Taxonomic Study On Araneus From China (Araneae: Araneidae)

The present paper deals with a comprehensive taxonomic research of Araneus (Araneae: Araneidae) from China,115 species, including 16 new species,3 new record species from China,1 new discovery of male and 1 new synonymy, are recorded. And 9 new combinations are transferred.The general account introduces status and system of classification, research history, morphological characters, biology and distribution of Araneus in China in detail.In the systematic account, the diagnosis and morphological characters of Araneus are described, and the diagnoses, characteristics and distributions of 101 species that were recorded detailedly are acquired. And the 101 species of them are divided to 3 species group according to diagnostic characters:A. ejusmodi group, A. sturmi group and A. diadematus group; involving keys to species group and species from China. In appendix,9 new combinations are analysed and discussed.16 new species:A. aculeolatus sp. nov., A. aurantiacus sp. nov., A. cardiophyllus sp. nov., A. cylindracaus sp. nov., A. dextrorsus sp. nov., A. ensiformis sp. nov., A. falcatus Guo, Zhang & Zhu,2011, A. fanjingshanensis sp. nov., A. intestiniformis sp. nov., A. jinfoshanensis sp. nov., A. paradoxicus sp. nov., A. parallelicus sp. nov., A. pseudobimaculicollis sp. nov., A. raphiformis sp. nov., A. triquetrus sp. nov., A. uncatus sp. nov..3 species are reported from China for the first time:A. alsine (Walckenaer,1982), A. mayumiae Tanikawa,2001 and A. borealis Tanikawa,2001.The male of Araneus miquanensis Yin et al.1990 is recorded from China for the first time.Araneus zhaoi Zhang & Zhang,2002 is synonymized with Araneus borealis Tanikawa, 2001.