Filling a zoogeographical gap in China: Taxonomic descriptions of six new spider species of the Pholcusphungiformes species group (Araneae, Pholcidae).

Abstract

The spiders of the Pholcusphungiformes species group in China are distributed across the Lüliang Mountains and the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains in northern China, and the Changbai Mountains, which border northeastern China and North Korea. This study presents the first collection of the P.phungiformes species group from mountainous regions situated between the Yanshan-Taihang and Changbai Mountains, revealing six new species: Pholcuschaoyang S. Li & Yao, sp. nov., P.hebei S. Li & Yao, sp. nov., P.huludao S. Li & Yao, sp. nov., P.jinzhou S. Li & Yao, sp. nov., P.liaoning S. Li & Yao, sp. nov., and P.qin S. Li & Yao, sp. nov. Detailed diagnoses, descriptions, photomicroscopy images, and DNA barcodes of new species are provided.