Heptathela crypta, Xu, Xin, Ono, Hirotsugu, Kuntner, Matjaz, Liu, Fengxiang & Li, Daiqin, 2019

Xu, Xin, Ono, Hirotsugu, Kuntner, Matjaz, Liu, Fengxiang & Li, Daiqin, 2019, A taxonomic monograph of the liphistiid spider genus Heptathela, endemic to Japanese islands, ZooKeys 888, pp. 1-50 : 1

Heptathela crypta sp. nov. Figs 22 , 23

Type material.

Holotype: JAPAN · ♂; Okinawa-ken, Nago-shi, Haneiji-Dam, Taira; 26.59N, 128.03E; alt. 100 m; 18 December 2012; D. Li, F.X. Liu and X. Xu leg.; XUX-2012-328.

Paratypes: JAPAN · 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2012-324, 326, 327, 333A · 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Okinawa Prefecture, Nago-shi, County Road 18 south, Nago/Yofuke; 26.57N, 128.01E; alt. 150 m; 24 December 2012; D. Li, F.X. Liu and X. Xu leg.; XUX-2012-457 to 462 · 3 ♀♀; Okinawa Prefecture, Nago-shi, Mt. Nago-dake; 26.58N, 128.01E; alt. 220 m; 06 May 2014; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2014-027 to 027B.

Diagnosis.

Males and females of H. crypta sp. nov. cannot be distinguished morphologically from H. unten sp. nov. ( Figs 22 A–K , 23 A–L ), but can be diagnosed from H. unten sp. nov. by the following unique nucleotide substitutions in the standard DNA barcode alignment: C (26), A (32), C (50), T (60), T (110), G (153), T (194), C (197), T (269), C (281), T (284), C (338), A (341), T (357), C (416), T (428), C (458), A (482), T (488), G (551), T (581), T (635), G (638), G (641), C (644), C (656), as well as from all other Okinawa group Heptathela species by the following unique nucleotide substitutions in the standard DNA barcode alignment: C (26), T (110), G (551), C (656).

Description.

Male (Holotype). Carapace and opisthosoma description see H. unten sp. nov.; cheliceral groove with nine denticles of variable size; seven spinnerets. Measurements: BL 7.88, CL 4.01, CW 3.51, OL 4.23, OW 3.18; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 10.15 (3.60 + 1.50 + 2.38 + 1.00 + 1.67), leg II 13.08 (3.48 + 1.58 + 2.49 + 3.53 + 2.00), leg III 14.27 (3.38 + 1.55 + 2.65 + 4.30 + 2.39), leg IV 18.19 (4.45 + 1.63 + 3.50 + 5.50 + 3.11).

Palp. Prolateral side of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised, numerous setae and spines at the tip of paracymbium ( Fig. 22 I–K ). Contrategulum margin incurved nearly in the middle, and the contrategulum divided into proximally serrated and distally smooth ( Fig. 22E, F, I, J ). Tegulum with wide dorsal extension of terminal apophysis ( Fig. 22G, H, J ), blunt terminal and small marginal apophysis ( Fig. 22H, I ). Conductor sclerotised and ovate, prolateral conductor with one or two shallow folds, and with a serrated margin ( Fig. 22F, G, K ). Embolus sclerotised, with a wide opening, the distal margin slightly sclerotised, and with a saddle-shaped margin in the retrolateral view ( Fig. 22F, G, K ).

Females (N = 10). Carapace and opisthosoma description see H. unten sp. nov.; chelicerae with promargin of cheliceral groove with 13-14 pronounced denticles of variable size; seven spinnerets. Measurements: BL 8.35-16.50, CL 4.07-5.10, CW 3.30-4.80, OL 4.70-6.80, OW 3.00-5.20; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 7.70 (2.87 + 1.13 + 1.68 + 2.02), leg I 9.57 (3.07 + 1.70 + 1.70 + 1.98 + 1.12), leg II 9.64 (2.95 + 1.68 + 1.61 + 2.08 + 1.32), leg III 9.60 (2.68 + 1.69 + 1.50 + 2.30 + 1.43), leg IV 14.21 (4.00 + 1.92 + 2.55 + 3.83 + 1.91).

Female genitalia. A pair of depressions on the ventro-lateral part of genital atrium indistinct ( Fig. 23F, J–L ). Paired receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of bursa copulatrix, divided into two parts, the inners similar or smaller than the laterals, paired receptacular clusters tuberculate, without genital stalks ( Fig. 23C, G–L ).

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the cryptic nature of this species discovery.

Distribution.

The species is endemic to the Japanese island Okinawajima ( Fig. 1C ).

Figures

Figure 1. General somatic morphology of Heptathela kimurai (Kishida, 1920) A dorsal view B ventral view and map showing the sampling localities of Heptathela specimens from Kyushu to central Ryukyus (C).

Figure 22. Male genital anatomy of Heptathela unten sp. nov. and H. crypta sp. nov. A-D Heptathela unten sp. nov., 2522 (holotype, short for XUX- 2012 - 522) E-K H. crypta sp. nov. E-H 2328 (holotype) I-K 2460 A, I prolateral view B, K retrolateral view J ventral view C-H distal view; 2522: Unten Port, Okinawajima; 2328: Taira, Haneiji-Dam, Okinawajima; 2460: Yofuke, Okinawajima. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 23. Female genital anatomy of Heptathela unten sp. nov. and H. crypta sp. nov. A, D 2527 B, E 4083 A C, F 4027 B G, J 2324 H, K 2327 I, L 2457 A-C, G-I dorsal view D-F, J-L ventral view; 2527, 4083 A: Unten Port, Okinawajima; 4027 B: Mt. Nago-dake, Okinawajima; 2324, 2327: Taira, Haneiji-Dam, Okinawajima; 2457: Yofuke, Okinawajima. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.