Khorata qianlei
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| Khorata qianlei | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Pholcidae |
| Genus: | Khorata |
| Species: | K. qianlei |
| Binomial name | |
| Khorata qianlei Li, Zhang, Li & Yao, 2025 | |
Khorata qianlei is a species of cellar spider in the family Pholcidae, endemic to Guangxi, China. It was described in 2025 by Chinese arachnologists Jinglin Li, Baisensen Zhang, Shuqiang Li, and Zhiyuan Yao.[1]
The species was discovered in 2023 in Duqiaoshan Forest Park, Guangxi, southern China, at an elevation of 187 meters. It inhabits webs constructed between rocks within primary forest environments.[1]
Description
Khorata qianlei is a small spider, with males measuring about 2.3 mm in body length and females approximately 3.1 mm. The body is predominantly yellowish with dark brown markings on the sides and back. The legs are long and slender, typical of cellar spiders.
This species is distinguished from its closest relatives by the shape of its reproductive organs, which are key to identifying spiders. In males, a small structure near the mouthparts called the palp—used to transfer sperm to the female—has a distinctive forked (bifurcated) projection not seen in other species. In females, the internal reproductive system includes tiny plates with openings called pore plates, which are nearly triangular in shape in Khorata qianlei, whereas in related species these plates are more rounded or elliptical.[1]