Nine new spider species of Belisana Thorell, 1898 (Araneae, Pholcidae) from karst caves, with a list of species of the genus from Guizhou, southwestern China Author Wang, Bing https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7047-4395 College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, Liaoning, China Author Li, Jinglin https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3932-309X College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, Liaoning, China Author Li, Shuqiang 0000-0002-3290-5416 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China Author Yao, Zhiyuan 0000-0002-1631-0949 College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, Liaoning, China text ZooKeys 2024 2024-10-25 1216 265 302 journal article 10.3897/zookeys.1216.132561 0E173F72-36D3-4B97-BC43-F096067A3D1E Belisana liupanshui Wang, S. Li & Yao sp. nov. Figs 4 , 5 , 22 C, D , 24 C, D Type material. Holotype : China • ♂ ; Guizhou , Liupanshui , Pan County , Biyun Cave ; 25 ° 46.527 ' N , 104 ° 38.278 ' E ; alt. 1468 m ; 13 Apr. 2007 ; J. Liu & Y. Lin leg.; IZCAS - Ar 45181 . Paratypes : China • 5 ♂ ; same data as for holotype; IZCAS - Ar 45182 –86 • 7 ♀ ; same data as for holotype; IZCAS - Ar 45187 –93 . Diagnosis. The new species resembles B. jiuxiang Zhang, Li & Yao, 2024 ( Zhang et al. 2024 b : 261, figs 4 A – D, 5 A – H, 18 C, D, 20 C, D) by having similar male chelicerae (distal apophyses directed towards frontally, but tips pointing inwards; Fig. 5 D ) and epigyne (epigynal pockets on median part of epigynal plate, epigynal plate posteriorly straight; Figs 5 A , 24 C ), but can be distinguished by procursus with prolatero-subdistal and subdistal membranous processes (arrows 1, 3 in Figs 4 C , 22 C vs absent) and nearly rectangle dorso-subdistal membranous process (arrow 4 in Figs 4 C , 22 C vs angular), by bulbal apophysis with angular subdistal apophysis (arrow in Fig. 5 C vs absent), and by vulval pore plates anteriorly narrow and posteriorly wide ( pp in Figs 5 B , 24 D vs nearly quadrilateral). Figure 4. Belisana liupanshui sp. nov. , holotype male A, B palp ( A prolateral view B retrolateral view, arrow 1 points at ventral apophysis, arrow 2 points at retrolatero-proximal protrusion) C, D distal part of procursus ( C prolateral view, arrow 1 points at prolatero-subdistal membranous process, arrow 2 points at sclerotized distal apophysis, arrow 3 points at subdistal membranous process, arrow 4 points at dorso-subdistal membranous process D retrolateral view). Abbreviations: b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, e = embolus, f = flap, pr = procursus. Scale bars: 0.10 ( A, B ); 0.05 ( C, D ). Figure 5. Belisana liupanshui sp. nov. , holotype male ( C – F ) and paratype female ( A, B, G, H ) A epigyne, ventral view B vulva, dorsal view, arrow points at lateral sclerite C bulb, prolateral view, arrow points at subdistal apophysis D chelicerae, frontal view E – H habitus ( E, G dorsal view F lateral view H ventral view). Abbreviations: aa = anterior arch, b = bulb, ba = bulbal apophysis, da = distal apophysis, e = embolus, ep = epigynal pocket, pa = proximo-lateral apophysis, pp = pore plate. Scale bars: 0.10 ( A – D ); 0.50 ( E – H ). Description. Male ( holotype ): Total length 1.71 (1.79 with clypeus), prosoma 0.63 long, 0.67 wide, opisthosoma 1.08 long, 0.81 wide. Leg I: – (4.04, 0.29, 4.50, 5.96, –), leg II: 11.08 (2.80, 0.30, 2.97, 3.92, 1.09), leg III: 7.98 (2.22, 0.25, 1.98, 2.72, 0.81), leg IV: 10.20 (3.00, 0.26, 2.63, 3.45, 0.86); tibia I L / d : 63. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.09, PME 0.08, PME – ALE 0.02. Sternum width / length: 0.51 / 0.44. Habitus as in Fig. 5 E, F . Dorsal shield of prosoma yellowish, with brownish radiating marks; clypeus brownish; sternum yellowish. Legs whitish, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, without spots. Thoracic furrow absent. Clypeus unmodified. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses ( pa in Fig. 5 D ) and pair of curved distal apophyses (distance between tips: 0.17; da in Fig. 5 D ). Palp as in Fig. 4 A, B ; trochanter with ventral apophysis (as long as wide, arrow 1 in Fig. 4 B ); femur with retrolatero-proximal protrusion (arrow 2 in Fig. 4 B ); procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with prolatero-subdistal membranous process (arrow 1 in Figs 4 C , 22 C ), sclerotized distal apophysis (arrow 2 in Figs 4 C , 22 C ), subdistal membranous process (arrow 3 in Figs 4 C , 22 C ), dorso-subdistal membranous process (arrow 4 in Figs 4 C , 22 C ), and retrolateral membranous flap (f in Figs 4 D , 22 D ); bulb with hooked apophysis bearing angular subdistal apophysis (arrow in Fig. 5 C ) and simple embolus (e in Fig. 5 C ). Retrolateral trichobothria on tibia I at 4 % proximally; legs with short vertical setae on metatarsi. Female ( paratype , IZCAS - Ar 45187 ): Similar to male, habitus as in Fig. 5 G, H . Total length 2.53 (2.65 with clypeus), prosoma 0.67 long, 0.75 wide, opisthosoma 1.86 long, 1.80 wide; tibia I: 4.05; tibia I L / d : 51. Eye interdistances and diameters: PME – PME 0.11, PME 0.07, PME – ALE 0.02. Sternum width / length: 0.52 / 0.46. Epigyne simple and flat, posteriorly straight, with pair of median pockets 0.20 apart ( ep in Figs 5 A , 24 C ). Vulva with ridge-shaped anterior arch bearing pair of angular lateral sclerites (arrow in Figs 5 B , 24 D ), and pair of anteriorly narrow and posteriorly wide pore plates (3 × longer than wide, pp in Figs 5 B , 24 D ). Variation. Tibia I in five male paratypes ( IZCAS - Ar 45182 –86): 4.50, 4.55, 4.62, 4.65, 4.70. Tibia I in the other six female paratypes ( IZCAS - Ar 45188 –93): 3.56–3.85. Habitat. The species was found in the dark zone inside the cave. Distribution. China ( Guizhou , type locality; Fig. 1 ). Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.