Skip to main content

Kavanaugh sac spider (Trachelas kavanaughi) and distended stomach sac spider (Trachelas ventriosus)

Kavanaugh sac spider (Trachelas kavanaughi) and distended stomach sac spider (Trachelas ventriosus)

NEWS - Two new spider species were described from China: Kavanaugh sac spider (Trachelas kavanaughi sp. nov. ♀) and distended stomach sac spider (Trachelas ventriosus sp. nov. ♀), while a male of Gaoligong mountain sac spider (Trachelas gaoligongensis Jin, Yin & Zhang 2017) was described for the first time.

Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 is the most species-rich genus in Trachelidae with 91 species distributed worldwide, including 13 species in China (mostly distributed in southwest China). There are 7 new species of Trachelas described and 1 new record reported in China recently.

During the examination of spider specimens collected from Yunnan Province in 2007 with 2 new species, Trachelas ventriosus sp. nov. (♀) and T. kavanaughi sp. nov. (♀). The study also identified males of T. gaoligongensis.

T. gaoligongensis is named after the Gaoligong Mountains where the type site was found, with a distribution in Yunnan, China. Males resemble T. bomiensis Jin & Mi 2024, but differ in that the embolus is enlarged at the base and elongated at the tip (vs. elongated at the base and with two spirals at the tip).

The retrolateral tibial apophysis is pointed toward the dorsal side of the cymbium (vs. absent). The retrolateral patellar apophysis is longitudinally bar-shaped, covered with hairy setae distally (vs. distally bent transversely toward the tibia and without hairy setae).

Females of T. gaoligongensis resemble T. kavanaughi sp. nov., but differ in that the atrium is approximately as long as it is wide (vs. wider than long). The copulatory opening is posterior to the genitalia (vs. anterior to the genitalia). The primary spermathecae are oval (vs. round). The secondary spermathecae are more than twice as wide as the primary spermathecae (vs. narrower than the primary spermathecae).

T. kavanaughi is named in honor of the collector of the type specimen, D. H. Kavanaugh, curator emeritus of the California Academy of Sciences. Distribution is known only from the type locality. Females resemble T. gaoligongensis, but differ in that the atrium is wider than it is long (vs. approximately as long as it is wide).

The copulatory opening is anterior to the genitalia (vs. posterior). Primary spermathecae are round (vs. oval). Distance between secondary spermathecae is narrower than the primary spermathecae (vs. more than twice as wide as the primary spermathecae).

T. ventriosus is named in honor of the Latin word “ventriosus” (pot-bellied) referring to its large belly. Distribution is known only from the type locality. Females resemble T. fasciae Zhang, Fu & Zhu 2009, but differ in that the atrium occupies 3/4 of the genitalia (vs. 1/3 of the genitalia).

The copulatory opening is posterior to the secondary spermathecae (vs. anterior to the secondary spermathecae). The secondary spermathecae are inverted V-shaped (vs. V-shaped). The primary and secondary spermathecae are far apart from each other (vs. partially overlapping).

Original research

Tang G, Yan W-l, Zhao Y, Peng X-j (2024). Description of two new species of the genus Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 and the male of T. gaoligongensis Jin, Yin & Zhang, 2017 from China (Araneae, Trachelidae). ZooKeys 1215: 127-138, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1215.130564

Dlium theDlium

Popular Posts

Liverwort (Marchantia)

Liverwort ( Marchantia ) is a genus of plants in the Marchantiaceae, growing vines and attached to the soil surface, soft, dark green, upright phallus like a cup, grows in colonies on slopes and vertical soil that is moist and shady. Marchantia has elongated strands, rounded ends, branched, flat margins and a black vein in the middle. The strands formed a circular formation, growing widely and forming new formations around it. Sexual reproduction involves sperm from antheridia in male plants to fertilize ova in archegonia in female plants. The zygote develops into a small sporophyte which remains attached to the larger gametophyte. The sporophyte produces spores which develop into free-living male and female gametophytes. Asexual reproduction via gemmae in the cup-like structures on the upper surface of the plant. Asexual reproduction can also occur when older plant parts die and new, surviving branches develop into separate plants. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Marchantiophyta Class: ...

Black potato (Coleus rotundifolius)

Black potato ( Coleus rotundifolius ) is a species of plant in Lamiaceae, herbaceous, fibrous roots and tubers, erect and slightly creeping stems, quadrangular, thick, and slightly odorous. Single leaves, thick, membranous, opposite and alternate. Leaves are oval, dark green and shiny on the upper side, bright green on the lower side. Up to 5 cm long, up to 4 cm wide, slightly hairy and pinnate leaf veins. Leaf stalks up to 4 cm long. Small, purple flowers. Star-shaped petals, lip-shaped crown, dark to light purple with a slightly curved tube shape. Flowering from February-August. Small tubers, brown and white flesh and tuber length 2-4 cm. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Subfamily: Nepetoideae Tribe: Ocimeae Subtribe: Plectranthinae Genus: Coleus Species: Coleus rotundifolius

Wild durian (Cullenia exarillata)

Wild durian ( Cullenia exarillata ) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae, a tall tree with smooth, greyish-white bark, peeling on older trees, a straight trunk, horizontal branches and often with a series of knob-like tubercles for flower and fruit attachment. C. exarillata has young branches and the underside of the leaves is covered with golden brown peltate or shield-like scales. The leaves are single, alternate, glabrous, glossy green on the upper side and covered with silvery or orange peltate scales on the underside. Hermaphroditic flowers are tubular and also covered with golden brown scales, 4-5 cm long and cream or reddish brown in color. Flowers have no petals, formed of tubular bracteoles and tubular calyxes, 5-lobed. Fruit is round, 10-13 cm in diameter, covered with thorns and clustered along the branches. Many seeds, reddish brown, 4-5 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. The seeds are enclosed by a fleshy, whitish aril. The fruit splits open when ripe and dries to release the s...