A new species of Wuliphantes from Sichuan, China, with re-description on the type specimens of W.tongluensis (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Abstract Background The genus Wuliphantes Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023 is a small genus in the family Linyphiidae Blackwall, 1859, with only three species: W.guanshan (Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2022), W.tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988) and W.trigyrus Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023, all distributed in China. New information A new species: Wuliphantesyaan sp. nov. from Sichuan Province, China is reported. In addition, we re-described the type specimens of W.tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988) that is similar to W.yaan sp. nov.


Introduction
Linyphiidae Blackwall,1859 is the second most diverse spider family in Araneae and is widely distributed in the world, comprising 4845 species belonging to 634 genera (World Spider Catalog 2023).About 524 species in 180 genera are distributed in China and, amongst them, 46 species and 22 genera are distributed in Sichuan Province (Li 2020, Irfan et al. 2022, World Spider Catalog 2023, Yang et al. 2023).
The genus Wuliphantes is endemic to China (World Spider Catalog 2023).This genus can be distinguished from other genera in Linyphiidae by the following characteristics: long ventral projection of embolic plate; embolus clockwise, with more than one coil; transparent copulatory ducts; spiral-shaped spermathecae and scape and paramula absent (Irfan et al. 2023).In this paper, the type specimens of W. tongluensis is re-described and a new species W. yaan sp.nov. is reported.

Materials and methods
Specimens were examined and measured with a Leica M205 C stereomicroscope.Left male palps were photographed.Epigynes were photographed before dissection.Vulvae were treated in a solution of trypsin enzyme to dissolve soft tissues before photography.Images were captured with an Olympus C7070 zoom digital camera (7.1 megapixels) and assembled using Helicon Focus 6.7.1 image stacking software (Khmelik et al. 2005).All measurements are given in millimetres (mm).Leg measurements are shown as: total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus).Leg segments were measured on their dorsal side.The metatarsal trichobothrium (Tm) value is given as the ratio of the distance between the proximal margin of the metatarsus and the root of the trichobothrium divided by the total length of the metatarsus and the Tm value for the first and the fourth leg is given as TmI and TmIV, respectively (Denis 1949, Locket and Millidge 1953, Zhao and Li 2014).The specimens studied are preserved in 75% ethanol and deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS) in Beijing, China.

Description
For measurements data of Wuliphantes tongluensis, see Chen and Song (1988).

Diagnosis
The species resembles Wuliphantes yaan sp.nov.with similar paracymbium and subtegulum, but can be distinguished by the embolus forming 2.5 coils (Figs 3, 5a; 1.5 coils in W. yaan sp.nov.); by the width of ventral projection of embolic plate increasing distally (Fig. 3a; width almost consistent in W. yaan sp.nov.); by the ventral projection of embolic plate with sharp and narrow distal protrusion (Fig. 3a; hooked in W. yaan sp.nov.); and by the copulatory ducts with five loops (Fig. 2a; two loops in W. yaan sp.nov.).

Diagnosis
The new species resembles Wuliphantes tongluensis with similar palp and epigyne, but can be distinguished by the embolus forming 1.5 coils (Figs 4, 5b; 2.5 coils in W. tongluensis); by the ventral projection of embolic plate having hooked distal protrusion (Fig. 4b; sharp and narrow in W. tongluensis); and by the copulatory ducts only having two wide loops (Fig. 6b; five loops in W. tongluensis).

Etymology
The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.
provided by vanHelsdingen (1985)(figs 11-17), the genital structures of the new species show significant differences that identify that the new species does not belong to genus Microbathyphantes.Wuliphantes yaan sp.nov.canbedistinguishedfromMicrobathyphantes by the embolus spiralling into a clock shape and approaching the length of the cymbium, but the embolus is a single coil and 1/2 length of cymbium in Microbathyphantes; by the base of the embolic plate completely covered by the embolus, but the embolic plate (lamella in Microbathyphantes) broad and uncovered by the embolus in Microbathyphantes( van Helsdingen 1985, figs 15 and 17); and by copulatory ducts transparent with several coiled loops, but without coiled loops in Microbathyphantes (van Helsdingen 1985, fig.13).Therefore, these diagnoses suggest that the new species should belong to Wuliphantes rather than Microbathyphantes.