﻿Eleven species of jumping spiders from Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan, China (Araneae, Salticidae)

﻿Abstract Ten new species of jumping spiders are described from China, including Attulusjimanisp. nov. (♂♀) from Yunnan, Colaxescibagousp. nov. (♂♀), Epeuspengisp. nov. (♂♀), Evarchazayusp. nov. (♂♀), Iciuszangsp. nov. (♂♀), Pancoriusnyingchisp. nov. (♂♀), Stertiniusliqingaesp. nov. (♂♀), and Synagelidesmedogsp. nov. (♀) from Xizang, S.tianquansp. nov. (♂♀), and Yaginumaellaerlangsp. nov. (♂♀) from Sichuan. The hitherto unknown female of Phintellalongapophysis Lei & Peng, 2013 is described for the first time. Diagnostic photos and the distributional maps for all species are provided. Four new combinations are proposed: Epeusdilucidus (Próchniewicz, 1990), comb. nov., and E.guangxi (Peng & Li, 2002), comb. nov. transferred from Plexippoides Prószyński, 1984, Phintellasufflava (Jastrzębski, 2009), comb. nov. transferred from Carrhotus Thorell, 1891, and Yaginumaellaarmata (Jastrzębski, 2011), comb. nov. transferred from Pancorius Simon, 1902.


Introduction
With the series of taxonomic studies conducted, the knowledge of the family Salticidae Blackwall, 1841 from China has significantly increased, and the recorded species number has exceeded 720, which is higher than Brazil, the most species-richest country worldwide (Metzner 2024;WSC 2024).However, the Chinese jumping spider remains a poor species survey, and in the light of prospection by Li (2020), the species number could reach ca 1500.
Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan are the three bordered provinces in southwestern China.They partly belong to the Hengduan Mountains and Himalayan Mountains, which have been the centre of diversification for several spider groups and have presented a very high species diversity of jumping spiders, especially Yunnan, where at least 235 species are documented, far exceeding the number of salticid species known from Vietnam (161), Japan (150), and about 2/3 the species number known from India (364), and 3/5 known from Indonesia (397) (Wang and Li 2021;Li and Lin 2024;Metzner 2024;WSC 2024).

Material and methods
Specimens were collected by beating shrubs or hand collecting.They were preserved in 80% or absolute ethanol.Specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZCAS), China, and Tongren University (TRU) in Tongren, China.The specimens were examined with an Olympus SZX10 stereomicroscope.After dissection, the vulva was cleared in trypsin enzyme solution before examination and imaging.Images of the copulatory organs and habitus were taken with a Kuy Nice CCD mounted on an Olympus BX43 compound microscope.Compound focus images were generated using Helicon Focus v. 6.7.1.Drawings of the paths of copulatory ducts were generated by Adobe Illustrator CC 2018.All measurements are given in millimetres.Leg measurements are given as total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus).Abbreviations used in the text and figures are as follows: ALE anterior lateral eye; AME anterior median eye; AERW anterior eye row width; AR atrial ridge; AS anterior chamber of spermatheca; At atrium; CD copulatory duct; CO copulatory opening; E embolus; EFL eye field length; FD fertilization duct; H epigynal hood; LP lamellar process; MA median apophysis; MS median septum; PCA prolateral cymbial apophysis; PERW posterior eye row width; PL posterior lobe; PLE posterior lateral eye; PS posterior chamber of spermatheca; RCA retrolateral cymbial apophysis; RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis; S spermatheca; SD sperm duct; TF tegular flap.
Institutional abbreviations: IZCAS Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; TRU Tongren University.
Comments.Attulus is placed in the Subtribe Sitticina Simon, 1901, together with five other genera (Maddison et al. 2020;Metzner 2024) and represented by 59 nominal species widely distributed in Eurasia (WSC 2024).It can be easily distinguished from other genera of the Subtribe except Sittisax Prószyński, 2017 based on the long fourth legs and absence of retromarginal cheliceral teeth (Maddison et al. 2020), and it can be distinguished from Sittisax by the tube-shaped, folded spermathecae.
Etymology.The specific name is after the collector, Jiman He; noun (name) in genitive case.
Diagnosis.The male of Attulus jimani sp.nov.resembles that of A. dubatolovi (Logunov & Rakov, 1998) in the general shape of palp, especially the RTA, but it differs as follows: 1) embolus originating at ca 8:30 o'clock position (Fig. 1A,  B), versus about 6 o'clock position in A. dubatolovi (Logunov and Rakov 1998: fig. 74); 2) RTA blunt apically in retrolateral view (Fig. 1C), versus sharply pointed in A. dubatolovi (Logunov and Rakov 1998: fig. 75).The female of A. jimani sp.nov.closely resembles that of A. clavator (Schenkel, 1936) in the general shape of epigyne and vulva, but it can be distinguished by the spermatheca having an elongated anterior chamber, and a transversely extending posterior chamber, and by the absence of markings on the dorsum of abdomen (Fig. 2B,  E), versus the spermatheca having a spherical anterior chamber, and posterolaterlly extending posterior chamber, and the presence of a pair of oval spots on the dorsum of abdomen in A. clavator (Peng 2020: fig. 302a, e).The female also somewhat resembles that of A. nitidus (Hu, 2001) but is readily distinguished by the median septum, which is separated from epigastric furrow about onethird its length and almost equal in width anteromedially (Fig. 2A), versus at least half its length, and widened anteriorly in A. nitidus (Hu 2001: fig. 266-3).
Palp (Fig. 1A-C): tibia slightly wider than long, with flat and broad RTA almost shovel-shaped in ventral view; cymbium less than 1.5 times longer than wide, setose; bulb flat, almost oval; embolus originating at ca 8:30 o'clock position of bulb, widened at base, and followed by the slender remaining portion slightly curved and ending with blunt tip.
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 2A, B): wider than long, atrium irregular, posteromedially located, separated by the arch-bridge-shaped median septum; copulatory openings almost half-round, situated at the lateral sides of the base of median septum, far away from each other about 1/3 the epigynal width; copulatory ducts anterolaterally extending before strongly curved about 150° at distal end; spermathecae divided into two elongated chambers, the posterior chamber transversely extending.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Yunnan, China (Fig. 22A).

Comments.
Colaxes is a rather poorly known genus, which is placed in the tribe Ballini Banks, 1892 together with 21 other genera, and only contains four endemic species recorded from India and Sri Lanka (Maddison 2015;Metzner 2024;WSC 2024).The genus was diagnosed by Benjamin (2004) for the following: 1) the presence of dark markings on the laterals of the abdomen and the absence of markings on the lateral sides of legs I-IV; 2) the presence of only  pointed out that the taxonomic validity of Colaxes requires further investigation.It is worth noting that Paul et al. (2020) were not concerned about the absence of leaf-like setae ventrally on tibiae I, an essential character in Benjamin's taxonomic study of the tribe Ballini in 2004.According to this character, Colaxes can be easily distinguished from Asian Ballini genera except Ballus, Copocrossa Simon, 1901, andMantisatta Warburton, 1900.Moreover, Colaxes can be distinguished from Ballus by the carapace, which is longer than wide, but wider than long in the latter (Benjamin 2004), and it can be distinguished from Copocrossa, and Mantisatta by lacking much-developed leg I (see the colour habitus photos of Copocrossa tenuilineata (Simon, 1900) and Mantisatta trucidans Warburton, 1900in Metzner 2024).However, a proper definition of the genus can't be provided because the generotype is relatively poorly known, and members are rather diverse in habitus and copulatory organs.The below new species might not be true Colaxes.However, we still decided to temporarily assign it to the genus because it lacks leaf-like setae ventrally on tibiae I, shares similar copulatory organs with the known member, C. horton Benjamin, 2004, and is geographically adjacent to the generotype.Etymology.The species name is a noun derived from the type locality: Cibagou National Nature Reserve.

Colaxes cibagou
Diagnosis.Colaxes cibagou sp.nov.can be easily distinguished from other congeners by the wide embolic coils, which are equal to about four-fifths the bulb width in diameter, the male cheliceral promarginal fissidental tooth, and the presence of hood structure formed by the anterior portion of the epigynal median septum (Figs 3A, 4A, G), versus embolic coils less than two-thirds the bulb width in diameter, two or three male cheliceral promarginal teeth, and the absence of similar hood structure in Colaxes (for illustrations, see Metzner 2024).
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 4A, B): longer than wide; atrium oval, with invert U-shaped anterior ridge, and separated by broad median septum, which forms pair of hood structures at anterior portion; copulatory openings located at the lowest portions of atrium, slit-shaped, separated from each other about 1.5 times their width; copulatory ducts long, forming complicated coils; spermathecae indistinct; fertilization ducts lamellar, extending anterolaterally.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Yunnan, China (Fig. 22B).
Comments.The unpublished molecular evidence has supported the pairing.
Comments.Epeus, one of the members of the subtribe Plexippina Simon, 1901 (Maddison 2015), contains 19 species distributed mainly in East, South, and Southeast Asia (WSC 2024).The genus has always been considered to be closely related to Plexippoides Prószyński, 1984 and a relatively comprehensive comparison of those two genera was provided by Logunov (2021), who summarized seven characters to distinguish Epeus and Plexippoides.However, the conclusion could not be perfect.Those two genera share similar palpal structure, especially in having a cluster of setae antero-retrolateral to the bulb on cavity, the presence of tegular lobe, and the sclerotized RCA; however, Epeus can be distinguished from Plexippoides by the following: 1) the slender body, covered with sparse setae on carapace (for illustrations, see Metzner 2024), versus rather dumpy body, setose on carapace in Plexippoides (Logunov 2021: figs 1, 6, 9, 14, 45, 50); 2) the most anterior margin of bulb cavity is far away from cymbial tip at least ca.one-third the cymbial length (for illustrations, see Metzner 2024), versus close to cymbial tip no more than one-third the cymbial length in Plexippoides (Lougunov 2021: figs 17, 23, 28); 3) the weakly sclerotized copulatory ducts run posteriorly and form multi-loops (Patoleta et al. 2020), but sclerotized copulatory ducts do not form similar loops in Plexippoides (Logunov 2021: figs 33, 37, 41).P. guangxi and P. dilucidus have slender bodies, and their most anterior margin of bulb cavity is far away from cymbial tip more than one-third the cymbial length (Peng and Li 2002: fig. 3A, C;Próchniewicz 1990: figs 22, 23, 26).Based on that, they are being transferred.Etymology.The species name is a patronym in honour of Prof. Xianjin Peng, who has significantly contributed to the taxonomy of Chinese salticids; noun (name) in genitive case.
Palp (Fig. 5A-C): tibia swollen in retrolateral view, with short, strongly sclerotized RTA widened at base, and with pointed tip directed towards about 1: 30 o'clock position in retrolateral view; cymbium about 1.5 times longer than wide in ventral view, bearing cluster of dark setae retrolateral to the bulb on cavity, and with base-retrolateral apophysis tapered to relatively pointed tip; bulb swollen, almost round, with posteriorly extended tegular flap originating at the antero-retrolateral submargin; embolus originating at ca 5 o'clock position of bulb, flagelliform, extending ca half circle along the bulb and then antero-retrolaterally extending to the cymbial tip.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China (Fig. 22B).
Comments.Evarcha, one of the largest genera of the subtribe Plexippina Simon, 1901 (Maddison 2015), contains 92 worldwide distributed species (WSC 2024).The genus has a vast diversity in genital morphology: embolus ranging from short, stout and compact to very long and filamentous, tegulum ranging from rounded to more complex shapes bearing outgrowths, insemination ducts ranging from broad and membranous to thin and tube-shaped might indicate it is more of a 'hold all' genus harbouring unrelated species (Kanesharatnam and Benjamin 2021).Based on the above, a valid definition of the genus could not be proposed.We assigned the new species to the genus because it shares copulatory organs similar to some known species, such as E. laetabunda (C.L. Koch, 1846) and E. michailovi Logunov, 1992.Etymology.The species name is a noun derived from the type locality: Zayu County.
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 8A, B): slightly wider than long, with pair of posterolateral hoods; atrium big, almost oval, separated by sub-square median septum about half the atrial length; copulatory ducts long, curved into U-shape anteromedially, and forming coils distally; spermathecae elongated; fertilization ducts extending anterolaterally.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China (Fig. 22A).
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 10A, B): wider than long, with pair of posterolateral hoods; atrium large, anterior located, with C-shaped lateral ridges; copulatory openings almost half round, open laterally; copulatory ducts thick, strongly curved medially; spermathecae almost spherical, touching; fertilization ducts originating from the lateral-anterior portion of spermathecae.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China (Fig. 22A).
Comments.Pancorius, contains 45 species mainly distributed in East, South, and Southeast Asia (WSC 2024).The genus is distinguishable from closely related genera Colopsus Simon, 1902, Evarcha, Hyllus C. L. Koch, 1846 by sandy brown habitus with pale white central and lateral carapace bands, serrated longitudinal abdominal band, simple palp with rounded or oval bulb, short embolus, single RTA with pointed tip, epigyne with sizeable central pocket, comparably small membranous window and multi-chambered spermathecae (Kanesharatnam and Benjamin 2021).The below-described new species is placed in the genus because it generally resembles that of most species.However, it is worth mentioning that it is specific for having a very long embolus originating from the median portion of the bulb's prolateral side and with a membranous portion at base that may indicate its generic position needs further attention.Etymology.The species name is a noun in apposition derived from Nyingchi City.The type localities Zayu, Bowo, Medog belong to the municipal administration of Nyingchi.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China (Fig. 22A).
Comments.Phintella, one of the species-richest genera of the tribe Chrysillini Simon, 1901, contains 72 species mainly distributed in Asia and Africa (WSC 2024).The genus is diverse in habitus and copulatory organs, which indicates it should be split or at least should be further divided into groups.Phintella longapophysis is a convincing sample.It is sexual dimorphism in habitus, with hook-shaped distal apophysis on endites and distal-retrolateral tegular lobe (Figs 13B , 14C-E) that are different from the generotype and its congeners, which without sexual dimorphism, lacks the hook-shaped distal apophysis on endites, and with the lamellar process instead of distal-retrolateral tegular lobe (for illustration, see Metzner 2024).
Moreover, Phintella sufflava (Jastrzębski, 2009), comb.nov. is transferred because it shares a similar epigyne and vulva with P. longapophysis Lei & Peng, 2013.In the following, we considered P. longapophysis Lei & Peng, 2013 as a valid species rather than a synonym of the latter because the examined female specimens consistently have spherical spermathecae, which is different from P. sufflava.However, we cannot confirm whether the difference is due to interspecific differences or intraspecific variations.So, the status of the two mentioned species needs further confirmation.Diagnosis.The male was thoroughly diagnosed by Lei and Peng (2013).The female of this species closely resembles that of P. sufflava (Jastrzębski, 2009), comb.nov. in having very similar epigyne and vulva, but it can be distinguished by the spherical spermathecae (Fig. 14B) versus sub-square spermathecae in P. sufflava (Jastrzębski 2009: fig. 4).
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 14A, B): wider than long, with posterior concave; copulatory openings anterior located, almost C-shaped, close to each other; copulatory ducts almost straight, connected to the anterior margins of spherical spermathecae; fertilization ducts originating from the inner-anterior portions of spermathecae.
Comments.Stertinius, is represented by 15 nominal species mainly distributed from East and Southeast Asia (WSC 2024).The genus is poorly defined because the generotype lacks diagnostic drawings, and most of its species were assigned because they present similar habitus and copulatory organs with other known congeners (Prószyński and Deeleman-Reinhold 2013).Based on the above, we assigned the new species to the genus because it generally harbors similar habitus and copulatory organs to S. ryukyuensis Suguro, 2020.Etymology.The specific name is a patronym of Miss Liqing Fan, who helped us collect specimens in Cibagou National Nature Reserve; noun (name) in genitive case.
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 16A-C): wider than long, with central hood between copulatory openings; copulatory openings oval, bilateral to epigynal hood; copulatory ducts short; spermathecae divided into the anterior elliptical chamber and posterior sub-spherical chamber; fertilization ducts originating from the median of the inner portion of posterior chambers, antero-transversely extending.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Xizang, China (Fig. 22B).Comments.Synagelides, contains 72 ant-like species distributed in East, South, and Southeast Asia (WSC 2024).The genus is closely similar to Pseudosynagelides Żabka, 1991 in haibuts and copulatory organs, but it can be distin-guished from it by the following: 1) the presence of triangular femoral apophysis of palp (for illustration, see Metzner 2024), versus absent in Pseudosynagelides (Żabka 1991: figs 9D, 16D); 2) the tegular median apophysis is retrolateral to embolus (for illustration, see Metzner 2024), but prolateral to embolus in Pseudosynagelides (Żabka 1991: figs 9B, C, 12A, C, E).It is worth mentioning that Synagelides could be much more diverse than its currently known (Wang et al. 2023), and the genus still needs much taxonomic attention, especially the cavaleriei group (see Bohdanowicz 1987), which shares very similar copulatory organs that made it very hard to identify.Etymology.The species name is a noun derived from the type locality: Medog County.
Epigyne and vulva (Fig. 17A-D): wider than long; atrium big, oval, posteriorly located, with pair of arc-shaped, anterolateral ridges; copulatory openings oval, posterolaterally located on atrium, separated from each other by more than their width; copulatory ducts long, slightly curved into C-shaped at anterior half and then posterior extending to connect with the postero-lateral portions of oval spermathecae, with short accessory glands located at the anterior portions of the posterior half; fertilization ducts originating from the antero-inner portion of spermathecae, antero-transversely extending.
Palp (Fig. 18A-D): femur longer than wide, with medio-prolateral, triangular apophysis; patella enlarged; tibia short; RTA weakly sclerotized and broadened base-medially, followed by the acutely narrowed, strongly sclerotized remainder with rather blunt tip directed towards anteroventral side; cymbium longer than wide, with irregular dorsal apophysis and strongly sclerotized prolateral apophysis blunt at terminus; bulb swollen; embolus flat, forming half disc at base and with blunt tip; median apophysis large, irregular.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Sichuan, China (Fig. 22B).
Comments.Yaginumaella, one of the members of the subtribe Plexippina Simon, 1901 (Maddison 2015), contains 14 species mainly distributed in East Asia (WSC 2024).The genus has always been considered to be closely related to Ptocasius Simon, 1885 (Li et al. 2018;Patoleta et al. 2020), and has even been considered as a synonym of the latter unofficially (e.g.Żabka 1985).One of the influential studies of the two genera is Patoleta et al. ( 2020), who transferred 37 species of Yaginumaella into Ptocasius based on the similarities in copulatory organs structures.However, this work has not discussed the difference in habitus patterns (see Li et al. 2018).And now, the generic position of species for these two genera is controversial.Herein, we adopt the view of Li et al. (2018) and assign the new species to Yaginumaella.
Yaginumaella armata (Jastrzębski, 2011), comb. nov. is transferred because it shares a similar habitus and palpal structure to Yaginumaella rather than Pancorius, given that the embolus originates at the bulb's base but antero-apically in Pancorius.Moreover, the described female of Y. armata (new materials collected from Gyirong County, Xizang, were examined by us) is likely mismatched and may belong to a member of the tribe Chrysillini.Etymology.The species name is a noun derived from the type locality: Erlang Mountain National Nature Reserve.
Distribution.Known only from the type locality in Sichuan, China (Fig. 22A).

Figure 22 .
Figure 22.Distributional records of the described species.