Kirinua S. Li & Lin, 2021

Li, Ya, Li, Shuqiang & Lin, Yucheng, 2021, Taxonomic study on fourteen symphytognathid species from Asia (Araneae, Symphytognathidae), ZooKeys 1072, pp. 1-47 : 1

Genus Kirinua S. Li & Lin gen. nov.

Type species.

Kirinua maguai sp. nov., from Guangxi, China.

Etymology.

The generic name is derived from Kirin, one of the most powerful creatures ever known in East Asia. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis.

Kirinua gen. nov. can be distinguished from Globignatha and Symphytognatha by the chelicerae, which are fused only near the base (Figs 15I and 17I ) vs. entirely fused (Balogh and Loksa 1968: fig. 10; Lin 2019: fig. 1H) and from Anapistula by having 6 eyes vs. 4 (except A. boneti Forster, 1958 with 6 eyes). It can be distinguished from Anapogonia , Curimagua and Iardinis by 6 eyes in three diads vs. 6 eyes in two triads and from Crassignatha and Swilda gen. nov. by lacking an abdominal scutum in males and a mostly smooth carapace in both sexes (Figs 15A-H and 17A-H ) vs. abdominal scutum usually present in the male and carapace generally covered with tubercles or tiny thorn-like protrusions (Figs 19A, D , 21A and D ; Li et al. 2020: fig. 1A-F; Rivera-Quiroz et al. 2021: figs 10b and 11b). Kirinua gen. nov. is similar to Patu in having 1-2 disto-ventral clasping spines on male tibia II, lacking an abdominal scutum latero-posteriorly in the male and the generally smooth carapace in both sexes (Figs 15A-H and 17A-H ), but it can be distinguished by the male palp having cymbial structures (e.g. primary apophysis, process) and the female having nearly spherical spermathecae (Figs 16A, G , 18A and F ) vs. male palp lacking cymbial structures and female with rod-shaped or oval spermathecae (Figs 3A, B, F , 9A , B and F ).

Description.

Tiny, total length 0.60-0.80. Carapace rounded or pear-shaped dorsally, nearly triangular laterally (Figs 15A , 15D , 17A and 17D ). Six eyes in 3 diads, cephalic part raised (Figs 15A , 15D , 17A and 17D ). Clypeus concave, with pair of inverted, weakly sclerotised grooves in male (Figs 15G, H , 17G and H ). Female lacking palps. Chelicerae fused at middle, with 2 adnate teeth (Figs 15I and 17I ). Labium wider than long, fused to sternum, anterior margin with shallow notch in the middle (Figs 15B, E , 17B and E ). Sternum heart-shaped, slightly plump, truncated posteriorly. Male tibia II with 2 subdistal ventral clasping spines (Figs 15C and 17C ). Abdomen round in dorsal view, subovoid in lateral view, without posterior lobes or tubercles (Figs 15C, F , 17C and F ). Anterior spinnerets larger than posteriors, median spinnerets hardly visible. Colulus absent.

Male palp (Figs 16A-C , 18A and B ): relatively large, ~ ½ size of carapace. Cymbium distinctly sclerotised, with 2 processes and a primary cymbial apophysis. Median apophysis present, finger-like, nearly as long as cymbial apophysis. Tegulum with a triangular apical process. Embolus short, stout, strongly sclerotised, tip furcate or blunt.

Epigyne (Figs 16D-G and 18C-F ): distinctly sclerotised. Scape present, inconspicuous, inflexible. Spermathecae globose, separated by at least 2 diameters. Copulatory ducts long, proximally fused, expanded into a broad atrium, distally curved or coiled between spermathecae. Fertilisation ducts short, thin. Inlet of copulatory duct and outlet of fertilisation duct nearly located at same position on spermatheca.

Composition.

Kirinua maguai sp. nov. and K. yangshuo sp. nov.

Distribution.

China (Guangxi) (Fig. 23 ).

Relationships.

Kirinua gen. nov. is characterised by their tiny size, chelicerae fused at mid-line, AMEs and book lungs absent, female lacking palps and tarsi much longer than metatarsi. This new genus is similar to Patu by having 2 clasping spines on male tibia II, lacking an abdominal scutum latero-posteriorly in the male and the carapace of both sexes lacks modified pits or sculpturing (Figs 15A-H and 17A-H ). The new genus differs from Patu by the highly modified structures of the cymbium (e.g. primary apophysis, process) and the epigyne has nearly spherical spermathecae and a broad atrium (Figs 16A, G , 18A and F ).

Figures

Figure 3. Patu dakou sp. nov. A male palp, prolateral B male palp, retrolateral C epigyne, ventral D epigyne, lateral E vulva, ventral F vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory ducts; CO = copulatory opening; Cy = cymbium; E = embolus; FD = fertilisation ducts; Fe = femur; MA = median apophysis; Pa = patella; Pl = parmula; S = spermathecae; T = tegulum; Ti = tibia. Scale bars: 0.10 (A-F).

Figure 9. Patu nagarat sp. nov. A male palp, prolateral B male palp, retrolateral C epigyne, ventral D epigyne, lateral E vulva, ventral F vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory ducts; CO = copulatory opening; Cy = cymbium; E = embolus; FD = fertilisation ducts; Fe = femur; MA = median apophysis; Pa = patella; Pl = parmula; S = spermathecae; T = tegulum; Ti = tibia; TP = tegular process. Scale bars: 0.10 (A-F).

Figure 15. Kirinua maguai sp. nov. A male habitus, dorsal B male habitus, ventral C male habitus, lateral D female habitus, dorsal E female habitus, ventral F female habitus, lateral G male prosoma, anterior H male prosoma, lateral I male chelicerae, anterior. Abbreviation: TS = male clasping spines on tibia II. Scale bars: 0.50 (A-F); 0.20 (G, H); 0.10 (I).

Figure 16. Kirinua maguai sp. nov. A male palp, prolateral B male palp, ventral C male palp, retrolateral D epigyne, ventral E epigyne, lateral F vulva, ventral G vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: Atr = atrium; AP = apical process; CA = cymbial apophysis; CD = copulatory ducts; Co = conductor; CO = copulatory opening; Cy = cymbium; CP 1 = proximal cymbial process; CP 2 = distal cymbial process; E = embolus; FD = fertilisation ducts; Fe = femur; MA = median apophysis; Pa = patella; S = spermathecae; T = tegulum; Ti = tibia. Scale bars: 0.10 (A-G).

Figure 17. Kirinua yangshuo sp. nov. A male habitus, dorsal B male habitus, ventral C male habitus, lateral D female habitus, dorsal E female habitus, ventral F female habitus, lateral G male prosoma, anterior H male prosoma, lateral I male chelicerae, anterior. Abbreviation: TS = male clasping spines on tibia II. Scale bars: 0.50 (A-F); 0.20 (G, H); 0.10 (I).

Figure 18. Kirinua yangshuo sp. nov. A male palp, prolateral B male palp, retrolateral C epigyne, ventral D epigyne, lateral E vulva, ventral F vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: Atr = atrium; AP = apical process; CA = cymbial apophysis; CD = copulatory ducts; Co = conductor; CO = copulatory opening; Cy = cymbium; CP 1 = proximal cymbial process; CP 2 = distal cymbial process; E = embolus; FD = fertilisation ducts; MA = median apophysis; S = spermathecae; T = tegulum. Scale bars: 0.10 (A-F).

Figure 19. Swilda longtou A male habitus, dorsal B male habitus, ventral C male habitus, lateral D female habitus, dorsal E female habitus, ventral F female habitus, lateral. Abbreviation: TS = male clasping spines on tibia II. Scale bars: 0.50 (A-F).

Figure 21. Swilda spinathoraxi A male habitus, dorsal B male habitus, ventral C male habitus, lateral D female habitus, dorsal E female habitus, ventral F female habitus, lateral. Abbreviation: TS = male clasping spines on tibia II. Scale bars: 0.50 (A-F).

Figure 23. Distribution records of fourteen species of genera Patu, Kirinua gen. nov. and Swilda gen. nov. in Asia 1 P. catba sp. nov. 2 P. dakou sp. nov. 3 P. damtao sp. nov. 4 P. jiangzhou sp. nov. 5 P. jidanweishi 6 P. nagarat sp. nov. 7 P. nigeri 8 P. putao sp. nov. 9 P. qiqi 10 P. xiaoxiao 11 K. maguai sp. nov. 12 K. yangshuo sp. nov. 13 S. longtou 14 S. spinathoraxi.