Qianleptoneta lophacantha, Chen & Jia & Wang, 2010

Chen, Hui-Ming, Jia, Qiang & Wang, Shi-Jie, 2010, A revision of the genus Qianleptoneta (Araneae: Leptonetidae), Journal of Natural History 44 (47 - 48), pp. 2873-2915 : 2896-2899

Qianleptoneta lophacantha sp. nov.

( Figures 15 , 16 )

Material

Holotype male. From Mayang Cave (28 ◦ 48 ′ N, 108 ◦ 14 ′ E, 655 m asl), Maojia village, Xinjing town , Yanhe county , Guizhou Province, 9 June 2007.

Paratype. Two males and four females, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis

The new species is distinguished from other species by male femur I with a group of clustered, relatively thicker setae on middle part of ventral surface ( Figure 15D ); by the longer tibia of male palp, about twice patella; TMS with four long spines ( Figure 15A,F ).

Description

Male holotype. Total length 2.04. Carapace smooth, 0.97 long, 0.92 wide, height at fovea 0.78 times carapace width, yellowish; thoracic fovea brown, needle-shaped. Clypeus yellowish. Chelicerae 0.39 long, yellowish, with eight teeth on promargin and five denticles on retromargin; seven short setae on base ( Figure 15C ). Completely eyeless, two setae behind ocular area. Sternum 0.71 long, 0.71 wide, haired; labium 0.10 long, 0.19 wide, yellowish.

Leg measurements (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total): I: 3.67 + 0.46 + 3.72 + 3.16 + 2.14 = 13.16; II: 3.32 + 0.46 + 3.37 + 2.81 + 1.84 = 11.78; III: 3.11 + 0.41 + 3.06 + 2.65 + 1.58 = 10.81; IV: 3.57 + 0.41 + lack + lack + lack =?. Leg yellowish, tibia I and II with rows of fine hairs on ventral surface; preening comb occurs ventroapically on the metatarsus of leg II and III.

Palpal coxae 0.39 long, 0.22 wide. Palpal measurements (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total): 0.76 + 0.23 + 0.45 + 0.49 = 1.94; the length of tibia 1.95 times that of patella. Palpal tibia with three dorsally trichobothria ( Figure 15A,B ); TMS with four long spines contiguous with each other at apical part ( Figure 15A,B ). Tarsus dwindle distally, with relatively shallow AC in middle part, RA in adjacent apical part retrolaterally; retrolateral side with two rows of short setae on RA and at base part of tarsus; a group of long setae at apical part ( Figure 15A,B ). Bulb suboval, PL rugbyball-shaped ( Figure 15A ); M small, worm-like ( Figure 15A,B ); PF transparent, elliptic ( Figure 15B ).

Abdomen creamy yellow, without markings, haired, 1.17 long, 0.71 wide.

Female paratype. Total length 2.55. Carapace smooth, 1.07 long, 0.97 wide, height at fovea 0.74 times carapace width, yellowish; thoracic fovea brown, needle-shaped. Clypeus yellowish. Chelicerae 0.65 long, similar to male. Completely eyeless, two setae behind ocular area. Sternum 0.76 long, 0.72 wide, haired; labium 0.13 long, 0.22 wide, yellowish.

Leg formula: 1423. Leg measurements (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total): I: 3.32 + 0.46 + 3.57 + 2.81 + 1.94 = 12.09; II: 3.16 + 0.41 + 3.16 + 2.50 + 1.73 = 10.97; III: 2.86 + 0.41 + 2.81 + 2.35 + 1.53 = 9.95; IV: 3.42 + 0.41 + 3.26 + 2.81 + 1.79 = 11.68. Leg yellowish, preening comb occurs ventroapically on the metatarsus of leg II and III.

Palpal coxae 0.52 long, 0.25 wide. Palpal measurements (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total): 0.92 + 0.26 + 0.61 + 0.82 = 2.60.

Abdomen creamy yellow, without markings, haired, 1.48 long, 1.02 wide. Epigynal plate rugby-ball-shaped, simple ( Figure 15E ); internal genitalia with a pair of spermathecae, coiled sperm duct, rugby-ball-shaped atrium ( Figure 15F ).

Distribution

The species is known only from the type locality ( Figure 2 ).

Etymology

The specific name comes from Latin “ lophacanthas ” meaning “clustered setae”, referring to femur I with a group clustered relatively thicker setae on middle part of ventral surface ( Figure 15D ).

Level of cave adaptation

This species lives entirely in the dark parts of caves and has no functioning eyes and no pigmentation. Troglobitic species.

Natural history

Spiders were found from the completely dark and constant-temperature zone with relatively high humidity but without strong wind or air flows around the cave. The web is a woven sheet about 10 cm in diameter, along the cave base plate and cave sediments, such as clay, silt and gravel.

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution of Qianleptoneta.

Figure 15. Qianleptoneta lophacantha sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype: (A) male left palp, prolateral view; (B) male left palp, retrolateral view; (C) male left chelicerae, ventral view; (D) male left femur I, prolateral view; (E) female genitalia, ventral view; (F) female genitalia, dorsal view.

Figure 16. Qianleptoneta lophacantha sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype: (A) male habitus, lateral view; (B) male habitus, dorsal view; (C) female habitus, lateral view; (D) female habitus, dorsal view.