Macrothele auriculata, Zhang & Wu & Zhao & Yang, 2024

Zhang, Meng-Meng, Wu, Ya-Ying, Zhao, Yu & Yang, Zi-Zhong, 2024, Two new species of the genus Macrothele Ausserer, 1871 from Yunnan Province, China (Araneae: Macrothelidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 932, pp. 69-81 : 75-79

Macrothele auriculata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8A57AE32-43C2-4381-AA8C-368282C5EB69

Figs 6–9

Diagnosis

This new species is similar to Macrothele guihzouensis Hu & Li, 1986 ( Wu et al. 2022), but differs by the male embolus being slender, slightly curved from the middle with a pointed apex in the new species ( Fig. 7D–F ); the palp tibia with six prolateral spines and three dorsal spines ( Fig. 7A–B ), the retrolateral face of the palpal trochanter has no lyrate organ; female copulatory ducts long ( Fig. 8D ). Conversely, the embolus is short, stout, and straight in M. guihzouensis , and with a flattened apex; the retrolateral face of the palpal trochanter has a lyrate organ; and the female copulatory ducts are short.

Etymology

The new species name is a noun in apposition and refers to the auricle-like female genitalia.

Material examined

Holotype CHINA • ♂; Yunnan Province, Binchuan County, Jizu Mountain ; 25°57′40″ N, 100°22′40″ E; 2406 m a.s.l.; 15 Sep. 2021; Zizhong Yang, Lijun Ding, Jiasen Wei and Yaping Chang leg; DNA voucher no. JZS02 ; ♀: GenBank accession no. OQ724525 ; Ma-kh-f01; DNA voucher no. gx1 ; ♂: GenBank accession no. OQ692411 ; Ma-kh-m01 .

Paratypes CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype • 1 ♀; Binchuan County, Jizu Mountain, near Yulong Waterfall ; 25°57′50.3″ N, 100°22′11.8″ E; 1 Jul. 2018; Wenjie Zhang leg. • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Binchuan County, Kang he Highway ; 25°56′28″ N, 100°22′27″ E; 1905 m a.s.l.; 10 Jul. 2021; Yongming You, Lijun Ding, Xiaoliang Gu and Yaying Wu leg.

Description

Male (holotype, Figs 6–7 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 18.10: cephalothorax 6.95 long, 5.59 wide; opisthosoma 8.66 long, 6.02 wide.

PROSOMA. Carapace grey-black, gray hairy. Fovea pit-shaped. Chelicerae black, with 10 short and stout promarginal teeth, 12 small retromarginal teeth, 25 tiny teeth within fang furrow. Labium brown at base and end, maxillae internal colour lighter, maroon laterally; labium and maxillae with numerous cuspules; maxillae length 1.48, and cuspule area length 0.97. Sternum dark brown, with three pairs of sigilla.

PALP. Palp tibia with 6 prolateral and 3 dorsal spines, retrolateral face of palpal trochanter without lyrate organ. Embolus slender, slightly curved from middle and tapered at end, 4.75 long.

EYES AND SPINNERETS. Both eye rows recurved. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.27, ALE 0.41, PME 0.28, PLE 0.37; ALE–AME 0.12, AME–AME 0.27, ALE–PLE 0.11, PLE–PME 0.10, PME–PME 0.62. Eye area 0.88 long, 1.60 wide.

LEGS. Brown, hirsute. Spines. Leg formula: 4312. Leg measurements as follows: I 17.68 (4.17, 1.86, 4.02, 4.53, 3.10); II 16.26 (4.04, 1.95, 4.31, 3.19, 2.77); III 17.97 (4.36, 1.46, 3.95, 5.05, 3.15); IV 20.75 (5.09, 1.34, 4.65, 5.83, 3.84).

OPISTHOSOMA. Gray-brown, hirsute. Spinnerets: PMS one segment, 1.56 long, 0.36 wide; PMS–PMS 1.14; PLS three segments, PLS 6.80 long (2.48, 2.07, 2.25).

Female ( Fig. 8 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 17.52: cephalothorax 7.11 long, 5.67 wide; opisthosoma 11.43 long, 8.46 wide.

PROSOMA. Chelicerae brown, with 11 stout promarginal teeth, 12 small retromarginal teeth, and 13 tiny teeth within fang furrow. Labium and maxillae with numerous cuspule; maxillae length 1.54, and cuspules area length 1.02.

EYES AND SPINNERETS. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.31, ALE 0.42, PME 0.24, PLE 0.38; AME–AME 0.18, ALE–AME 0.14, ALE–PLE 0.16, PME–PME 0.70, PLE–PME 0.09. Eye area 0.89 long, 1.65 wide.

LEGS. Legs black-brown, hairy. With spines. Leg formula: 4321. Leg measurements as follows: I 14.90 (4.55, 2.75, 3.21, 2.62, 1.77); II 14.98 (4.02, 2.56, 2.91, 3.21, 2.28); III 15.61 (4.52, 2,49, 2.42, 3.73, 2.45); IV 18.02 (4.80, 2.75, 3.62, 4.20, 2.65).

SPERMATHECAE. Spermathecal receptacles apically small with globular apex, copulatory ducts long. Spinnerets: PMS 1.92 long, 0.54 wide, PMS–PMS 1.58; PLS 8.62 long (2.68, 2.82, 3.12).

Natural history

The spiders mainly reside in existing stone crevices or caves along highways, soil slopes, gaps in tree bark, and under fallen leaves.

Distribution

Yunnan Province, China (Dali City).

DNA barcoding

A total of four samples are determined for Macrothele nullispine sp. nov. (2 ♀♀) and M. auriculata sp. nov. (♀, ♂), the DNA barcode sequences were uploaded to NCBI. Also, the COI sequences of M. arcuata Tang, Zhao & Yang, 2020 (♀, ♂) and M. guizhouensis Hu & Li, 1986 (♀) were obtained from GenBank (see Table 1 for accession numbers).

Figures

Fig. 6. Macrothele auriculata sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (Ma-kh-m01). A. Body. B. Cuspules and sternum. C. Left chelicera, ventral view.

Fig. 7. Macrothele auriculata sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (Ma-kh-m01). A–C. Left palp tibia. A. Inside view. B. Dorsal view. C. Lateral view. D–G. Left palpal embolus. D. Inside view. E. Dorsal view. F. Lateral view. G. The end.

Fig. 8. Macrothele auriculata sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (Ma-kh-m01). A. Body. B. Cuspules and sternum. C. Left chelicera, ventral view. D. Genitalia, dorsal view.

Fig. 9. Macrothele auriculata sp. nov. A. Microhabitat, living female and egg. B. Web.