Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus yichengicus Species Group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Central China

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  Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus yichengicus Species Group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Central China  Abstract Two new cryptic species from central China, belonging to the Pholcus yichengicus species group, were identified using an integrative approach combining morphological and three molecular species delimitation methods, and incorporating data from five related previously described species. These two new species are named Pholcus chengkou sp. nov. and P. yanan sp. nov. DNA barcodes were generated for the two new species to calculate p-distances and K2P distances, thus confirming their identities alongside the five previously described species. Additionally, revised diagnoses for the five previously described species and a distribution map encompassing all the species discussed are provided. Yan, Mei-Chen, and Zhi-Yuan Yao. 2026. "Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal Two New Cryptic Spider Species of the Pholcus y...

First records of the genus Parazygiella Wunderlich, 2004 (Araneae, Araneidae) from China, with the description of two new species

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First records of the genus Parazygiella Wunderlich, 2004 (Araneae, Araneidae) from China, with the description of two new species

Abstract

The genus Parazygiella Wunderlich, 2004 is recorded from China for the first time, with two new species described here from Xizang: Parazygiella jianxini Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) and P. yanghongae Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀). Additionally, two species, P. hiramatsui (Tanikawa, 2017), comb. nov. and P. nearctica (Gertsch, 1964), comb. nov. are transferred from Zygiella F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902.

Mi X, Wang C, Chen H (2026) First records of the genus Parazygiella Wunderlich, 2004 (Araneae, Araneidae) from China, with the description of two new species. ZooKeys 1269: 41-54. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1269.163661