A survey of the spider family Nesticidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Asia and Madagascar, with the description of forty-three new species Author Lin, Yucheng Author Ballarin, Francesco Author Li, Shuqiang text ZooKeys 2016 627 1 168 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.627.8629 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.627.8629 1313-2970-627-1 3B7E6EA7C15C415B80A8ED4041525A40 3B7E6EA7C15C415B80A8ED4041525A40 Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Nesticidae Genus Speleoticus Ballarin & Li gen. n. Type species. Speleoticus navicellatus Liu & Li, 2013 from Guangxi, China. Etymology. The generic name is a combination of the Greek word "Speleo-" = cave and the contract name of Nesticus , the nominal genus of the family. It alludes to the troglophyllic lifestyle of these species. The gender is masculine. Diagnosis. Males belonging to Speleoticus gen. n. can be distinguished from those of the other Nesticini by the relatively simple, sickle-shaped paracymbium (P) with only a few short apophyses, in contrast to the other genera where it can be more complex, usually with wide and long processes. Furthermore, the elongate tibia and the triangular or rectangular protruding terminal apophysis (Ta) allow quick separation from the other Asian genera of Nesticidae . Females can be separated from those of the other Nesticini , with the exception of Cyclocarcina , by the wide, balloon-shaped vulval pockets (Vp) located above the spermathecae which are usually around or below the spermathecae in the other genera. Females of Speleoticus gen. n. can be easily separated from those of Cyclocarcina by the very short and narrow scape (Sp) which is well-developed and strongly protruding in the latter genus. Description. Total length: 2.84-3.15 (male), 2.97-4.36 (female). Carapace almost round in males, ovate in females, uniformly pale yellow as the legs. Six eyes in two rows, AME absent. Cervical groove and fovea indistinct. Chelicera with three promarginal teeth and multiple retromarginal tiny denticles on the fang furrow. Opisthosoma yellowish with long setae (Fig. 80 A-B ). Male palp (Fig. 79 A-D ): tibia elongate (Fig. 79 A-B ). Paracymbium well-developed, sickle-like, with a single ventral apophysis usually short and squared; a short, flat dorsal apophysis and a sclerotized distal process with two ramifications (Fig. 79 A-B , D). Terminal apophysis triangular or rectangular, elongate and protruding prolaterally. Tegular apophysis reduced (Fig. 79C). Conductor wide and convoluted, with three distinct processes, two elongate and one flat and laminar (Fig. 79A). Embolus filamentous, starting from the posterior side of the bulb and reaching the apex of the conductor with a half loop (Fig. 79A, C). Figure 79. Speleoticus navicellatus , male from Du'an . A Palp, ventral view B Ditto, dorsal view C Ditto, prolateral view D Ditto, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.10 mm. Epigyne (Fig. 80 C-D ): broad, with a very short scape (Fig. 80C). Well sclerotized ducts partially visible through the tegument. Copulatory openings wide, located at the lateral side of the scape (Fig. 80C). Spermathecae small and almost round (Fig. 80D). Fertilization and copulatory ducts short and slightly convoluted (Fig. 80D). Vulval pockets well-developed, with a wide, balloon-like shape, located above the spermathecae (Fig. 80D). Figure 80. Speleoticus navicellatus , male and female from Du'an . A Male habitus, dorsal view B Female habitus, dorsal view C Epigyne, ventral view D Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.10 mm. Figure 81. Distribution records of Hamus , Nescina , and Pseudonesticus spp. in China and Southeast Asia. 1 Hamus cornutus sp. n. 2 Hamus kangdingensis sp. n. 3 Hamus luzon sp. n. 4 Hamus mangunensis sp. n. 5 Nescina kohi sp. n. 6 Pseudonesticus dafangensis sp. n. 7 Pseudonesticus miao sp. n. 8 Pseudonesticus spinosus sp. n. 9 Pseudonesticus wumengensis sp. n. 10 Pseudonesticus ziyunensis sp. n. Figure 82. Distribution records of the Nesticella spiders belonging to the brevipes -group in China. 1 Nesticella baiseensis sp. n. 2 Nesticella caeca sp. n. 3 Nesticella chongqing sp. n. 4 Nesticella dazhuangensis sp. n. 5 Nesticella gazuida sp. n. 6 Nesticella hongheensis sp. n. 7 Nesticella jingpo sp. n. 8 Nesticella lisu sp. n. 9 Nesticella liuzhaiensis sp. n. 10 Nesticella nandanensis sp. n. 11 Nesticella odonta 12 Nesticella qiaoqiensis sp. n. 13 Nesticella qiongensis sp. n. 14 Nesticella robusta sp. n. 15 Nesticella sanchaheensis sp. n. 16 Nesticella songi 17 Nesticella xiongmao sp. n. 18 Nesticella xixia sp. n. 19 Nesticella yao sp. n. Figure 83. Distribution records of the Nesticella spiders belonging to the nepalensis , mogera , phami and quelpartensis -groups in Asia and Madagascar. 1 Nesticella baobab sp. n. 2 Nesticella connectens 3 Nesticella gongshanensis sp. n. 4 Nesticella griswoldi sp. n. 5 Nesticella nepalensis 6 Nesticella potala sp. n. 7 Nesticella sulawesi sp. n. 8 Nesticella tibetana sp. n. 9 Nesticella vanlang sp. n. 10 Nesticella yui Wunderlich et Song, 1995 11 Nesticella zhiyuani sp. n. 12 Nesticella fuliangensis sp. n. 13 Nesticella huomachongensis sp. n. 14 Nesticella rongtangensis sp. n. 15 Nesticella wanzaiensis sp. n. 16 Nesticella yanbeiensis sp. n. 17 Nesticella phami sp. n. 18 Nesticella sumatrana sp. n. 19 Nesticella kaohsiungensis sp. n. Composition. Speleoticus globosus (Liu & Li, 2013), comb. n., Speleoticus libo (Chen & Zhu, 2005), comb. n., Speleoticus navicellatus (Liu & Li, 2013), comb. n., Speleoticus uenoi (Yaginuma, 1972), comb. n., and Speleoticus yaginumai (Yin, 2012), comb. n. All the species listed above are transferred from the genus Nesticus . All new combinations are supported by our molecular phylogenetic analysis. Distribution. China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan), Japan (Honshu Island, Shizuoka Prefecture). Remarks . Speleoticus gen. n., together with the Pseudonesticus Liu & Li, 2013, show typical adaptations to cave life, such as the absence or reduction of the eyes (in particular the AME), long legs, lack of pigmentation, etc. The close relationship between these two genera, rather than with the genera from the West Palaearctic and North America, can be cautiously hypothesized based on the morphological comparison and preliminary molecular analysis of Nesticidae . Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to understand their correct systematic position within the family. Here we illustrate male and female of Speleoticus navicellatus , the type species of Speleoticus gen. n.