Five new epigean Lagynochthonius species (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from southern China.

Five new Lagynochthonius species of the pseudoscorpion family Chthoniidae are described, based on morphological characters: Lagynochthoniusduosp. nov., Lagynochthoniusgibbussp. nov., Lagynochthoniushepingensissp. nov., Lagynochthoniushouisp. nov., and Lagynochthoniussanhuaensissp. nov. All specimens were collected from epigean habitats in southern China.

Revision of the genus Lechytia Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species.

Background: The hoffi species-group previously comprised only two species, Lechytiahoffi Muchmore, 1975 and Lechytiayulongensis Zhang and Zhang, 2014, of which L.yulongensis is distributed in China. New information: Three species of the genus Lechytia are described from China: Lechytiaacutidentata sp. nov. and Lechytiadepressidentata sp. nov. from Xizang Autonomous Region and L.yulongensis from Yunnan Province. The female of L.yulongensis is reported for the first time. In addition, a key to the hoffi species-group is provided.

Description of two Stenohya species from China (Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae), with comments on the exaggerated sexual dimorphic pedipalp in this genus.

Two Stenohya species belonging to the family Neobisiidae are diagnosed, described, and illustrated from China: Stenohyaspinatasp. nov. from Chongqing Municipality, and Stenohyahuangi Hu & Zhang, 2012 from Fujian Province. The male of S.huangi is reported for the first time. Diagnostic characters of this species are restricted based on the holotype and the new specimens. In addition, a key and a distribution map of the Stenohya species from China are provided, and the potential function of the exaggerated sexual dimorphic pedipalp in the genus Stenohya is discussed.

Maternal care in Mid-Cretaceous lagonomegopid spiders.

Maternal care benefits the survival and fitness of offspring, often at a cost to the mother's future reproduction, and has evolved repeatedly throughout the animal kingdom. In extant spider species, this behaviour is very common and has different levels and diverse forms. However, evidence of maternal care in fossil spiders is quite rare. In this study, we describe four Mid-Cretaceous (approx. 99 Ma) amber specimens from northern Myanmar with an adult female, part of an egg sac and some spiderlings of the extinct family Lagonomegopidae preserved, which suggest that adult lagonomegopid females probably built and then guarded egg sacs in their retreats or nests, and the hatched spiderlings may have stayed together with their mother for some time. The new fossils represent early evidence of maternal care in fossil spiders, and enhance our understanding of the evolution of this behaviour.