Leptonetela tetracantha, Lin & Li, 2010

Lin, Yucheng & Li, Shuqiang, 2010, Leptonetid spiders from caves of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China (Araneae: Leptonetidae) 2587, Zootaxa 2587 (1), pp. 1-93 : 74

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2587.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A76E6115-FFCB-FF8F-FF49-80DFA5CFF95E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Leptonetela tetracantha
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Leptonetela tetracantha View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 49–50 View FIGURE 49 View FIGURE 50 , 61 View FIGURE 61

Type material: Holotype: male ( IZCAS), Yangzi Cave (Alt.: 898 m; T.: 16 ºC; H.: 90%), Daximen Village , Xiangcheng Town, Fuquan City [26°42.275´N, 107°27.969´E, Guizhou, China], 28 May 2007, Y.C. Lin and J. Liu leg. GoogleMaps Paratypes: 13 males and 28 females, same data as holotype ( IZCAS) GoogleMaps ;

Other material examined. CHINA: Guizhou: 3 males and 14 females, Kouhuang Cave (Alt.: 1030 m; T.: 11 ºC; H.: 92%), Songjiang Village, Disong Town , Fuquan City [26°46.170´N, 107°34.468´E], 28 May 2007, Y.C. Lin and J. Liu leg. ( IZCAS) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Greek words “ tetra ” (= four) and “ acanthos ” (= spine, thorn), in reference to the retrolateral spurs on the male pedipalpal tibia. Term in apposition.

Diagnosis. The new species may be distinguished from all the other congeners by the absence of PME, the presence of 7 manes on pedipalpal femur dorsally, the presence of 4 prolateral long setae and 4 retrolateral large spurs on the pedipalpal tibia.

Description. Holotype male. Total length 1.90. Prosoma 0.92 long, 0.83 wide. Sternum 0.60 long, 0.54 wide. Opisthosoma 1.00 long, 0.80 wide. Dorsal shield of prosoma pale yellow, a pair of stiff setae on anterolateral area of PME. Thoracic median groove fuscous, needle-shaped, a stiff seta anteriorly. Cervical groove and radial furrows indistinct. Clypeus 0.17 high, slightly sloped anteriorly, short setae along clypeal antromargin. PME absent, ALE and PLE reduced into small white eyespots, contiguous. Chelicerae yellow, longer than endites in length, fang furrow with 8 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth. Endites, labium, sternum and legs yellow. Leg measurements: I 7.88 (2.25, 0.38, 2.25, 1.75, 1.25); II 6.75 (1.95, 0.35, 1.85, 1.50, 1.10); III 5.73 (1.65, 0.33, 1.50, 1.35, 0.90); IV 6.98 (2.00, 0.35, 1.93, 1.60, 1.10). Leg formula: I-IV-II- III. A cluster of thick manes on each femur prolaterally. All tibiae modified by 4 trichobothria and 7–11 setae. A row of thin hairs along tibiae I and II retrolaterally. A finely serrated hairs-comb on ventral base of metatarsi II and III respectively. All metatarsi with a trichobothrium and a seta. Opisthosoma pale, ovoid, lacking pigmental speckles, covered with sparse long hairs.

Pedipalpal femur with 7 dorsal manes and 3–4 ventral setae. One dorsal seta at patella distally. Pedipalpal tibia modified by 3 dorsal trichobothria, 4 prolateral long setae and 4 retrolateral large spurs, of them tibial spurs I and II same in length, no furcated. Pedipalpal tarsus smooth mesially, not contracted, attaching an earlobe-shaped process retrolaterally, 5 large setae distally. Pedipalpal bulb ovoid, smooth. Embolus sharp, translucent. Conductor longer than median apophysis, curved distally. Median apophysis long fingerlike, sclerotized slightly.

Female. General features, somatic coloration and body size similar to male, but legs shorter. Total length 1.92. Prosoma 0.90 long, 0.78 wide. Sternum 0.56 long, 0.50 wide. Opisthosoma 1.06 long, 0.78 wide. Clypeus 0.15 high. Four rudimental eyespots, white. Chelicerae pale yellow, fang furrow with 8 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth. Endites and labium pale brown. Sternum and legs yellow. Leg measurements: I 7.30 (2.05, 0.35, 2.10, 1.60, 1.20); II 6.30 (1.80, 0.35, 1.70, 1.35, 1.10); III 5.38 (1.55, 0.33, 1.40, 1.25, 0.85); IV 6.55 (1.85, 0.35, 1.78, 1.47, 1.10). Leg formula: I-IV-II-III. Except setae on femur I less than in male, the chaetotaxy and trichobothria on each leg similar to male.

Genital area covered with plumose long hairs. Internal genitalia consist of a pair of contorted spermathecae and sperm ducts, sclerotized slightly. Spermathecae spaced a distance, lacking short hairs. The atrium compressed, antromargin smooth, with a small notch midmargin anteriorly.

Distribution. Known only from type locality.