Description of a new genus and two new species of the funnel-web mygalomorph (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Macrothelidae) from China with notes on taxonomic amendments Author Tang, Ya-Ni National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali 671000, China. & Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D Dali 671000, China. Author Wu, Ya-Ying National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali 671000, China. & Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D Dali 671000, China. Author Zhao, Yu National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali 671000, China. & Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D Dali 671000, China. Author Yang, Zi-Zhong National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali 671000, China. & Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D Dali 671000, China. text Zootaxa 2022 2022-04-13 5125 5 513 535 journal article 56017 10.11646/zootaxa.5125.5.3 77b9c11a-7976-4567-9b10-003b39e3eea5 1175-5326 6457317 6983B9C9-7AD7-49AD-8D4E-C3B4F25B2CEC Genus Vacrothele gen. nov. Chinese name: ( ffiǖAM ) Type species: Macrothele hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000 ) comb. nov. , by original designation. Etymology: The scientific name is a combination of letters inspired by Macrothele ; the gender is feminine. Diagnosis: All species have the common characteristics of Macrothelidae , such as fovea transverse; labium and maxillae provided with numerous cuspules; sternum with three pairs of sigilla. In Macrothele , some species such as M. gigas Shimojana &Haupt, 1998 , M. guizhouensis Hu & Li, 1986 , M. monocirculata Xu & Yin, 2000 , M. raveni Zhu, Li & Song, 2000 have lateral paddle spines of basal palp coxa absent in all species of Vacrothele . Males can be easily distinguished from males of Macrothele by the possession of a trumpet-shape end of the embolus ( Fig. 3G , 6H , 9H , 11H , 13H ), palp tibia with stout dorsal spines ( Fig. 3J–L , 6J–L , 9J–L , 11J–L , 13J–L ), whereas in Macrothele , the terminal of the embolus is aciform, palp tibia with longer but no stout spines and arrangement of spines is not so regular. Additionally, in Vacrothele , male tibia II usually with 5-9 thick long ventral spines on the middle, arrangement regular ( Fig. 17 ). Females differ from those of Macrothele by copulatory aperture is wide at base, tapering gradually from base to distal end ( Fig. 18 ). PMS white; PLS slenderness, basal, distal end white ( Fig. 3C , 4C , 6I , 7D , 9I , 10E , 11D , 12B , 13B , 14C ). Description: Male . Small. Carapace dark chestnut, smooth. Fovea transverse. Both eye rows recurved. Chelicerae light black with 12 stout promarginal teeth plus three small teeth ( Fig. 16A ). Palp tibia incrassate, with 10 stout dorsal spines ( Fig. 3J–L ), embolus thick and long, tapering from base to end ( Fig. 3D–F ), end trumpet-shaped ( Fig. 3G ); labium and maxillae chestnut with numerous cuspules ( Fig. 3I ). Sternum with three pairs of sigilla ( Fig. 3H ). Legs: coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus chestnut, tarsus brown; no lyra spines on palp coxa. Leg II tibia with five thick long ventral spines ( Fig. 17A ); STC with curved row of long teeth; ITC curved ( Fig. 3B ); spinnerets terminal segment of posterior laterals white ( Fig. 3C ). Female: Carapace dark chestnut, smooth. Fovea transverse. Both eye rows recurved. Chelicerae black; labium, maxillae, light brown with numerous cuspules ( Fig. 4D ). Sternum with three pairs of sigilla ( Fig. 4E ). Legs coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus chestnut, tarsus brown. STC with curved row of long teeth; ITC curved, with few fine teeth ( Fig. 4B ). Copulatory aperture wide at base, tapering gradually from base to distal end, spermathecae finger shaped ( Fig. 18A ). Spinneret base and terminal segments white ( Fig. 4C ). Composition: This new genus includes two new species: V . pseudohunanica sp. nov. , V . uncata sp. nov. and three new transfers from Macrothele : V . hunanica ( Zhu & Song, 2000 ) comb. nov. , V . digitata ( Chen & Jiang, 2020 ) comb. nov. , V . palpator ( Pocock, 1901 ) comb. nov. . Distribution: China ( Anhui , Guangxi , Chongqing , Guizhou , Sichuan , Hunan , Yunnan ).