Wuliphantes
| Wuliphantes | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Linyphiidae |
| Genus: | Wuliphantes Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023[1] |
| Type species | |
| Wuliphantes trigyrus Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023[1]
| |
| Species | |
Wuliphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Muhammad Irfan, Liang-Yu Wang, and Zhi-Sheng Zhang in 2023 based on specimens from Wulipo National Nature Reserve in Chongqing, China.[2]
Diagnosis
[edit]The genus is characterized in males by a very long embolus forming multiple coils (ranging from two to four depending on the species), the presence of a conspicuous membranous protegulum at the distal end of the tegulum, and an embolic plate with two projections (dorsal and ventral). Females lack a scape in the epigyne, and their copulatory ducts are transparent with several tightly coiled loops before reaching the spermathecae, which can be compact or helical.[2]
Species
[edit]As of July 2025, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following four species, all endemic to China:[1]
- Wuliphantes dahonghaiensis Irfan, Zhang, Cai & Zhang, 2025[3]
- Wuliphantes guanshan Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2022
- Wuliphantes tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988)
- Wuliphantes trigyrus Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023
- Wuliphantes yaan Yao & Li, 2023
Distribution
[edit]All species are known from various provinces of China,[1] particularly in Chongqing and adjacent regions such as Hubei, Guizhou, and Zhejiang.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Gen. Wuliphantes Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2023". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
- ^ a b c Irfan, Muhammad; Wang, Liang-Yu; Zhang, Zhi-Sheng (2023). "Survey of Linyphiidae spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Wulipo National Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China". European Journal of Taxonomy. 871: 1–85. doi:10.5852/ejt.2023.871.2129.
- ^ Irfan, Muhammad; Zhang, Chang-Cheng; Cai, Yu-Jun; Zhang, Zhi-Sheng (2025). "Four new species of Linyphiidae spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Jiangjin District of Chongqing, China". Zootaxa. 5647 (5): 435–450. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5647.5.2.