On the spider genus Racata Millidge, 1995, with the description of three new species (Araneae, Linyphiidae) Author Tanasevitch, Andrei V. text Revue suisse de Zoologie 2019 2019-03-31 126 1 53 59 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.2619518 f8f43b16-9b08-446f-b4dd-e8e1fe8b78e9 0035-418 2619518 Racata Millidge, 1995 Type species: Racata grata Millidge, 1995 , by original designation and monotypy. Diagnosis: Members of the genus Racata can be easily recognised by the “micronetine”-like chaetotaxy, by the highly developed convector and by the presence of a panicle-shaped median membrane in the palpal organ. Females are distinguished by a distinct epigynal cavity, which is often surrounded by sclerotized swellings, and by mostly helical copulatory ducts. The genus contains medium-sized spiders with a total length of 1.45-1.75, which are characterized by the following combination of somatic and genitalic characters: 1) Carapace unmodified in both sexes, eyes somewhat enlarged, cephalic pits (= sulci) absent. 2) Chaetotaxy formula: TiI: 2-1-1-0; II: 2-0-1-0, III- IV: 2-0-0-0; MtI-IV without spines; MtIV without trichobothrium; TmI 0.20-0.30. 3) Palpal tibia simple, unmodified. 4) Distal part of cymbium narrowed. 5) Convector highly developed and sclerotized. 6) Median membrane panicle-shaped. 7) Epigyne with distinct cavity, usually surrounded by sclerotized swellings. 8) Copulatory ducts mostly wide, helical. Species included: Racata brevis sp. nov. , R . sumatera sp. nov. ( Indonesia : Sumatra ), R . grata Millidge, 1995 ( Indonesia : Krakatoa, Java and Belitung) and R. laxa sp. nov. ( Indonesia : Sumatra ; Thailand : Ko Chang). Taxonomic remarks: The genus Racata was established from a male and placed into the subfamily Dubiaraneinae ( Millidge, 1995 ) on the basis of the structure of its embolic division. Due to the same reason Millidge (1995) also placed the following Southeast Asian genera into the Dubiaraneinae : Kenocymbium Millidge & Russell-Smith, 1992 , Ketambea Millidge & Russell-Smith, 1992 , Prosoponoides Millidge & Russell-Smith, 1992 and Thainetes Millidge, 1995 . The subfamily Dubiaraneinae is defined by only a single character of the vulva, i.e.: “… the seminal [= copulatory] duct of the epigynum running along the margins of a lamina, as in the Mynogleninae ; in the majority of the species, the lamina is coiled into a short, almost planar helix, the axis of which is more or less perpendicular to the plane of the epigynum…” ( Millidge, 1993 ). However, as pointed out by Millidge & Russell-Smith (1992) , the epigyne in all above mentioned genera (including Racata ) is of the linyphiine type and is quite different from that of Dubiaranea Mello-Leitão, 1943 , the type genus of the Dubiaraneinae . At present it is premature to discuss the position of these genera in the system of subfamilies in the Linyphiidae until the subfamily Dubiaraneinae is clearly diagnosed. In the meantime I provisionally consider the genus Racata as belonging to the Erigoninae . The small size and erigoninelike general appearance, and the structure of the genitalia, which are similar to that of some Southeast Asian erigonines, i.e., Asiagone Tanasevitch, 2014a , Houshenzinus Tanasevitch, 2006 , Laogone Tanasevitch, 2014a , Nasoona Locket, 1982 , Oedothorax Bertkau in Förster & Bertkau, 1883 , etc., support the preliminarily inclusion of Racata in the Erigoninae . The only problem I see here is in the chaetotaxy formula, which is absolutely not characteristic for the subfamily, but rather for the Micronetinae or Linyphiinae . The genus is closely related to Aperturina Tanasevitch, 2014b , known from Thailand and West Malaysia ( Tanasevitch, 2014b ). Distribution: So far known only from Indonesia and Thailand .