Two new species of the genus Macrothele Ausserer, 1871 (Araneae, Macrothelidae) from China

Abstract Background The family Macrothelidae Simon, 1892 belongs to the infraorder Mygalomorphae, currently contains two genera and 47 described species, from South Europe, South, and East Southeast Asia, Central, West, and North Africa. New information Two new species of the funnel-web spider genus Macrothele Ausserer, 1871 from Yunnan Province, China are described: Macrothelewashanensis Wu & Yang, sp. n. (♂♀), and M.wuliangensis Wu & Yang, sp. n. (♂♀). Detailed descriptions, diagnostic illustrations and distribution map are provided. All specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomoceutics Research, Dali University (DUIER).


Introduction
The spider family Macrothelidae Simon 1892 is an important spider group in the infraorder Mygalomorphae. They usually build funnel webs using crevices and cavities in slopes, occasionally build web in surface deciduous layers. So far, the family has 47 species of two genera reported worldwide (World Spider Catalog 2022), of which 29 species are known from China (Pocock 1901, Saitô 1933, Hu and Li 1986, Shimojana and Haupt 1998, Song et al. 1999, Xu and Yin 2001, Xu et al. 2002, Li and Zha 2013, Shi et al. 2018, Wang et al. 2019, Tang et al. 2020, Lin et al. 2021, Tang et al. 2022.
We are carrying out a systematic investigation on the Chinese fauna of Macrothelidae and have collected a lot of specimens from Yunnan Province. During this study, two new species have been discovered and described here: Macrothele washanensis Wu & Yang, sp. n. and M. wuliangensis Wu & Yang, sp. n.

Materials and methods
Specimens were examined and measured with Olympus SZX16 and Leica M205A stereomicroscopes and an Olympus CX33 compound microscope. All specimens examined were preserved in 80% ethanol. The left male palps were examined after dissection and removal from the specimens, and the female genitalia were treated in 10% NaOH for 24 hours to dissolve tissue and examine the vulvae. The distribution map was produced by ArcMap software (version 10.8).

Diagnosis
Males of Macrothele washanensis sp. n. resemble M. arcuata Tang, Zhao & Yang, 2020 by having similar bulb shape, but they can be distinguished by the BH no protrusion in prolateral view, embolus tapers from base to apex, and hook-shaped, the ratio of the length of the BH to the length of the E is almost 1 : 4 ( Fig. 1B-E); the four tibial spines visible in prolateral view ( Fig. 1G-I); tibia I with nine spines visible in ventral view, tibia II straight, with three ventral spines (Fig. 2) (vs tibia with three prolateral spines, and three ventral spines, embolus with visible protrusion, joint of embolus and bulb is strongly bent, embolus needle shaped, the ratio of the length of the BH to the length of the E is almost 1 : 5; tibia I with 26 spines, tibia II with retrolateral bend and 15 ventral spines in M. arcuata). Females of M. washanensis sp. n. can be differentiated from M. arcuata by the receptacula apically teardrop shaped, the ratio of the length of the T to the length of the CD is almost 1 : 6 ( Fig. 6) (vs copulatory duct long, shape of the English letter "G"; receptacula apically oval, the ratio of the length of the T to the length of the CD is almost 1 : 8 in M. arcuata).

Etymology
The species epithet is a noun in apposition referring to the type locality.

Ecology
Spinning large funnel web on crevices. Female often stays in the entrance of funnel tube, when the sheet part of funnel web was hit by other animals, she quickly rush out, to catch the prey, or attack the enemy (Fig. 7B). If the male of the same species comes, releasing some chemical clue or sending vibration via the web, female accepted the clue and walk out for further communication and copulation (Fig. 7A).

Diagnosis
Males of Macrothele wuliangensis sp. n. resemble M. washanensis sp. n. by having similar palpal bulb morphology, but they can be distinguished by having spines in prolateral and dorsal views of palpal tibia and similar palpal bulb morphology, females of the new species are similar to others by the apically teardrop shaped receptacula bent inwards apically. Males of M. wuliangensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from M. washanensis sp. n. having five tibial spines visible in prolateral view, two tibial spines visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 8G-I); tibia I has 10 ventral spines with six arranged in three pairs, tibia II has 7 ventral spines ( Fig. 9) (vs four tibial spines visible in prolateral view, 0 dorsal spines; tibia I with nine spines visible in ventral view, tibia II has 3 ventral spines in M. washanensis sp. n.). Females of M. wuliangensis sp. n. can be differentiated from M. washanensis sp. n. by the ratio of the length of the T to the length of the CD is almost 1:5 ( Fig. 13) (the ratio of the length of the T to the length of the CD is almost 1 : 6 in M. washanensis sp. n.).

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