifidocoelotes in China. 1. B. mammiformis sp. nov.; 2. B. elongatus sp. nov.; 3. B. quadratus sp. nov.; 4. B. tsoi; 5. B. obscurus; 6. B. primus.