Male. PL 5.0, PW 4.6, AW 2.7, OL 6.6, OW 4.7. Eyes: AME 0.24, ALE 0.34, PME 0.26, PLE 0.38, AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.24, PME–PLE 0.18, AME–PME 0.29, ALE–PLE 0.17, CH–AME 0.35, CH–ALE 0.47. Setation: Palp: 131, 101, 2101; Fe: I–III 323, IV 321; Pa: I–IV 101; Ti: I–II 2026, III–IV 2126; Mt: I–II 1014, III 2026, IV 3036. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.4 (2.1, 0.7, 1.0, –, 2.6), I 19.3 (5.5, 1.3, 5.6, 5.1, 1.8), II 20.5 (5.9, 1.3, 6.1, 5.4, 1.8), III 15.4 (4.6, 1.1, 4.5, 3.7, 1.5), IV 16.9 (5.0, 1.0, 4.5, 4.6, 1.8). Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. The carapace is yellowish-brown dorsally, with black patches, shallow fovea and radial furrows. Chelicerae are pale reddish-brown. The sternum is yellow, with a few random black spots. Endites and labium are yellowish-brown. Legs are yellow, with brown dots randomly distributed and covered by short spines and setae. The dorsal opisthosoma is yellowish-brown with two pairs of dark muscle sigilla and a white transversal band in the posterior half. The ventral opisthosoma is uniformly yellowish-brown with some black patches (Fig. 1A and B). Chelicerae with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth and with ~ 28 denticles (Fig. 1E).

Cymbium approximately 2.5 times the length of the tibia. Spermophore running submarginally and retrolaterally in tegulum. Conductor arising from tegulum at 12:00 o’clock position, covering the tip of embolus. Basal part of embolus broad, almost covering subtegulum, while the distal part tapers gradually and becomes trapezoidal at distal end. Embolic projection emerging at the middle margin of embolus as a pointed hump. Anterior margin of vRTA almost straight in ventral view (Fig. 2).

Female. PL 5.2, PW 4.5, AW 2.7, OL 5.4, OW 3.5. Eyes: AME 0.23, ALE 0.30, PME 0.26, PLE 0.32, AME–AME 0.20, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.33, PME–PLE 0.26, AME–PME 0.25, ALE–PLE 0.26, CH AME 0.35, CH ALE 0.37. Setation: Palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; Fe: I–III 323, IV 321; Pa: I–IV 101; Ti: I–IV 2126; Mt: I–II 2024, III–IV 3036. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.1 (2.0, 0.5, 1.3, –, 2.3), I 18.7 (5.4, 1.3, 5.4, 4.9, 1.7), II 19.4 (5.7, 1.3, 5.8, 5.0, 1.6), III 15.1 (4.8, 1.1, 4.3, 3.7, 1.2), IV 16.1 (5.0, 1.1, 4.1, 4.5, 1.4). Leg formula: II-I-IV-III. Chelicerae with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth and with ~ 32 denticles (Fig. 1F).

Epigynal field clearly wider than long; median margin of lateral lobes parallel and almost straight; posterior incision of lateral lobes and epigynal bulges distinct. Copulatory opening located at middle part of epigyne. In dorsal view, space between fertilisation ducts and first winding smaller than width of first winding, posterior end of first winding of internal duct system freely visible. Membranous sac between fertilisation ducts almost trapezoidal (Fig. 1H and Fig. 3).

Colouration as in males, opisthosoma brown dorsally (Fig. 1C and D).

Males of Pseudopoda guanmenshan sp. nov. are similar to those of P. tji Jäger, 2015 (Jäger 2015: figs. 1−3) in having the dRTA with a long finger-like and bulged basal part, but it can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: (1) The embolus arising from tegulum at 8:00 o’clock position, with a triangular embolic projection (in P. tji, it is at the 9:00 o’clock position, without EP); (2) The tegulum is oval without tegular protrusion (the tegulum is oval, with TP in P. tji); and (3)The RTA arising basally from the tibia, with the vRTA lacking a rounded protrusion in retrolateral view (in P. tji, it is medially positioned with the vRTA having a rounded protrusion) (Fig. 2). The females of this species can be separated from other Pseudopoda species by their unique anterior margins of lateral lobes, which are almost ∩-shaped (Fig. 3A and B).

The species name is derived from the name of the type locality; noun in apposition.

Known only from the type locality in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China (Fig. 4).

We have presented the copulatory behaviour diagram for this newly-identified species within its native habitat (Fig. 1G).