Skip to main content

Qiyunshan cellar spider (Khorata qiyunshanensis) from China found in the twilight zone of a cave

Dlium Qiyunshan cellar spider (Khorata qiyunshanensis) from China found in the twilight zone of a cave

NEWS - Qiyunshan cellar spider (Khorata qiyunshanensis Zhou, sp. nov.) from Jiangxi Qiyunshan National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi, China, discovered during a spider survey conducted in June 2024 was confirmed as a new species to science based on morphological comparison.

Khorata Huber 2005 contains 52 species distributed in Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, of which about 34 species have been recorded from China. K. qiyunshanensis was found in the twilight zone of an unnamed artificially excavated cave or among Xiangluba cliffs (webs between rocks).

The new species can be easily distinguished from all known congeners by bulb oval shape and fawn, embolus length equal to bulb; procursus proximal slightly curved, odontoid protuberance on the lateral distally bearing scales and three small angular apophyses.

Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses on front-lateral surface middle, pair of strong frontal apophyses, inward bending hooked frontal apophyses; posteromedian apophysis long rod-shaped, its length about equal to the length of epigyne; vulva with relief anterior arch and concave on both sides of the middle and posteriorly pointed pore plates.

DESCRIPTION

Male (holotype: Total length 2.23 (2.46 with clypeus), carapace 0.92 long, 0.93 wide, opisthosoma 1.31 long, 0.97 wide. Leg I: 20.59 (5.18, 0.42, 5.16, 7.47, 2.36), leg II: 13.97 (3.95, 0.42, 3.39, 4.79, 1.42), leg III 10.59 (3.11, 0.37, 2.58, 3.58, 0.95), leg IV: 13.02 (3.74, 0.42, 3.23, 4.74, 0.89); tibia I L/d: 49. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME–PME 0.13, PME 0.12, PME–ALE 0.04, AME absent. Sternum width/length: 0.67/0.62. Both sides of carapace greyish-brown, the middle sides pale white; 6 white eyes, black around the eyes; sternum black with long black fine hairs. Legs brownish, but pale white on distal parts of femora and tibiae. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 27% proximally; legs with short vertical setae on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, without spines or curved setae; tarsus I with 60 distinct pseudosegments. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses on front-lateral surface middle, pair of strong frontal apophyses (cattle-horn shape), inward bending hooked frontal apophyses (medial lower half and distance between tips: 0.05). Trochanter with width retrolateral apophysis (as long as wide) and trochanter with dorsal apophysis (small); femur with retrolateral apophysis (semi-circular ring); patella large; procursus proximal slightly curved, odontoid protuberance on the lateral distally bearing scales and three small angular apophyses; bulb oval shape and fawn, embolus curved long strip and back end bent downwards and becomes blunt tip, its length equal to bulb.

Female (paratype): Similar to male. Total length 2.35 (2.44 with clypeus), carapace 0.83 long, 0.93 wide, opisthosoma 1.52 long, 1.07 wide. Leg I: 18.32 (4.58, 0.37, 4.58, 6.37, 2.42), leg II: 11.80 (3.11, 0.32, 2.84, 4.11, 1.42), leg III 11.25 (3.05, 0.37, 2.68, 3.89, 1.26), leg IV: 12.05 (3.63, 0.37, 3.05, 4.16, 0.84); tibia I L/d: 43.5. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME–PME 0.12, PME 0.11, PME–ALE 0.02, AME absent. Sternum width/length: 0.57/0.64. Epigyne brownish and posteromedian apophysis patent defect, outer edge black long hairs, without pockets; posteromedian apophysis long rod-shaped, its length about equal to the length of epigyne. Vulva with relief anterior arch and concave on both sides of the middle and posteriorly pointed pore plates (semi-arc).

Variation: Tibia I in the male paratype (JXQYS-24-43-02): 3.74. Tibia I in another female paratype (JXQYS-24-43-04, 05, 06; JXQYS-24-82-01): 4.68, 4.69, 4.47; 4.71.

Original research

Zhou G, Lu J, Deng Y (2024). A new species of Khorata Huber, 2005 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Jiangxi Qiyunshan National Nature Reserve, southern China. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e141018, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e141018

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...
Read more

Asian palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer)

Asian palmyra palm ( Borassus flabellifer ) is a species of Arecaceae , palm, sturdy, single-stemmed, cylindrical shape, growing 15-30 meters tall and with a trunk diameter of about 60 cm. The leaves are clustered at the tip of the trunk, forming a rounded crown . The leaf blade resembles a round fan , up to 1.5 meters in diameter. The leaflets are 5-7 cm wide, and the underside is whitish with a waxy coating. The leaf stalk is up to 1 meter long, with a broad, black midrib at the top and a row of two-pointed spines . The inflorescence is borne on a cob, 20-30 cm long, and the stalk is about 50 cm long. The fruits are clustered in clusters of about 20, round, 7-20 cm in diameter, with a brownish-black outer skin and yellow flesh on the inside. The fruit has three seeds in a thick, hard shell. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Liliopsida Order: Arecales Family: Arecaceae Subfamily: Coryphoideae Tribe: Borasseae Subtribe: Lataniinae Genu...
Read more

Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar (Amanita javanica)

OPINION - Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar ( Amanita javanica ) is a mysterious fungus species and has been enigmatic since it was first reported by Boedijn in 1951 and after that no explanation or reporting of specimens is believed to be the same as expected. Boedijn (1951) described A. javanica which grew on Java island as having the characteristics covered in the Amanita genus. Corner and Bas in 1962 tried to describe Javan mocca and all species in Amanita based on specimens in Singapore. Over time some reports say that they have found A. javanica specimens in other Southeast Asia including also China, Japan, India and Nepal. But there is no definitive knowledge and many doubt whether the specimen is the same as described by Boedijn (1951). I was fortunate to have seen this species one afternoon and soon I took out a camera for some shots. In fact, I've only met this mushroom species once. Javan mocca is an endangered species and I have never seen in my experience in...
Read more