Taxonomic Study On The Spiders Of The Family Theridiidae From Huping Mountains Nature Reserve,Hunan Province (Arachnida:Araneae)

This dissertation deals with the taxonomic study on the spider family Theridiidae from Huping Mountains, Hunan Province. Four parts are included.Part I focused on the research history of the family Theridiidae and its current taxonomic situation, morphological characteristics, methods and materials, brief introduction to Huping Mountains, distribution of mainly collection places and economic value.Part II concentrated on the taxonomic study of 74 spider species in 25 genera of the family Theridiidae. The species which were not recorded in Huping Mountains before are described.Part III summarized the main taxonomic results of Theridiidae including 15 new species and 4 male supplements. The questions on the taxonomy of some species were discussed. 15 new species are named as: Chrysso marsupiata sp. nov.; Chrysso rhyncha sp. nov.; Dipoena yinae sp. nov.; Meotipa caudigera sp. nov.; Molione hupingiensis sp. nov.; Parasteatoda aequipeiformis sp. nov.; Phoroncidia hupingiensis sp. nov.; Phoroncidia longembolus sp. nov.; Steatoda cucurbitina sp. nov.; Stemmops atomatus sp. nov.; Theridion hamatum sp. nov.; Theridion obtusum sp. nov.; Theridion shimenensis sp. nov.; Theridion trimaculatum sp. nov. and Thymoites hupingensis sp. nov.. 4 male supplements: Moneta subspinigera Zhu, 1998; Phoroncidia concave Yin & Xu, 2012; Phoroncidia crustula Zhu, 1998 and Theridion obscuratum Zhu, 1998.Finally, part IV supplied 169 color photos and 46 point plots inked on ink jet plotter paper for all new species and the species which were not recorded in Fauna Hunan: Araneae in Hunan, China.