Luthela beijing 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 beijing Wei & Lin sp. nov.

Figs 3C, D, H, I , 5 , 6

Material examined.

Holotype ♂ and paratypes 1♂ 2♀, China: Beijing, Haidian District, near Baishi Bridge, Zizhuyuan Park , 39.9393°N, 116.3110°E, 55 m elev., 15.VI.2022, H. Yang leg. Deposited in NHMSU.

Etymology.

The specific epithet derives from the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males of this new species can be recognized from those of other congeners, except L. handan , L. schensiensis , L. yiyuan , and L. yuncheng , by the conductor having 2 spines of nearly equal length and by having a lateral tooth on the middle portion of conductor (Fig. 5B, F ), rather than 2 spines in unequal length or lacking a lateral tooth on the conductor (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 5B, D, 6A, E, 12A, B, D). Males differ from those of L. schensiensis and L. yuncheng in having 6 or 7 large teeth on the contrategular (Figs 5F , 6A ), rather than 7-10 in L. schensiensis and 8 in L. yuncheng . (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 10G, K, 14D). Males differ from those of L. yiyuan by the margin of the contrategular having relatively longer teeth and the distal tooth bifurcated (Figs 5B , 6A, D ), rather than shorter teeth on contrategular and the distal tooth with 3 serrations. (cf. Xu et al. 2022: fig. 3G, K). And males differ from those of L. handan in having the basal spine of conductor thinner and shorter and the promixal part of the margin of the marginal apophysis with a row of smaller teeth (Figs 5B, F , 6B, D ), rather than with a thick, long basal spine on the conductor and the proximal margin of the marginal apophysis with 3 larger teeth. (cf. Xu et al. 2022: fig. 7E, G). Females can be distinguished from those of congeners in having the 2 paired receptacular clusters with longer genital stalks and the lateral pair equal to ca 2 × size the middle ones (Fig. 6E-H ), rather than shorter genital stalks and the lateral receptacular clusters greater than 3 × or less than 2 × the middle ones in size (cf. Xu et al. 2022: figs 4, 5H, I, 6H-M, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14).

Description.

Male (holotype) (Fig. 3C ). Carapace black in life; cervical and radial grooves distinct, with sparse spines. Cephalic region moderately raised. Chelicerae robust; fang furrow with 9 promarginal teeth of variable size. Sternum longer than wide. Abdomen pale, with short setae, with 4 large dorsal and 6 small posterior tergites. Four tapering setae near posteromargin of large tergites, 2 on the rest. Seven spinnerets. Measurements: body 14.89 long. Carapace 6.22 long, 5.38 wide. Abdomen 7.82 long, 4.08 wide. Sternum 2.99 long, 1.86 wide. ALE> PLE> PME> AME. Leg I 17.62 (5.13 + 5.26 + 4.46 + 2.77), leg II 17.93 (5.26 + 5.49 + 4.36 + 2.82), leg III 19.34 (4.89 + 5.62 + 5.47 + 3.36), leg IV 25.27 (6.04 + 7.29 + 7.79 + 4.15).

Palp (Figs 5A-F , 6A-D ): prolateral paracymbium pale, weakly sclerotized; distal and retrolateral sides with numerous setae and spines. Contrategulum with denticulate margin, with 7 teeth, the fifth bifurcated, and only 4 large teeth visible in dorsal view. Posterior part of marginal apophysis of tegulum serrated, with regular, small denticles; terminal apophysis of tegulum relatively long, apex pointed in distal view, margin of dorsal extension of terminal apophysis with teeth nearly equal in size and distance. Conductor smooth, fused to embolic base, 2 long spines separated at a wide angle, a small tooth located between upper spines and lower spines of conductor. Embolus with translucent, flat opening, and several ribbed ridges distally.

Female (one of paratypes) (Fig. 3D, H, I ). Carapace red; cervical and radial grooves distinct, with sparse spines. Cephalic region slightly elevated. Chelicerae more robust than male; fang furrow with 10 promarginal teeth of variable size; larger than male. Sternum longer than wide. Abdomen pale, with 4 large and 6 small tergites; chaetotaxy on tergites as in male. Seven spinnerets. Measurements: body 18.12 long. Carapace 7.36 long, 7.29 wide. Abdomen 9.72 long, 7.28 wide. Sternum 3.62 long, 2.49 wide. ALE> PLE> PME> AME. Leg I 15.63 (5.01 + 5.54 + 3.05 + 2.03), leg II 14.80 (4.90 + 4.72 + 3.08 + 2.10), leg III 16.22 (4.99 + 5.29 + 3.70 + 2.24), leg IV 23.23 (6.22 + 7.10 + 6.27 + 3.64).

Female genitalia (Fig. 6E-H ). Two pairs of receptacular clusters situated on stalks, middle pair of receptacular clusters separated from each other, on anteromargin of bursa copulatrix, distinctly smaller than lateral pair. Lateral receptacular clusters dorsolateral, stalks thick.

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

Figure 6. Luthela beijing sp. nov. A-D left palpal bulb E-H female genitalia A, F, H dorsal view B, E, G ventral view C retrolateral view D apical view. 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.