Biodiversity Data Journal :
Taxonomy & Inventories
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Corresponding author: Yejie Lin (linyejie15@gmail.com), Haifeng Chen (chenhaifeng@lfnu.edu.cn)
Academic editor: Yanfeng Tong
Received: 02 May 2024 | Accepted: 04 Jun 2024 | Published: 13 Jun 2024
© 2024 Yejie Lin, Haifeng Chen, Xihao Wang, Shuqiang Li
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Lin Y, Chen H, Wang X, Li S (2024) Otacilia khezu sp. nov., a new troglobitic spider (Araneae, Phrurolithidae) from Guangxi, China. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e126716. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e126716
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Only two Otacilia Thorell, 1897 species with troglobitic characteristics have been recorded from Laos and no records of troglobitic Otacilia species from China.
A new troglobitic species is reported from Guangxi, China: Otacilia khezu Lin & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀). Photos and morphological descriptions of the new species are presented; the type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS), Beijing.
Asia, diagnosis, morphology, spider, taxonomy
Otacilia Thorell, 1897 is a genus of spiders belonging to the family Phrurolithidae Banks, 1892, commonly known as the guardstone spiders. Otacilia are distributed in East and Southeast Asia, with notable populations found in China. Their geographical range reflects their adaptability to diverse habitats, ranging from forests and grasslands to urban environments (
At present, 137 species are known worldwide, of which 115 species are distributed in China, with only nine females and six males being known. Research in China has also been rapid, with only three species known before 2000. In past two years, totally 47 new species have been described. (
Only two species with troglobitic characteristics have been recorded from Laos: O. saszykaska Jäger, 2022 and O. tham Jäger, 2022, all of them with strong reduction of eye and body pigments (
Otacilia khezu sp. nov, holotype male. A Palp, prolateral view; B Same, ventral view; C Same, retrolateral view; D Palp femur, Retrolateral view. Abbreviations: DTA dorsal tibial apophysis; E embolus; FA femoral apophysis; RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD sperm duct; TA tegular apophysis.
All specimens were preserved in 80% ethanol. The spermathecae were cleared in trypsin enzyme solution to dissolve non-chitinous tissues. Specimens were examined under a LEICA M205C stereomicroscope. Photomicrographs were taken with an Olympus C7070 zoom digital camera (7.1 megapixels). Laboratory habitus photographs were taken with a Sony A7RIV digital camera equipped with a Sony FE 90 mm Goss lens. Photos were stacked with Helicon Focus (Version 7.6.1) or Zerene Stacker (Version 1.04) and processed in Adobe Photoshop CC2022.
All measurements are in millimetres and were obtained with an Olympus SZX16 stereomicroscope with a Zongyuan CCD industrial camera. All measurements of body lengths do not include the chelicerae. Eye sizes are measured as the maximum diameter from either the dorsal or frontal view. Leg measurements are given as follows: total length (femur, patella+tibia, metatarsus, tarsus), the terminology used in the text and figures following
Abbreviations: B—bursa; CD—copulatory duct; CO—copulatory opening; CT—connecting tube; DTA—dorsal tibial apophysis; E—embolus; FA—femoral apophysis; FD—fertilisation duct; GA—glandular appendage; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD—sperm duct; S—spermathecae; TA—tegular apophysis.
Types from the current study are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZCAS).
Male (holotype). Total length 2.77; carapace 1.37 long, 1.10 wide, opisthosoma 1.43 long, 0.91 wide. Eyes absent. Chelicerae with two promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 8.58 (2.17, 3.07, 2.14, 1.20), II 7.59 (1.91, 2.60, 1.82, 1.26), III 7.39 (1.84, 2.20, 1.94, 1.41), IV 9.54 (2.43, 2.84, 2.57, 1.70). Leg spination: I femur 5pv, 2d, tibia 9-9v, metatarsus 5-5v; II femur 3pv, 2d, tibia 9-9v, metatarsus 5-5v, III femur 1d, IV femur 1d.
Colouration (Fig.
Palp (Fig.
Female (paratype Ar43963). Total length 2.79; carapace 1.42 long, 1.19 wide, opisthosoma 1.43 long, 0.78 wide. Eyes absent. Chelicerae with two promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Leg measurements: I 8.02 (2.12, 2.98, 1.86, 1.06), II 7.18 (1.87, 2.56, 1.64, 1.11), III 7.21 (1.85, 2.21, 1.81, 1.34), IV lost. Leg spination: I femur 5pv, 2d, tibia 10-10v, metatarsus 5-5v; II femur 3pv, 2d, tibia 9-9v, metatarsus 5-5v, III femur 1d, IV absent.
Colouration (Fig.
Epigyne (Fig.
The new species can be distinguished from other colleagues by the absence of eyes and dorsal scutum (Fig.
In male palp, this species with the spiral embolus, slender retrolateral tibial apophysis almost as long as bulb and the needle-shaped dorsal tibial apophysis (Fig.
The species is named after khezu; a kind of blind flying wyvern first appearing in Monster Hunter, noun in apposition.
Haolin Mo (Guilin, China) and Shanmi Zheng (Wenzhou, China) helped with fieldwork. This work was supported by the "333" Talent Project of Hebei Province (C20231125).