 |
| Planochelas jingda Liu, in Wang, Shi, Li, Jin, Luo et Liu, 2026. |
Abstract
Background: Arboreal microhabitats, such as tree bark, remain poorly studied in subtropical China. During exploratory surveys in Jiangxi, specimens of the trachelid spider genus Planochelas — previously known only from Africa — were collected, representing its first record in Asia. This finding disproves the genus’ assumed endemic status and underscores the value of surveying overlooked microhabitats for biogeographic discovery.
New information: The spider genus Planochelas Lyle & Haddad, 2009 is reported for the first time outside the Afrotropical Region, based on material collected in Ji’an City, Jiangxi Province, south-eastern China. A new species, Planochelas jingda Liu, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. Specimens were collected from beneath the bark of Platanus spp. (e.g. P. acerifolia, P. occidentalis and P. orientalis), confirming the arboreal and cryptic habits of the genus. This discovery significantly expands the known distribution of Planochelas and challenges its previous status as a strictly Afrotropical endemic. The finding underscores the importance of targeted microhabitat sampling for revealing overlooked spider diversity and contributes to the understanding of the biogeography of the family Trachelidae in the Oriental Region.
Keywords: Afrotropical Region, dark sac-spiders, Jiangxi Province, taxonomy
 |
| Planochelas jingda sp. nov., male holotype. A habitus, dorsal view; B same, ventral view; C palp, prolatero-ventral view; D same, ventral view; E same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C–E). |
 |
| Planochelas jingda sp. nov., photos of living specimen A–C male; D–F female. |
Planochelas jingda Liu, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Males of the new species resemble those of Planochelas botulus Lyle & Haddad, 2009 (Lyle and Haddad (2009): 93, figs. 15−16) and P. brevis Khoza & Lyle, 2019 (Khoza and Lyle (2019): 150, figs. 9−10) in having an S-shaped sperm duct, the anterior tegulum with an arched ridge and the slightly curved embolus situated distally on tegulum, but can be distinguished (...
Etymology: The name is taken from Jinggangshan University, referring to the type locality; noun in apposition. Common Chinese name: 井大平蛛.
Distribution: Known only from Ji'an City, in Jiangxi Province, China (Fig. 5).
Ecology: The specimens were collected from under the bark (Fig. 4) of plane trees (e.g. P. acerifolia, P. occidentalis and P. orientalis) by hand.
Yujin Wang, Yingying Shi, Congzheng Li, Chi Jin, Liangkai Luo and Keke Liu. 2026. Breaking the Afrotropical boundary: Discovery of Planochelas in Asia reveals Transcontinental Distribution, with A New bark-dwelling Species from China (Araneae, Trachelidae). Biodiversity Data Journal. 14: e182804. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e182804 [03 Mar 2026]
