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Issue: Vol. 5828 No. 3: 10 Jun. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-06-10
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5828.3.1
Page range: 401-449
Abstract views: 133
PDF downloaded: 1

New species and new records of cave-dwelling money spiders from Japan with remarks on the genera Anguliphantes, Arcuphantes, Nihonella, Micrargus, and Porrhomma (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Systematic Zoology Laboratory; Department of Biological Sciences; Tokyo Metropolitan University; 1-1 Minami-Osawa; Hachioji-shi; 192-0397; Tokyo; Japan; Department of Zoology; Museo di Storia Naturale of Verona; Lungadige Porta Vittoria; 9; I-37129 Verona; Italy
Systematic Zoology Laboratory; Department of Biological Sciences; Tokyo Metropolitan University; 1-1 Minami-Osawa; Hachioji-shi; 192-0397; Tokyo; Japan
Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences; University of Hyogo; 6 Yayoigaoka; Sanda City; Hyogo; 669-1546; Japan; The Museum of Nature and Human Activities; Hyogo; 6 Yayoigaoka; Sanda City; Hyogo; 669-1546; Japan
Systematic Zoology Laboratory; Department of Biological Sciences; Tokyo Metropolitan University; 1-1 Minami-Osawa; Hachioji-shi; 192-0397; Tokyo; Japan
Araneae Asia cave environment DNA barcode endemism subterranean biodiversity

Abstract

In Japan, linyphiid spiders are relatively common inhabitants of caves and other hypogean habitats. However, their taxonomy, distribution, and sometimes even their occurrence in subterranean environments, remain poorly studied for most species. To help partially fill this knowledge gap, herein we present new taxonomic and faunistic data on Japanese cave-dwelling linyphiid species. Particularly, we report the genus Anguliphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996 for the first time in Japan. We provide new subterranean records, redescriptions, and detailed images of diagnostic characters for poorly known species belonging to the genera Arcuphantes Chamberlin & Ivie, 1943; Nihonella Ballarin & Yamasaki, 2021; Micrargus Dahl, 1886; and Porrhomma Simon, 1884, including the first description of the previously unknown males of Arcuphantes ashifuensis and A. longissimus. Additionally, we describe three newly discovered cave-dwelling species: Arcuphantes iseensis sp. nov. (male, female), Nihonella tanikawai sp. nov. (male, female), and Porrhomma niimiensis sp. nov. (female). To further support the validity of the newly described species and facilitate future identifications and research on the Japanese cave-dwelling spider fauna, we provide DNA barcodes for the species discussed and perform molecular phylogenetic and/or pairwise distance analyses for the genera Arcuphantes, Nihonella, Micrargus, and Porrhomma.

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How to Cite

Ballarin, F., Nagai, T., Yamasaki, T. & Eguchi, K. (2026) New species and new records of cave-dwelling money spiders from Japan with remarks on the genera Anguliphantes, Arcuphantes, Nihonella, Micrargus, and Porrhomma (Araneae, Linyphiidae). Zootaxa, 5828 (3), 401–449. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5828.3.1