A new genus of Coelotinae (Araneae, Agelenidae) from southern China

Abstract One new genus of the spider subfamily Coelotinae, Flexicoelotes gen. n., with five new species is described from southern China: Flexicoelotes huyunensis sp. n. (female), Flexicoelotes jiaohanyanensis sp. n. (male and female), Flexicoelotes jinlongyanensis sp. n. (male and female), Flexicoelotes pingzhaiensis sp. n. (female), Flexicoelotes xingwangensis sp. n. (male and female).

In this paper, we describe a new genus of Coelotine spiders, Flexicoelotes gen. n., and five new species. All species were collected from caves in Guangxi and Yunnan, China.

Materials and methods
Specimens were examined with a Leica M205C stereomicroscope. Images were captured with an Olympus C7070 wide zoom digital camera (7.1 megapixels) mounted on an Olympus SZX12 dissecting microscope. Epigynes and male palps were examined after dissection from the spiders' bodies. The epigyne was cleared by boiling it in a 10% KOH solution before taking photos of the vulva.
A partial fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was amplified and sequenced for F. huyunensis sp. n., F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n., F. jinlongyanensis sp. n., F. pingzhaiensis sp. n., and F. xingwangensis sp. n. following the protocol in Miller et al. (2009). Primers used in this study are: LCO1490 (5'-CWACAAAYCATARRGATATTGG-3') (Folmer et al. 1994) and HCO2198zz (5'-TAAACTTCCAGGTGACCAAAAAATCA-3') (this study). All sequences were blasted in GenBank. The accession numbers are provided in Table 1. Etymology. The generic name is derived from the species' similarity to Coelotes and the Latin adjective "flexus", meaning "bent, curved", referring to the shape of the conductor. The gender is masculine.
Diagnosis. Males can be easily distinguished from other coelotines, except Tonsilla Wang &Yin, 1992 andLineacoelotes Xu, Li &Wang, 2008, by the broad conductor, the spoon-like median apophysis, and the elongate cymbial furrow. They can be distinguished from Tonsilla by the bent conductor apex, rather than a lobed conductor, the presence of an anterior apophysis, and the broad cymbial furrow ( Fig. 2A-C; Wang and Yin 1992: figs 3-5). They can be distinguished from Lineacoelotes by the broad, bent and less modified conductor, the presence of an anterior apophysis, and the thin, simple patellar apophysis ( Fig. 2A-C; Xu et al. 2008: figs 13-15). Females can be easily distinguished from other coelotines, except Tonsilla and Lineacoelotes, by the long epigynal teeth and the absence of epigynal hoods. They can be distinguished from Tonsilla by the large and simple atrium, rather than a posteriorly extended anterior atrial margin, an atrium with the anterior part wider than the posterior part, epigynal teeth that are separated rather than near one another, the short and posteriorly located Description. Flexicoelotes are small to medium-sized, with a total length of 4-9 mm; chelicerae with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth; male palp with one patellar apophysis; RTA with pointed tip, extending beyond the distal margin of the tibia; LTA short; conductor broad and wider than tibia; median apophysis spoonlike; anterior apophysis present; epigynal teeth very long; atrium large; spermathecae simple, located posteriorly; copulatory ducts broad, located dorsal to the spermathecae.
Distribution. China (Yunnan, Guangxi) ( Fig. 9). Diagnosis. The female can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n. by the short epigynal teeth (1/2 of atrial height, whereas they are almost subequal to atrial height in related species) and the broad, short and opaque copulatory ducts (Fig. 1A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 9).   Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male can be easily distinguished from other coelotines by the broad, dark conductor and the broad anterior apophysis ( Fig. 2A-C). The female can be easily distinguished from other coelotines by the large atrium, occupying more than 1/2 of the epigynal plate, the very long epigynal teeth that are subequal to the height of the atrium, and the translucent copulatory ducts (Fig. 3A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 9). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n. by the large dorsal conductor apophysis, the short, thin anterior apophysis, the short patellar apophysis, the complex and light-colored conductor, and the long, broad cymbial furrow ( Fig. 4A-C). The female can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n. and F. huyunensis sp. n. by the narrow posterior part of atrium and the unique shape of the copulatory ducts ( Fig. 5A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 9). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The female can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n. and F. huyunensis sp. n. by the subtriangular shape of the atrium, about 1/5 width of the anterior part, the large, oval copulatory ducts and the long, slender spermathecal stalks,   and can be distinguished from F. jinlongyanensis sp. n. by the oval copulatory ducts, and the long, slender spermathecal stalks (Fig. 6A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 9). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n. and F. jinlongyanensis sp. n. by the longer and more slender patellar apophysis, the thin conductor, the large, oval dorsal conductor apophysis in ventral view, and the short cymbial furrow (Fig. 7A-C). The female can be distinguished from F. jiaohanyanensis sp. n., F. huyunensis sp. n., F. jinlongyanensis sp. n., and F. pingzhaiensis sp. n. by the small and nearly hexagonal atrium, the short and light-colored epigynal teeth, and the widely separated fertilization ducts ( Fig. 8A-B).