Heptathela kojima, 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 kojima sp. nov. Fig. 11

Type material.

Holotype: JAPAN · ♂; Kagoshima-ken, Oshima-gun, Tokunoshima, Isen-cho, Kojima; 27.74N, 128.91E; alt. 160 m; 17 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-346 (matured 10 October 2013 at CBEE).

Paratypes: JAPAN · 2 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2013-339, 340, 342 to 345, 347, 348.

Diagnosis.

Males of H. kojima sp. nov. differ from those of H. amamiensis and H. kanenoi by a wide leaf-shaped conductor ( Fig. 11I, J ), and a less dentate dorsal extension of the tegular terminal apophysis ( Fig. 11G, J, K ), from those of H. sumiyo sp. nov. by a shallow saddle-shaped in the prolateral view, and from those of H. uken sp. nov. by embolus with two longer peaks ( Fig. 11I, J ). Females of H. kojima sp. nov. resemble those of other Amami group Heptathela species but differ from those of other Amami group Heptathela species by paired receptacular clusters close to each other ( Fig. 11B, D ). H. kojima sp. nov. can also be diagnosed from all other Amami group Heptathela species by the following unique nucleotide substitutions in the standard DNA barcode alignment: C (44), C (56), C (128), A (131), C (134), C (137), C (155), G (158), G (176), T (230), T (245), C (269), T (320), C (357), C (377), A (378), A (443), C (446), G (464), A (479), C (518), G (521), T (554), A (560), C (608), C (611).

Description.

Male (Holotype). Carapace brown; opisthosoma light brown, with dark brown tergites close to each other; cheliceral groove with eleven denticles; seven spinnerets. Measurements: BL 7.30, CL 3.60, CW 3.30, OL 3.60, OW 2.70; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 14.90 (4.20 + 165 + 3.15 + 4.00 + 1.90), leg II 16.10 (4.20 + 1.85 + 3.25 + 4.40 + 2.40), leg III 16.85 (4.25 + 1.90 + 3.20 + 5.00 + 2.50), leg IV 21.70 (5.50 + 2.00 + 4.20 + 6.90 + 3.10).

Palp. Prolateral side of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised, numerous setae and spines at the tip of paracymbium ( Fig. 11 E–G ). Contrategulum with serrated margin ( Fig. 11E, H, I ). Conductor base wide, leaf-shaped and rugose, with several folds and gradually narrowing to a short spiniform apex ( Fig. 11I, J ). Embolus sclerotised, with a wide and flat opening ( Fig. 11 H–K ).

Females (N = 6). Carapace and opisthosoma colour as in male; cheliceral groove with 13 pronounced denticles; tergites similar to male; 6-8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 9.00-11.50, CL 4.90-6.15, CW 4.25-5.20, OL 4.30-6.10, OW 3.00-4.50; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 9.05 (3.25 + 1.65 + 1.85 + 2.30), leg I 10.50 (3.35 + 1.80 + 2.00 + 2.10 + 1.25), leg II 10.05 (3.10 + 1.80 + 1.75 + 2.10 + 1.30), leg III 10.45 (2.90 + 1.95 + 1.65 + 2.40 + 1.55), leg IV 15.20 (4.40 + 2.20 + 2.60 + 4.00 + 2.00).

Female genitalia. A pair of indistinct depressions on the ventro-lateral part of genital atrium ( Fig. 11C, D ). Paired receptacular clusters separated from each other along the anterior margin of bursa copulatrix, or fused together, divided into two parts, without genital stalks ( Fig. 11 A–D ).

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.

Distribution.

The species is endemic to the Japanese island Tokunoshima ( 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 11. Male and female genital anatomy of Heptathela kojima sp. nov. A, C 3339 (short for XUX- 2013 - 339) B, D 3340 E-G 3346 (holotype) H-K 3344 A, B vulva dorsal view C, D vulva ventral view E palp prolateral view F palp ventral view G palp retrolateral view H-K palp distal view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.