Genus Vappolotes Zhao et S. Li, gen. n.

Type species. Vappolotes ganlongensis Zhao et S. Li, sp. n.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Latin “vappo”, meaning a variety of nocturnal moth. It refers both to the spiders being collected from the dark zone of a cave and to the copulatory ducts in the females which are shaped like the wings of a moth. The second part of the name “-loetes” comes from Coelotes Blackwall, 1841, referring to the similarity with the nominal genus of the subfamily. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis. The type species of the new genus is similar to Longicoelotes, Platocoelotes, Papiliocoelotes, and Spiricoelotes by the slender embolus (Fig. 2A, B), the small or absent median apophysis (Fig. 2C), and the lack of epigynal teeth (Figs 3A, 4A). The new genus is most similar to Papiliocoelotes with which it shares a bifurcated tegular apophysis (Fig. 2B, C). However, the male of the new genus can be easily distinguished from males of Papiliocoelotes by having a dorsal apophysis and a lamella of the conductor (Fig. 2 A–C), whereas in Papiliocoelotes the conductor has a slightly bifurcated distal process and lacks a lamella (fig.1A–C in Zhao and Li, 2016). Additionally, in Vappolotes, the tegular apophysis is bifurcated at the base (Fig. 2B, C), whereas in Papiliocoelotes it is bifurcated at the tip (fig. 2A, B in Zhao and Li, 2016). The female of the new genus can be easily distinguished from females of Papiliocoelotes by the bracketed lateral edges of the epigynum (Figs 3A, 4A); in Papiliocoelotes, the lateral edges are concave medially (fig. 2A in Zhao and Li, 2016).Also, in Vappolotes, the epigynal hoods are located anterolaterally (Fig. 3A, 4A), whereas in Papiliocoelotes they are located mediolaterally (fig. 2A in Zhao and Li, 2016).

Description. Medium sized, with a total length of 5–6 mm. Body color yellow-brown generally, with black stripes (Fig. 3 C–E); chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth in both sexes; carapace yellow-brown with radial pattern, pear-shaped (Fig. 3C, D); clypeus yellow-brown or brown (Fig. 3E); endites and labium brown (Fig. 3E); sternum yellow-brown (Fig. 3E); legs yellow-brown with the formula 4> 1> 2> 3 (Fig. 3 C–E); abdomen gray or yellow-brown, oval, with 3–4 chevrons posterodorsally (Fig. 3C, D); spinnerets yellow-brown (Fig. 3 C–E). Male palp with one patellar apophysis, one retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA), and a ventrolateral tibial apophysis (VTA) (Fig. 2C); median apophysis absent; cymbial furrow less than 1/2 the length of cymbium (Fig. 2C); conduc- tor with a lamella (LC) and a dorsal apophysis (CDA) (Fig.2A, B); tegulum brown, sclerite of tegulum (ST) as long as embolic base (EB), and tegular apophysis bifurcated (Fig. 2 A–C); subtegulum with many wrinkles (Fig. 2A); embolus filiform and long (Fig. 2A, B). Epigynum with deep anterolateral hoods (Figs 3A, 4A); atrium relatively large, with lateral and posterolateral margins conspicuous (Figs 3A, 4A); epigynal teeth and median septum absent; copulatory openings located posteromedially (Figs 3A, 4A); copulatory ducts broad and transparent, like the wings of a moth (Figs 3B, 4B); spermathecae nephroid, spermathecal bases close to each other (Figs 3B, 4B); fertilization ducts at least twice as long as wide (Figs 3B, 4B).

Distribution. Guizhou, China (Fig. 5).