Aranea punctoria Villers, 1789, type locality: Europe.

The genus Cheiracanthium currently includes 215 extant species that are widespread in the Old World and represent 61% of the total number of Cheiracanthiidae species (WSC 2020). However, the genus remains inadequately studied because: (1) almost half of the species are known from a single sex or juveniles (37 from males, 59 from females, two from juveniles), and in some cases, the adults are apparently mismatched, or conspecific male and females have been described as separate species (Dankittipakul and Beccaloni 2012; WSC 2020); (2) original descriptions are rather brief and lack illustrations or the illustrations are inadequate (Zhang et al. 2018); (3) the diversity of this genus is still insufficiently known (Zhang et al. 2018). Although several major taxonomic studies on a regional scale have been conducted, e.g., Edwards (1958) for the US, Wolf (1991) for Central Europe, Bonaldo and Brescovit (1992) for the Neotropical Region, Lotz (2007a, b, 2011, 2014, 2015) for the Afrotropical Region, Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) for Southeast Asia, the genus Cheiracanthium has been widely considered paraphyletic (Wunderlich 2012; Marusik and Fomichev 2016). We agree with Bayer (2014) regarding the need of an extensive, large-scale review of the genus. Consequently, the present study follows the WSC (2020) and temporarily places the four new species in Cheiracanthium sensu lato.

♂ (IZCAS-Ar 34741), China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, seasonal tropical primary rainforest, 21°54.725'N, 101°13.261'E, elevation ca. 734 m, 8.VIII.2007, Guo Zheng leg. Paratype: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar 34742), same data as holotype.

China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, 1♂ (YHCH010), Baka Village, 21°57.703'N, 101°12.062'E, elevation ca. 736 m, 5.VIII.2012, Guo Zheng leg.; 1♀ (YHCH021), Bubang Village, monsoon forest, 21°36.827'N, 101°34.847'E, elevation ca. 690 m, 12.VIII.2012, Guo Zheng leg.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin ‘dāo fēng’, which means ‘blade point’, referring to the narrow, sharp conductor which is shaped like a blade; noun in apposition.

Males of the new species can be easily distinguished from the congeners by the blade-shaped pointed conductor with a sharp tip and by the embolar tip extending to the apex of the cymbium (Figs 1A–C, 7A, 8A, 10A–C) (the conductor and the embolar tip are relatively short and do not extend to the cymbial tip in almost all other Cheiracanthium species, such as C. duanbi sp. nov. and C. gou sp. nov.; Figs 3A–C, 5A–C, 7B, C, 8B, C, 10D–I). The females are similar to those of C. taiwanicum (Chen and Huang 2012: 25, fig. 7E, F) in having a similar habitus, an eyebrow-shaped atrial anterior margin, and coiled copulatory ducts but differ in the following: (1) the receptacles are kidney-shaped (Fig. 2C, D) (vs. globular in C. taiwanicum), and (2) having different numbers of copulatory duct coils (four coils in C. daofeng sp. nov., vs. six coils in C. taiwanicum) (Fig. 2C, D).

Figure 1. 

Palp of Cheiracanthium daofeng sp. nov., male holotype. A Prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; CS = cymbial spur; DTA = dorsal tibial apophysis; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Male. Holotype (Figs 2E, F): TL 4.95; CL 2.15, CW 1.74, CI (CL/CW) 1.24; AL 2.80, AW 1.34. Carapace pale brown, with pair of brown lateral bands extending from behind PME and PLE, almost reaching posterior margin, fused, forming a U-shaped patch. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER slightly wider than AER, almost straight in dorsal view. All eyes dark with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: OAL 0.37, OAW 0.99; AME 0.12, ALE 0.14, PME 0.11, PLE 0.13; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.10, PME–PME 0.17, PME–PLE 0.27; MOQA 0.37, MOQP 0.45, CLL 0.05. Chelicerae protruding and coloured as carapace, with a small basal condyle, three teeth on promargin and three on retromargin. Sternum pale brown, STL 1.04, STW 0.91. Labium and endites coloured as carapace. Legs pale yellow, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 21.08 (5.36, 6.70, 6.72, 2.30), II 11.50 (3.11, 3.83, 3.66, 0.91), III 8.58 (2.35, 2.57, 2.85, 0.82), IV 12.28 (3.24 3.76, 4.27, 1.02); LL/CL 9.80. Abdomen lanceolate, dorsally yellowish white, dorsum with indistinct heart-shaped mark, two pairs of inconspicuous muscle depressions, scattered numerous white pigmented spots; venter yellowish white without distinct pattern.

Figure 2. 

Cheiracanthium daofeng sp. nov., female paratype and male holotype. A Epigyne, intact, ventral view B epigyne, cleared, ventral view C vulva, cleared, dorsal view D vulva, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, dorsal view E male habitus, dorsal view F male habitus, lateral view G female habitus, dorsal view H female habitus, ventral view. Abbreviations: A = atrium; AAM = atrial anterior margin; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; R = receptacle. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D); 1 mm (E–H).

Palp (Figs 1A–C, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A–C). Tibia with two apophyses: a retrolateral one that is relatively long and sclerotized, ca. 1/3 of palpal tibia length, with a more-or-less finger-like apex; a very minute, tooth-shaped dorsal apophysis; cymbial spur two times shorter than tibia, beak-shaped; cymbial fold strongly developed and conspicuous in ventral and retrolateral views for approximately 2/3 of cymbium length; tip of cymbium long, ca. 1/2 of cymbium length. Tegulum oval, 1.6 times longer than wide; median apophysis long and filamentous, more than 1/2 of tegulum length, with a curved tip resembling a sickle in ventral view; embolus filiform, originating on the retrolateral flank (approximately 1 o’clock on tegulum), surrounding base and ending at conductor apex, its tip curved behind conductor and extending to apex of cymbium; conductor large, shaped like a blade point, base wide, gradually tapering toward apex.

Female. Distinctly larger and darker than male. Paratype (Fig. 2G, H) measured: TL 6.32; CL 2.40, CW 1.67, CI (CL/CW) 1.44; AL 3.92, AW 2.42. Eye diameters and interdistances: OAL 0.41, OAW 1.07; AME 0.11, ALE 0.13, PME 0.12, PLE 0.13; AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.15, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.22; MOQA 0.39, MOQP 0.46, CLL 0.08. PMT: RMT = 3:3. STL 1.20, STW 1.06. Legs yellowish white, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 21.08 (5.36, 6.70, 6.72, 2.30), II 11.50 (3.11, 3.83, 3.66, 0.91), III 8.58 (2.35, 2.57, 2.85, 0.82), IV 12.28 (3.24 3.76, 4.27, 1.02); LL/CL 9.80.

Epigyne (Figs 2A–D). Atrium ca. two times wider than long, atrial anterior margin eyebrow-shaped and heavily sclerotized, posterior and lateral margins inconspicuous; receptacles are faintly visible through epigynal plate in ventral view; two copulatory openings, large and conjoined, located at posterior portion of epigynal plate; transparent copulatory ducts coiled, forming four entwined loops (including three ascending coils and one descending coil); receptacle reniform, separated by diameter of receptacle.

Known only from the type locality, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.

♂ (IZCAS-Ar 34743, YHCH030), China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, G213 roadside, Anogeissus acuminata plantation, 21°53.748'N, 101°17.084'E, elevation ca. 620 m, 1.V.2019, Zhigang Chen leg. Paratype: 1♀ (IZCAS-Ar 34744, YHCH029), Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 21°54.007'N, 101°16.395'E, elevation ca. 620 m, 10.V.2019, Zilong Bai leg.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin ‘duǎn bì’, which means ‘short dagger’, and refers to the dagger-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis; noun in apposition.

The male of C. duanbi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Cheiracanthium species, except C. exquestitum (Zhang and Yin 1999: 287, figs 8, 9), by having a distally wide cymbial spur, a spine-like median apophysis, and a beak-shaped conductor but can be distinguished from C. exquestitum by having: (1) the distal tip of the cymbial spur partly membranous and not forked (Figs 3A–C, 7B, 8B); with a sclerotized and forked apex in C. exquestitum; (2) the retrolateral tibial apophysis erect, like a short dagger, in retrolateral view (Figs 3C, 8B), instead of sinuate and hook-shaped as in C. exquestitum; (3) the median apophysis shorter (Figs 3B, C, 7B, 8B, 10D–F). The females are similar to those of C. exquestitum (Zhang and Yin 1999: 287, figs 10, 11), C. rehobothense Strand, 1915 (Bayer 2014: 29, figs 8a–c, 9a, b), C. gratum Kulczyński, 1897 (Merkens and Wunderlich 2000: 42, figs 6–9), and C. fulvotestaceum Simon, 1878 (Hänggi and Stäubli 2012: 64, fig. 5) by the general shape of the atrium and vulva but can be distinguished by the copulatory ducts having three turns (vs. copulatory ducts with four turns in C. exquestitum, with two turns in C. rehobothense and C. gratum) and by the larger atrium (lateral margin of atrium close to the receptacle in C. duanbi sp. nov. vs. distant from the receptacle in C. fulvotestaceum).

Figure 3. 

Palp of Cheiracanthium daofeng sp. nov., male holotype. A Prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; CS = cymbial spur; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis; PTA = prolateral apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Male. Holotype (Figs 4E, F): TL 7.68; CL 3.64, CW 2.83, CI (CL/CW) 1.29; AL 4.01, AW 1.99. Carapace white, uniformly coloured, without any pattern. Eyes: in dorsal view, both anterior and posterior eye rows recurved, PER slightly wider than AER. All eyes dark, on tubercles. Eye sizes and interdistances: OAL 0.41, OAW 1.27; AME 0.18, ALE 0.20, PME 0.17, PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.22, PME–PME 0.28, PME–PLE 0.32; MOQA 0.51, MOQP 0.56, CLL 0.04. Chelicerae robust and coloured as carapace, both margins with two teeth. Sternum yellowish white, STL 1.87, STW 1.41. Labium and endites coloured as carapace. Legs white with greyish metatarsi and tarsi. Leg measurements: I 29.59 (7.23, 9.39, 9.69, 2.28), II 21.05 (5.77, 6.86, 6.58, 1.84), III 15.11 (3.81, 4.86, 5.08, 1.35), IV 20.96 (5.31, 6.81, 7.07, 1.77); LL/CL 8.13. Abdomen lanceolate, dorsally grey, lighter anteriorly, darker posteriorly; dorsum with a lengthwise white heart mark, 1/3 of opisthosoma length; venter greyish without any pattern.

Figure 4. 

Cheiracanthium duanbi sp. nov., female paratype and male holotype. A epigyne, intact, ventral view B epigyne, cleared, ventral view C vulva, cleared, dorsal view D vulva, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, dorsal view E male habitus, dorsal view F male habitus, lateral view G female habitus, dorsal view H female habitus, ventral view. Abbreviations: A = atrium; AAM = atrial anterior margin; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; R = receptacle. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D); 1 mm (E–H).

Palp (Figs 3A–C, 7B, 8B, 9B, 10D–F). Tibia relatively long, ca. 2/3 of cymbium length, with two apophyses: a short and sclerotized retrolateral one, ca. 1/2 of palpal tibia length, with wide base and narrow apex, dagger-shaped; and a small, round, thumb-like prolateral apophysis; cymbial spur approximately as long as tibia, distal tip wide and partly membranous; cymbial fold well-developed and clearly visible in ventral and retrolateral views for ca. 1/2 length of cymbium; tip of cymbium long, ca. 1/2 of cymbium length. Tegulum oval, 1.4 times longer than wide, surface wrinkled; median apophysis small and hyaline, spine-like; embolus filiform, arising at approximately 12 o’clock position, terminating at approximately 11 o’clock position, tip covered by conductor; conductor short, wide, beak-shaped, base covering embolic base, tip covering embolar apex.

Female. Distinctly larger and darker than male. Paratype (Figs 4G, H): TL 10.32; CL 3.64, CW 2.79, CI (CL/CW) 1.30; AL 6.69, AW 4.20. Eye diameters and interdistances: OAL 53, OAW 1.46; AME 0.21, ALE 0.23, PME 0.18, PLE 0.17; AME–AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.31, PME–PME 0.37, PME–PLE 0.41; MOQA 0.55, MOQP 0.74, CLL 0.06. PMT: RMT = 2:3. STL 1.79, STW 1.50. Legs yellowish brown, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 20.68 (5.27, 7.07, 6.06, 2.28), II 14.99 (4.25, 5.33, 4.00, 1.42), III 10.55 (2.91, 3.47, 2.97, 1.21), IV – (3.86, –, –, –); LL/CL 5.68.

Epigyne (Fig. 4A–D). Atrium large, located at posterior portion of epigynal plate, with delimited margin anteriorly and laterally, length is almost equivalent to width; receptacles and copulatory ducts prominent through epigynal plate in ventral view; two copulatory openings located at basolateral atrial borders; transparent copulatory ducts coiled, with three turns (including two ascending coils and one descending coil); receptacles elongated and pyriform, ca. two times longer than wide, separated by 1.5 diameters.

Known only from the type locality, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.

♂ (IZCAS-Ar 34746, YHCH016), China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 48 km landmark in the reserve, seasonal rainforest, 21°58.704'N, 101°19.748'E, elevation ca. 1088 m, 12.VIII.2011, Guo Zheng leg.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin ‘gōu’, which means ‘hook’, and refers to the curved distal tip of the cymbial spur which is shaped like a hook; noun in apposition.

Males of this new species can be easily distinguished from all other Cheiracanthium species by the structure of the palp. The retrolateral tibial apophysis consists of a thin distal half and a wide basal half. The cymbial spur is partly membranous proximally and sclerotized distally with the distal tip blunt and thick, hook-shaped (Figs 5A–C, 7C, 8C, 9C). By contrast, in almost all known Cheiracanthium species, the retrolateral tibial apophysis and the cymbial spur cannot be easily divided into two parts, and the distal tip of the cymbial spur is usually sharply pointed, such as in C. daofeng sp. nov. and C. duanbi sp. nov. (Figs 1A–C, 3A–C, 7A, B, 8A, B, 9A, B).

Figure 5. 

Cheiracanthium gou sp. nov., male holotype. A Flipped right palp, prolateral view B left palp, ventral view C left palp, retrolateral view D habitus, dorsal view E habitus, ventral view F habitus, lateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CS = cymbial spur; DTA = dorsal tibial apophysis; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–C); 1 mm (D–F).

Male. Holotype (Fig. 6D–F): TL –; CL 3.63, CW 2.83, CI (CL/CW) 1.28; AL –, AW –. Carapace pale yellow, uniformly coloured, without distinct pattern; cephalic region inconspicuously raised, cervical groove and radial grooves distinct, tegument smooth, clothed with short, fine hairs. Eyes: in dorsal view, both anterior and posterior eye rows recurved, PER slightly wider than AER. All eyes dark, on tubercles. Eye sizes and interdistances: OAL 0.49, OAW 1.32; AME 0.22, ALE 0.20, PME 0.17, PLE 0.18; AME–AME 0.17, AME–ALE 0.18, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.28; MOQA 0.53, MOQP 0.58, CLL 0.09. Chelicerae with three teeth on promargin and three on retromargin, with long red fangs. Sternum pale yellow, STL 1.67, STW 1.32. Labium and endites orange. Legs distinctly long, yellowish white, with brown metatarsi and tarsi, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 32.75 (8.38, 1.062, 11.29, 2.46), II – (5.32, –, –, –), III missing, IV 22.07 (6.4, 6.34, 7.72, 1.61); LL/CL 9.02. Abdomen missing.

Palp (Figs 5A–C, 7C, 8C, 9C, 10G–I). Tibia with two apophyses: long and sclerotized retrolateral apophysis, ca. 1/3 of palpal tibia length, with thin distal half and wide basal half; and a short, thin, stalk-like dorsal apophysis; cymbial spur short, ca. 1/3 of cymbium length, partly membranous proximally, heavily sclerotized distally, distal tip curved and blunt; cymbial fold poorly developed and indistinct in ventral and retrolateral views for ca. 1/2 the length of cymbium; tip of cymbium long, ca. 1/2 of cymbium length. Bulb elongated, 1.5 times longer than wide; median apophysis long and hyaline, more than 1/2 of tegulum length, with wide base, thin middle part, and hook-shaped tip; embolus originates at ca. 1 o’clock position, surrounds base, and ends atop conductor at distal end of tegulum; conductor short, thick, membranous.

Female. Unknown.

According to the WSC (2020), a total of ten Cheiracanthium species from China are known only from females: C. approximatum O. P.-Cambridge, 1885, C. escaladae Barrion et al., 2013, C. fujianense Gong, 1983, C. hypocyrtum Zhang & Zhu, 1993, C. liuyangense Xie et al., 1996, C. olliforme Zhang & Zhu, 1993, C. potanini Schenkel, 1963, C. solidum Zhang et al., 1993, C. sphaericum Zhang et al., 1993, and C. longtailen Xu, 1993. Among them, C. escaladae is supposedly a Clubiona species based on epigyne morphology, C. approximatum and C. potanini are doubtful or invalid species because of the poor original illustrations and descriptions, C. liuyangense may be a synonym of C. taegense Paik, 1990, and C. longtailen is considered a junior synonym of C. pichoni Schenkel, 1963. The remaining five species can be tentatively considered valid species. In addition, C. spectabile (Thorell, 1887) from Myanmar is known by the male but is not illustrated. We cannot rule out the possibility that the above six species are conspecific to C. gou sp. nov.

Known only from the type locality, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.

♀ (IZCAS-Ar 34747, YHCH020), China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 48 km landmark in the reserve, seasonal rainforest; 21°58.704'N, 101°19.748'E, elevation ca. 1088 m, 12.VIII.2011, Guo Zheng leg.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin ‘wǔ quān’, which means ‘five loops’, and refers to the coiled copulatory ducts, forming five entwined coils; noun in apposition.

The female of the new species is similar to those of C. japonicum Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 (Zhu and Zhang 2011: 341, fig. 246A, B), C. simaoense Zhang & Yin, 1999 (Zhang and Yin 1999: 286, figs 6, 7), C. turiae Strand, 1917 (Deeleman-Reinhold 2001: 234, figs 292, 293), and C. virescens (Sundevall, 1833) (Zhu and Zhang 2011: 346, fig. 250A, B) by the general shape of the atrium and receptacles and the coiling of the copulatory duct around the distal part of the receptacle. The new species can be easily distinguished by the different number of copulatory duct coils (copulatory ducts with five turns in C. wuquan sp. nov. vs. three turns in C. simaoense and C. virescens and four turns in C. japonicum and C. turiae) (Figs 6C–G).

Figure 6. 

Cheiracanthium wuquan sp. nov., female holotype. A Habitus, dorsal view B habitus, ventral view C epigyne, intact, ventral view D epigyne, cleared, ventral view E vulva, cleared, dorsal view F epigyne, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, ventral view G vulva, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A = atrium; AAM = atrial anterior margin; CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; R = receptacle. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C–G).

Figure 7. 

Cheiracanthium spp., left palp, ventral view. A C. daofeng sp. nov., male holotype B C. duanbi sp. nov., male holotype C C. gou sp. nov., male holotype. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; CS = cymbial spur; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis; RTA = prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Female. Holotype (Fig. 6A, B): TL 6.85; CL 2.69, CW 2.42, CI (CL/CW) 1.11; AL 4.15, AW 2.78. Carapace yellowish orange except yellowish brown ocular area, without distinct pattern; cervical groove and radial grooves indistinct. Eyes: both anterior and posterior eye rows almost straight in dorsal view, PER slightly wider than AER. All eyes dark, with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: OAL 0.37, OAW 1.10; AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME 0.14, PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.20, AME–ALE 0.23, PME–PME 0.30, PME–PLE 0.33; MOQA 0.46, MOQP 0.57, CLL 0.04. Chelicerae robust and brownish red, with long, red wine-coloured fangs, with three teeth on promargin and two on retromargin. Sternum pale yellow, STL 1.35, STW 1.12. Labium and endites light orange. Legs yellowish white with brown metatarsi and tarsi, without distinct markings. Leg measurements: I 9.38 (2.54,3.35, 2.73, 0.77), II 7.83 (2.00, 2.88, 2.23, 0.72), III 5.78 (1.64, 1.86, 1.65, 0.62), IV 7.96 (2.41, 2.43, 2.42, 0.70); LL/CL 3.49. Abdomen oval, uniformly grey, dorsum with two pairs of conspicuous muscle depressions; venter medially with two longitudinal dotted lines.

Epigyne (Figs 6C–G). Atrium large, slightly wider than long, located at posterior portion of epigynal plate, with arched anterior hood and indistinct posterior margin; two copulatory openings, large and contiguous, located at basolateral atrial borders; receptacles and copulatory ducts conspicuous through epigynal plate in ventral view; transparent copulatory ducts coiled, with five ascending turns, connecting receptacle anteriorly; receptacles elongated and separated by 1.5 diameters, pear shaped, ducts coil around distal part.

Male. Unknown.

Due to the large and long, ovoid receptacles and the slender copulatory duct encircling the anterior part of the receptacles, we justifiably place C. wuquan sp. nov. in Cheiracanthium sensu stricto. Until now, five Cheiracanthium species from China are known from males only: C. antungense Chen & Huang, 2012, C. echinulatum Zhang, Zhang & Yu, 2018, C. gobi Schmidt & Barensteiner, 2000, C. ningmingense Zhang & Yin, 1999, and C. chayuense Li & Zhang, 2019 (WSC 2020). Based on the palpal structure, with the exception of C. ningmingense, the other four species do not belong to Cheiracanthium sensu stricto (Wunderlich 2012). C. ningmingense is presently known from Ningming county in Guangxi (type locality), Shimen county in Hunan, and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan. However, C. ningmingense maybe a junior synonym of one known species.

Known only from the type locality, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.

Figure 8. 

Cheiracanthium spp., left palp, retrolateral view. A C. daofeng sp. nov., male holotype B C. duanbi sp. nov., male holotype C C. gou sp. nov., male holotype. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; CS = cymbial spur; DTA = dorsal tibial apophysis; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 9. 

Cheiracanthium spp., left palp, dorsal view. A C. daofeng sp. nov., male holotype B C. duanbi sp. nov., male holotype C C. gou sp. nov., male holotype. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; CS = cymbial spur; DTA = dorsal tibial apophysis; PTA = prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 10. 

Cheiracanthium spp., left bulb, prolateral view (A, D, G), ventral view (B, E, H), retrolateral view (C, F, I).A–C C. daofeng sp. nov. D–F C. duanbi sp. nov. G–I C. gou sp. nov. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; EB = embolic base; MA = median apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Sinocanthium shuangqiu Yu & Li, sp. nov.

The generic name is derived from its similarity to Cheiracanthium and the Latin adjective Sino- for Chinese referring to the distribution region of the genus. The gender is neuter.

Sinocanthium gen. nov. resembles Cheiracanthium by the similar habitus (Figs 11A, B, 4G, H, 6A, B) but is consistently separable by the shape of the epigyne. Sinocanthium gen. nov., as in most Cheiracanthium species, has a yellow body, a wide cephalic part, long legs, subequal eyes, and parallel eye rows of equal width occupying the greater width of the head. It can be distinguished from Cheiracanthium sensu lato by the absence of copulatory ducts (Fig. 11E, G) (vs. copulatory ducts with variable lengths but distinct in all Cheiracanthium species, including C. daofeng sp. nov., C. duanbi sp. nov., and C. wuquan sp. nov. (Figs 2C, D, 4C, D, 6E, G), and by the atrium located anteriorly with a rebordered posterior margin (Figs 11C, D, F) (vs. atrium located anteriorly or centrally, atrial hood located anteriorly in Cheiracanthium).

Figure 11. 

Sinocanthium shuangqiu sp. nov., female holotype. A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, ventral view C epigyne, intact, ventral view D epigyne, cleared, ventral view E vulva, cleared, dorsal view F epigyne, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, ventral view G vulva, cleared and embedded in Arabic gum, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A = atrium; AAM = atrial anterior margin; APM = atrial posterior margin; CO = copulatory opening; FD = fertilization duct; R = receptacle. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C–G).

Same as for the species.

Type species only.

Based on the original figures and text descriptions of the epigynes, Cheiracanthium sensu lato can be further divided into at least four or five different taxa (Wunderlich 2012). The morphology of the epigyne exhibits very high diversity. However, all Cheiracanthium species related to the generotype have copulatory ducts, even though the shapes, lengths, and courses of the copulatory ducts are variable. Despite the variable shapes, the atria of the different taxa are located posteriorly or centrally and are usually rebordered anteriorly and laterally. Obviously, Sinocanthium shuangqiu sp. nov. cannot be placed in Cheiracanthium sensu lato because of the peculiar structure of the epigyne, so we described a new genus to accommodate it. Although we examined only one female of S. shuangqiu sp. nov., our specimen is strikingly different from all Cheiracanthium species: The atrium is located anteriorly, the atrial posterior margin is rebordered, and copulatory ducts are absent, supporting our decision.

♀ (IZCAS-Ar 34745, YHCH011), China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 48 km landmark in the reserve, seasonal rainforest; 21°58.704'N, 101°19.748'E, elevation ca. 1088 m, 12.VIII.2011, Guo Zheng leg.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese pinyin ‘shuāng qiú ‘, which means ‘double ball’, and refers to the two bulb-shaped receptacles; noun in apposition.

The new species is easily distinguished from other cheiracanthiids by the epigyne, which has a fan-shaped fovea that is rebordered posteriorly and by the absence of copulatory ducts.

Female. Holotype (Fig. 11A, B): TL 5.02; CL 2.13, CW 1.71, CI (CL/CW) 1.25; AL 2.89, AW 2.06. Carapace pale yellow, ocular area brown, a pair of brown lateral bands originating from behind PME and PLE, almost reaching posterior half of carapace. Eyes: AER almost straight, PER wider than AER and slightly procurved in dorsal view. All eyes dark, with black rings. Eye sizes and interdistances: OAL 0.51, OAW 0.93; AME 0.16, ALE 0.16, PME 0.17, PLE 0.13; AME–AME 0.21, AME–ALE 0.26, PME–PME 0.28, PME–PLE 0.34; MOQA 0.49, MOQP 0.58, CLL 0.11. Chelicerae with orange base, fangs red wine-coloured, both margins without teeth. Sternum yellowish, STL 1.17, STW 0.94. Labium and endites coloured as ocular area. Legs yellowish white, without any markings. Leg measurements: I and II missing, III – (–, 1.56, 1.36, 0.57), IV 8.02 (2.35, 2.59, 2.37, 0.71). Abdomen (Fig. 11A, B) oval, dorsally yellowish white, dorsum with two pairs of inconspicuous muscle depressions; venter white with no distinct pattern.

Epigyne (Fig. 11C–G). Atrium large and fan-shaped, located anteriorly on epigynal plate, margin delimited, atrial anterior margin long and indistinct, posterior margin heavily sclerotized; atrium ca. two times wider than long, blocked by mating plug before cleaning; receptacles clearly visible through the tegument in ventral view; copulatory openings small, located at basolateral atrial borders; receptacles perfectly round, separated by 0.8 diameters.

Male. Unknown.

Known only from the type locality, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.