Luthela kagami Wei & Lin, 2023

Wei, Mian, Wang, Shuqiao & Lin, Yucheng, 2023, Systematic notes on three new Luthela (Mesothelae, Heptathelidae) spiders from China, with their descriptions, ZooKeys 1159, pp. 151-168 : 151

Luthela kagami Wei & Lin sp. nov.

Figs 3E, F , 7

Type material.

Holotype ♂, China: Sichuan Province, Pengzhou, Guihua County, 31.0548°N, 103.8100°E, 664 m elev., 4.X.2021, Y. He leg.; paratypes 2♀, same data as holotype, 30.I.2023, S. Wang and M. Wei leg. Deposited in NHMSU.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is from "Hiiragi Kagami", a fictional character from the comic "Lucky Star" (written and illustrated by the Japanese cartoonist Yoshimizu Kagami) with haircut similar to "Asuka Langley Soryu" (see Etymology of Luthela asuka sp. nov.); the name refers to the great similarity between these two new species; noun (name) in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males can be distinguished from those of other congeners, except L. asuka sp. nov., in lacking BSC (Fig. 7A ), in contrast to other species (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 3B, 5E, 6B, 7E, 10B, 12B, 14D), and in the contrategulum having relatively dense, smaller serrated teeth (Fig. 7B, F ), rather sparse but larger teeth in other species (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 3A, 5D, 6B, 7D, 10H, 12D, 14H). Males differ from those of L. asuka sp. nov. in having two relatively large teeth on the middle portion of conductor and a shorter TA (Fig. 7B-D, F ), rather than with two tiny, nearly invisible teeth and a longer TA (Fig. 4A, B, E ). Females differ from congeners, except L. asuka sp. nov., in having the paired receptacular clusters with relatively short genital stalks and in their relatively smaller size (Fig. 7G, H ), rather than long genital stalks and large size (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 4, 5H, I, 6H-M, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14H-M). Females can be distinguished from L. asuka sp. nov. in having the receptacular clusters close and nearly equal in size (Fig. 7G, H ), rather than separated and with the lateral pair larger than the middle pair (Fig. 4G, H ).

Description.

Male (holotype) (Fig. 3E ). Carapace red; cervical and radial grooves distinct. Cephalic region moderately raised. Chelicerae robust; fang furrow with 12 promarginal teeth of variable size. Sternum longer than wide. Abdomen pale yellow, with 5 large dorsal and 2 small posterior tergites, 4 tapering setae near posteromargin of 5 large tergites and 2 on the rest. Seven spinnerets. Measurements: body 11.27 long. Carapace 5.50 long, 4.97 wide. Abdomen 5.77 long, 4.28 wide. Sternum 2.41 long, 1.89 wide. ALE> PLE> PME> AME. Leg I 17.84 (4.87 + 5.53 + 4.62 + 2.82), leg II 17.89 (4.50 + 5.37 + 4.97 + 3.05), leg III 19.19 (4.19 + 5.38 + 5.83 + 3.79), leg IV 26.62 (6.18 + 7.67 + 8.05 + 4.72).

Palp (Fig. 7A-F ): prolateral paracymbium pale, weakly sclerotized, with numerous setae and spines at distal and retrolateral sides. Contrategular margin denticulate, with large teeth on proximal part, and smaller but denser teeth distally. Marginal apophysis of tegulum serrated, with relatively short terminal apophysis of tegulum; margin of dorsal extension of terminal apophysis with teeth varied in size and distance. Conductor smooth, fused to embolic base, with large apical spine and 2 small lateral spines on middle portion. Embolus with translucent, flat opening and several ribbed ridges distally.

Female (one of paratypes) (Fig. 3F ). Carapace red, with dark pattern, cervical and radial grooves distinct, with sparse spines. Cephalic region slightly elevated. Chelicerae more robust than male, fang furrow with 12 promarginal teeth of variable size, larger than male. Sternum longer than wide. Abdomen pale, with 5 large and five 5 tergites; chaetotaxy on tergites as in male. Seven spinnerets. Measurements: body 15.74 long. Carapace 7.00 long, 6.93 wide. Abdomen 8.89 long, 8.21 wide. Sternum 3.24 long, 1.79 wide. ALE> PLE> PME> AME. Leg I 14.70 (4.77 + 5.47 + 2.55 + 1.91), leg II 14.85 (4.57 + 4.63 + 3.30 + 2.35), leg III 14.61 (4.61 + 4.59 + 2.92 + 2.49), leg IV 22.15 (6.54 + 6.63 + 5.82 + 3.16).

Female genitalia (Fig. 7G-H ). Two pairs of receptacular clusters on short, thick stalks, close to each other, nearly equal in size. Middle pair of receptacular clusters separated from each other, on anteromargin of bursa copulatrix; lateral receptacular clusters set slightly dorsolaterally.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figure 3. New species of Luthela A, B, G L. asuka sp. nov. from Longquanyi District, Chengdu C, D, H, I L. beijing sp. nov. from Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing E, F L. kagami sp. nov. from Guihua Township, Pengzhou City A, C, E male habitus, dorsal view B, D, F female habitus, dorsal view G female haibitus, ventral view H living female, dorsal view I burrow, vertical section, with red arrow pointing to the spider. Photographs by Chao Wu (H, I). Scale bars: 5.00 mm.

Figure 4. Luthela asuka sp. nov. A male left palp bulb, prolateral view B male left palp bulb, ventral view C male left palp bulb, retrolateral view D left cymbium, ventral view E left palpal bulb, apical view F right palpal bulb, apical view G vulva, ventral view H vulva, dorsal view. Green arrows indicate small teeth on conductor. Scale bars: 0.50 mm.

Figure 7. Luthela kagami sp. nov. A male left palp, prolateral view B male left palp, ventral view C male left palp, retrolateral view D right palpal bulb, ventral view E right palpal bulb, dorsal view F right palpal bulb, apical view G vulva, ventral view H vulva, dorsal view. Green arrows in B and F indicate small teeth on conductor. Scale bars: 0.50 mm.

Figure 8. Distribution records of 11 Luthela species. 1 = L. asuka sp. nov., 2 = L. badong, 3 = L. beijing sp. nov., 4 = L. dengfeng, 5 = L. handan, 6 = L. kagami sp. nov., 7 = L. luotianensis, 8 = L. schensiensis, 9 = L. taian, 10 = L. yiyuan, 11 = L. yuncheng.