Sinocoelotes gen. n., a new genus of the subfamily Coelotinae (Araneae, Agelenidae) from Southeast Asia

Abstract A new genus of the spider subfamily Coelotinae, Sinocoelotes gen. n., with nine new species, is described from Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in southern China. The new species are: Sinocoelotes cangshanensis sp. n. (♀), Sinocoelotes hehuaensis sp. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes luoshuiensis sp. n. (♀), Sinocoelotes mangbangensis sp. n. (♀) from Yunnan; Sinocoelotes kangdingensis sp. n. (♀), Sinocoelotes ludingensis sp. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes mahuanggouensis sp. n. (♀), Sinocoelotes muliensis sp. n. (♀), and Sinocoelotes yanyuanensis sp. n. (♂) from Sichuan. In addition, six Coelotes species are transferred to the new genus: Sinocoelotes acicularis (Wang, Griswold & Ubick, 2009), comb. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes forficatus (Liu & Li, 2010), comb. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes guangxian (Zhang, Yang, Zhu & Song, 2003), comb. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes pseudoterrestris (Schenkel, 1963), comb. n. (♂♀), Sinocoelotes pseudoyunnanensis (Wang, Griswold & Ubick, 2009), comb. n. (♂♀) and Sinocoelotes thailandensis (Dankittipakul & Wang, 2003), comb. n. (♂♀). DNA barcodes of all the species were documented for future use.

In this paper, a new genus of coelotine spiders, Sinocoelotes gen. n. and nine new species from China are described, and six new combinations are suggested.

Material 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. Epigyne was cleared by boiling it in 10% KOH solution before take photos of the vulva.
DNA barcodes were obtained for future use. A partial fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was amplified and sequenced for 15 species (all nine new species and six species, for which we introduced new combinations) using Primers: LCO1490-oono (5'-CWACAAAYCATARRGATATTGG-3') (Folmer et al. 1994) and HCO2198-zz (5'-TAAACTTCCAGGTGACCAAAAAATCA-3') . For additional information on extraction, amplification and sequencing procedures, see Zhao et al. (2013). All sequences were analyzed using BLAST and are deposited in GenBank. The accession numbers are provided in Table 1.
All of the specimens (including molecular vouchers) are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS) in Beijing, China. sent, long or short, located medially in comparison to epigynal plate height or anteromedially; spermathecae usually long and convoluted, subdivided in 2 parts: anterior and posterior; anterior part of spermathecae broad, posterior part thinner and strongly convoluted, anterior part usually larger than posterior part; spermathecal heads located at the border between anterior part of spermathecae and copulatory ducts; copulatory ducts broad, arc-shaped, situated anteriorly, connected to each other at basal part, and separated about its length at terminal part.
Comments. In addition to morphological study, we analyzed the relationships of coelotine spiders based on molecular data (8 genes, ~ 6.5 kb) on 18 genera and 286 coelotine species. The molecular analyses (in progress) support Sinocoelotes gen. n. as monophyletic.
Distribution. So far the genus is known only from China and Thailand (Fig. 21).  The female is similar to S. hehuaensis sp. n., but can be easily distinguished from it by the longer epigynal teeth (three times longer than in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), the different shape of atrium (anterior part much broader than posterior part in this species, but inverted U-shaped in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), and the broader and membranous copulatory ducts (which are slender and sclerotized in S. hehuaensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 3A-B and 8A-B).
Description. Described by Wang et al. (2009). Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n., and therefore we transfer it to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports this transfer.
Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21). Diagnosis. The female can be easily distinguished from other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the long and broad epigynal teeth (subequal to the atrial length), the broad anterior part of spermathecae (occupying 1/4 of epigyne plate square, and about five times of the posterior part of spermathecae in this species, but occupying less than 1/5 epigyne plate square in other species), anterior part of spermathecae touching each other (only part of SA touching each other in S. hehuaensis sp. n. and S. mangbangensis sp. n.; part of SP touching each other in S. luoshuiensis sp. n. and S. pseudoterrestris comb. n.; separated from each other in other species), and the short, laterally located spermathecal heads (laterally located but long in S. acicularis comb. n., S. kangdingensis sp. n. and S. mahuanggouensis sp. n.; medially located in other species) ( Fig. 4A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). ( Diagnosis. The female is similar to S. hehuaensis sp. n., but can be easily distinguished from it by the longer and slenderer epigynal teeth (twice as long as in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), the broader, shorter and laterally originating spermathecal heads (twice as long as S. forficatus and medially originating in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), and the slenderer, longer and inverted U-shaped copulatory ducts (cf. Figs 5A-B and 8A-B).

Sinocoelotes forficatus
Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n., and therefore we assigned it to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports this transfer.
Description. Described by Liu and Li (2010). Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21). ( Diagnosis. The female can be easily distinguished from all other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the broad atrium, the long, with blunt tip and anteriorly situated epigynal teeth (long, anteriorly situated, but with pointed tip in S. kangdingensis sp. n., S. ludingensis sp. n. and S. luoshuiensis sp. n.; long, with blunt tip, but not anteriorly located in S. acicularis comb. n. and S. cangshanensis sp. n.; short, less than 1/2 length of S. guangxian comb. n. in other species), the short spermathecae (anterior part is smaller than posterior part), and the broad copulatory ducts (occupying 1/2 of epigynal plate) ( Fig. 6A-B).

Sinocoelotes guangxian
Description. See Zhang et al. (2003). Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n., and therefore was assigned to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports the transfer.
Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male can be easily distinguished from other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the longer peg-shaped conductor (about 1/2 length of cymbium; less than 1/3 length of cymbium in S. ludingensis sp. n., S. thailandensis; bended in S. yanyuanensis sp. n.), the longer patellar apophysis (subequal to the length of patella in S. hehuaensis sp. n., shorter than the length of patella in other species), the larger and subtriangular dorsal conductor apophysis (large, but with blunt tip in S. thailandensis; less than 1/3 length and 1/2 width of S. hehuaensis in other species) (cf. Figs 7A-C, 10A-C, 18A-C and 20A-C). The female is similar to S. cangshanensis sp. n. but can be distinguished from it by the shorter epigynal teeth (less than 1/3 length of the teeth in S. cangshanensis sp. n.), the broader copulatory ducts (two times wider than in S. cangshanensis sp. n.), and the longer spermathecal heads (twice as long as in S. cangshanensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 8A-B; and 4A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Diagnosis. The female is similar to that of S. cangshanensis sp. n., but can be distinguished from it by the slenderer epigynal teeth (about 1/2 width of S. cangshanensis sp. n.), the broader SA, the thinner PA, the ratio between two parts of spermathecae (the PA subequal to the SA in S. kangdingensis sp. n., but PA just about 1/4 of the SA in S. cangshanensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 9A-B and 2A-B), the well sclerotized copulatory ducts (Fig. 9A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male is similar to that of S. hehuaensis sp. n., but can be distinguished from it by the slenderer conductor, with the hook-like apex (conductor peg-shaped in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), the smaller dorsal conductor apophysis (about 1/2 width and 1/3 length of S. hehuaensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 10A-C and 7A-C). The female is similar to that of S. kangdingensis sp. n., but can be distinguished from it by the shape of atrium, anterior part wider than posterior part in S. ludingensis sp. n. (anterior part narrower than posterior part in S. kangdingensis sp. n.), the broader copulatory ducts, the longer (twice as long as S. kangdingensis sp. n.) and medially originating spermathecal heads (laterally originating in S. kangdingensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 11A-B and 9A-B).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Diagnosis. The female of the new species has uniquely shaped epigyne and can be easily distinguished from all other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the broad atrium lacking distinct margins (with distinct anterior and lateral margins in other species), the long and sickle-shaped copulatory ducts, and copulatory ducts span wider than spermathecae, the spermathecal heads short and close to each other (close to each other but five times as long as in S. luoshuiensis sp. n in S. muliensis sp. n., and laterally originating in other species) (Fig. 12A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Diagnosis. The female can be easily distinguished from other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the short, wider than long, triangular epigynal teeth, the pear-shaped atrium, the sickle-shaped copulatory ducts, the long and clavate spermathecal heads (Fig. 13A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The female is similar to that of S. hehuaensis sp. n., but can be distinguished from it by longer epigynal teeth (twice as long as in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), the  broader copulatory ducts, which the posterior part separated from each other further, the slender, laterally and ventrally located spermathecal heads (dorsally situated in S. hehuaensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 14A-B and 8A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The female of the new species has uniquely shaped epigyne and can be easily distinguished from all other Sinocoelotes gen. n. species by the anteriorly situated atrium (atrium with distinct anterior margin, but lacking distinct posterior margin, and the posterior part broader than anterior part), the teeth broad and located between two atrial lateral margins, the long and strongly twisted spermathecae, closely spaced, the slender, mesally originating spermathecal heads (which are also mesally originating in S. luoshuiensis sp. n, but are 1/4 length shorter than those in S. muliensis sp. n.; laterally originating in all other species) (Fig. 15A-B).
Male. Unknown. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21).
Sinocoelotes pseudoterrestris (Schenkel, 1963) Diagnosis. The female is similar to that of S. mangbangensis sp. n., but can be easily distinguished from it by the longer epigynal teeth (twice as long as in S. mangbangensis sp. n.), the smaller posterior part of spermathecae which is about 1/4 of the anterior part (the posterior part is subequal to the anterior part in S. mangbangensis sp. n.), the laterally situated spermathecal heads (ventrally situated in S. mangbangensis sp. n.), and the membranous copulatory ducts (strongly sclerotized in S. mangbangensis sp. n.) (cf. Figs 16A-B and 14 A-B).
Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n., and therefore was assigned to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports the transfer.
Description. Described by Wang (2002). Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21). ( round-blunt tip in S. pseudoyunnanensis, but slenderer and with pointed tip in other species), the longer LTA (about 1/3 length of RTA in S. pseudoyunnanensis, less than 1/6 length of RTA in other species), the broader patellar apophysis (the terminal part wider than basal part, and the apex subequal to the width of tibia, the terminal part wider than basal part, but the apex about 1/2 width of tibia in S. hehuaensis, the terminal part subequal to, or even slenderer than basal part in other species) (cf. Figs 17A-C and 7A-C, 10A-C, 20A-C).

Sinocoelotes pseudoyunnanensis
Description. Described by Wang et al. (2009). Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n. and therefore was assigned to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports this transfer.
Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21). ( Diagnosis. The species is similar to S. hehuaensis sp. n., but male can be easily distinguished by a shorter and broader conductor (about 1/3 length of the conductor in S. hehuaensis sp. n.), the broad and wedge-shaped dorsal conductor apophysis (cf. Figs 18A-C and 7A-C). The female can be distinguished from that of S. hehuaensis sp. n. by the broad (almost round) atrium, the broader and shorter copulatory ducts, the shorter spermathecal heads (about 1/3 length of the spermathecal heads S. hehuaensis sp. n.) .

Sinocoelotes thailandensis
Description. Described by Wang et al. (2009). Comments. The species shares a combination of somatic morphology characters with S. hehuaensis sp. n., and therefore was assigned to Sinocoelotes gen. n. The molecular analysis supports this transfer.
Distribution. China (Yunnan) (Fig. 21).  Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The male of the new species has uniquely shaped palps, and can be easily recognized from all other Sinocoelotes gen. n. by the clavate patellar apophysis, and the basal part broader than terminal part (bended and 1.5 times as width as S. yanyuanensis sp. n. in S. thailandensis, basal part equal to or even slenderer than terminal part in other species), the broader and bended conductor in ventral view (wave-shaped in S. pseudoyunnanensis, straight in other species), short cymbial tip about 1/4 length of cymbium (about 1/3 length of cymbium in other species), the smaller visible part of dorsal conductor apophysis (quite distinct in other species) (cf. Figs 20A-C and 7A-C, 10A-C, 17A-C).