Research Article |
Corresponding author: Yanfeng Tong ( tyf68@hotmail.com ) Academic editor: Cristina Rheims
© 2024 Shuhui Li, Qiang Chen, Yanfeng Tong.
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:
Li S, Chen Q, Tong Y (2024) Four new species of leptonetid spiders (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from Anhui Province, China. ZooKeys 1218: 99-119. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1218.136555
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Four new species of leptonetid spiders from Anhui Province, China are recognized: Jingneta qishan Tong, sp. nov. (♂♀), Jingneta wukuishan Tong, sp. nov. (♂), Leptonetela jingde Tong, sp. nov. (♂♀) and Rhyssoleptoneta lishan Tong, sp. nov. (♂♀). An identification key to leptonetid spiders from Anhui is provided.
Asia, biodiversity, identification key, Jingneta, Leptonetela, new taxa, Rhyssoleptoneta, taxonomy
Members of the family Leptonetidae Simon, 1890 are tiny (1–3 mm) and typically have six eyes, with the posterior median eyes displaced behind the anterior lateral eyes and the posterior lateral eyes, and anterior median eyes have been lost. Most species live in moist habitats, such as leaf litter, under rocks and in caves (
Leptonetidae includes 22 genera and 392 species from North America, the Mediterranean, and East and Southeast Asia (
In this study, four new species of leptonetid spiders from the Anhui Province of China are described and illustrated. An identification key is provided.
Specimens used in this study were collected by sifting forest leaf litter and examined using a Leica M205 C stereomicroscope. Fine details were studied using an Olympus BX51 compound microscope. Female genitalia were cleared in lactic acid. Photomicroscope images were made with a Canon EOS 750D zoom digital camera (24.2 megapixels) mounted on an Olympus BX51 compound microscope. Photos were stacked with Helicon Focus ® (version 8.2.0) and processed in Adobe Photoshop CC 2020 ®. Scanning electron microscope images (SEM) were taken under high vacuum with a Hitachi S-4800 after critical-point drying and gold-palladium coating. Leg measurements are shown as: total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus) and, when missing, were coded as “–”. All measurements were taken using an Olympus BX51 compound microscope and are in millimeters.
All specimens are preserved in 75% ethanol. The type material is deposited in the Shenyang Normal University (SYNU) in Liaoning, China (curator: Yanfeng Tong).
Terminology follows
Leptoneta cornea Tong & Li, 2008.
See
Twelve species, including two described here.
China (Anhui, Beijing, Hebei).
Holotype China • ♂ (SYNU-1168); Anhui, Chizhou City, Guichi District, Qishan Scenic Area; 30°38'19"N, 117°29'57"E, 70 m; 12.I.2022; H. Fu & K. Yang leg. Paratype: China • ♀ (SYNU-1169), same data as holotype.
The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.
This new species is similar to Jingneta exilocula (
Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig.
Jingneta qishan sp. nov. A, B left palpal bulb and tibia, prolateral and retrolateral views C, D distal part of bulb, prolateral and retrolateral views. Abbreviations: emb = embolus; mo = median outgrowth; po = prolateral outgrowth; ps = prolateral sclerite; ro = retrolateral outgrowth; so = small outgrowth. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.
Jingneta qishan sp. nov., SEM A, C left palp, ventral and retrolateral views B bulb, ventral view D distal part of bulb, ventral view E detail of palpal tibial apophysis, lateral view F patella III, dorsal view G detail of patella III, dorsal view H metatarsus III, ventral view, arrow shows preening comb. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, C); 0.1 mm (B, D); 0.05 mm (E–H).
Female (paratype). Similar to male in general features. Habitus as in Fig.
China (Anhui).
Holotype China • ♂ (SYNU-1170); Anhui, Huangshan City, She County, Wukui Mountain; 29°51'0"N, 118°24'55"E, 138 m; 3.I.2022; W. Cheng, H. Fu & K. Yang leg. Paratype: China • 1 ♂ (SYNU-1171), same data as holotype.
The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.
This new species is similar to Jingneta maculosa (
Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig.
Female. Unknown.
China (Anhui).
Guineta Lin & Li, 2010: 6.
Qianleptoneta Chen & Zhu, 2008: 12.
Sinoneta Lin & Li, 2010: 82.
Sulcia kanellisi Deeleman-Reinhold, 1971.
See
One hundred and twenty-three species, of which 9 species occur in Greece, 2 in Turkey, 1 in Azerbaijan and Georgia, 1 in Vietnam, and 110 species in China, including the one described here.
Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Greece, Turkey and Vietnam.
Holotype China • ♂ (SYNU-1172); Anhui, Xuancheng City, Jingde County, Tu’er Mountain; 30°18'23"N, 118°32'15"E, 240 m; 7.I.2022; W. Cheng, H. Fu & K. Yang leg. Paratype: China • 4 ♂ 1 ♀ (SYNU-1173–1177), same data as holotype.
The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.
This new species is similar to Leptonetela microdonta (
Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig.
Female (paratype). Similar to male in general features. Habitus as in Fig.
China (Anhui).
Rhyssoleptoneta latitarsa Tong & Li, 2007.
See
Three species, including one described here.
China (Anhui, Beijing, Hebei).
Holotype China • ♂ (SYNU-1163); Anhui, Chizhou City, Guichi District, Lishan Village; 30°36'28"N, 117°30'12"E, 20 m; 14.I.2022; H. Fu & K. Yang leg. Paratype: China • 1 ♀ (SYNU-1164), same data as holotype.
China • 3 ♀; Anhui, Chizhou City, Guichi District, Santaishan Park; 30°39'34"N, 117°28'21"E, 30 m; 13.I.2022; H. Fu & K. Yang leg.
The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.
This new species is similar to Rhyssoleptoneta aosen (
Rhyssoleptoneta lishan sp. nov. A, B, C left palp, prolateral, dorsal and retrolateral views, arrow shows the short projection D, E detail of palpal bulb, prolateral and retrolateral views. Abbreviations: mo = median outgrowth; ms = median sclerite; pl = prolateral lobe; ps = prolateral sclerite; spr = short projection. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.
Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig.
Rhyssoleptoneta lishan sp. nov., SEM A, C left palp, prolateral and dorsal views B, D detail of palpal bulb, prolateral and ventral views. Abbreviations: emb = embolus; mo = median outgrowth; ms = median sclerite; pl = prolateral lobe; ps = prolateral sclerite; rl = retrolateral lobe; spr = short projection; ts = tarsal spur. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.
Distribution records of leptonetid spiders from Anhui, China, red circles refer to four new species, green circles indicate four known species 1 Jingneta maculosa 2 Jingneta qishan sp. nov. 3 Jingneta tunxiensis 4 Jingneta wukuishan sp. nov. 5 Leptonetela jingde sp. nov. 6 Leptonetela microdonta 7 Longileptoneta shenxian 8 Rhyssoleptoneta lishan sp. nov.
Female (paratype). Similar to male in general features. Habitus as in Fig.
China (Anhui).
Females of Jingneta wukuishan are unknown.
1 | Males | 2 |
– | Females | 9 |
2 | Palpal femur with strong spines (Figs |
3 |
– | Palpal femur without strong spines (Figs |
7 |
3 | Eyes absent; palpal tibia with columnar apophyses; cymbium curved prolaterally, with prolateral spine ( |
Longileptoneta shenxian Wang & Li, 2020 |
– | Eyes present; palpal tibia with one or two horn-shaped or spine-like apophyses; cymbium branched distally, without prolateral spine (Figs |
4 |
4 | Body light yellow, abdomen without dark stripes (Fig. |
5 |
– | Body dark brown, abdomen with dark stripes (Fig. |
6 |
5 | Male palpal tibia with one horn-shaped apophysis distally (Fig. |
Jingneta qishan sp. nov. |
– | Male palpal tibia without horn-shaped apophysis ( |
Jingneta tunxiensis (Song & Xu, 1986) |
6 | Chelicerae with ten promarginal teeth; palpal femur with nine long setae retrolaterally and tibia with three short blunt spines ( |
Jingneta maculosa (Song & Xu, 1986) |
– | Chelicerae with seven promarginal teeth (Fig. |
Jingneta wukuishan sp. nov. |
7 | Palpal tibia without strong spines (Fig. |
Rhyssoleptoneta lishan sp. nov. |
– | Palpal tibia with a row of strong spines (Fig. |
8 |
8 | Abdomen with dark chevron-shaped stripes (Fig. |
Leptonetela jingde sp. nov. |
– | Abdomen without dark chevron-shaped stripes; chelicerae with eight promarginal teeth ( |
Leptonetela microdonta (Xu & Song, 1983) |
9 | Abdomen with dark chevron-shaped stripes (Fig. |
10 |
– | Abdomen without dark chevron-shaped stripes | 11 |
10 | Abdomen with four dark chevron-shaped stripes; spermathecal stalk including six coils (Fig. |
Leptonetela jingde sp. nov. |
– | Abdomen with three dark chevron-shaped stripes; spermathecal stalk straight, without coils ( |
Jingneta maculosa (Song & Xu, 1986) |
11 | Eyes absent ( |
Longileptoneta shenxian Wang & Li, 2020 |
– | Eyes present | 12 |
12 | Genital area with a scape (Fig. |
13 |
– | Genital area without a scape | 14 |
13 | Scape enlarged distally; atrium triangular (Fig. |
Rhyssoleptoneta lishan sp. nov. |
– | Scape not enlarged distally; atrium oval (Fig. |
Jingneta qishan sp. nov. |
14 | Carapace with brown lateral margin; spermathecal stalk including six coils ( |
Leptonetela microdonta (Xu & Song, 1983) |
– | Carapace without brown lateral margin; spermathecal stalk straight, without coils ( |
Jingneta tunxiensis (Song & Xu, 1986) |
The manuscript benefitted greatly from comments by Charles Griswold, Cristina Rheims, Hirotsugu Ono, Joel Ledford, Sarah Crews and one anonymous reviewer.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
No ethical statement was reported.
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC32370479, 31972867) and Special Fund for Graduate Students Programs of Shenyang Normal University (SYNUXJ2024058).
YT designed the study. SL and QC finished the descriptions and took the photos. YT completed the hand drawings. SL and YT drafted and revised the manuscript.
Shuhui Li https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0266-6859
Qiang Chen https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9722-1561
Yanfeng Tong https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4348-7029
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.