Liphistius kalaw Zhan & Xu, 2024

Xu, Xin, Zhan, Yi, Aung, Khin Pyae Pyae, Liu, Fengxiang, Yu, Long & Li, Daiqin, 2024, Four new species of the spider genus Liphistius (Araneae, Mesothelae, Liphistiidae, Liphistiinae) from Myanmar, ZooKeys 1210, pp. 99-115 : 99-115

Liphistius kalaw Zhan & Xu sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 4

Type material.

Holotype: Myanmar ♂, Shan State, 16 km W of Kalaw Township ; 20.70 ° N, 96.52 ° E, alt. 944 m; 27. 07. 2019; D. Li et al. leg.; XUX-2019-061A . Paratypes: 8 ♀♀, same data as for holotype; 27. 07. 2019 and 15. 07. 2018; XUX-2019-062 / 063 / 064 / 065 / 066 / 067 A / 068; XUX-2018-124 .

Diagnosis.

The male of L. kalaw sp. nov. resembles those of L. birmanicus and L. pinlaung in having a distinct contrategular process (cp) (Fig. 3 B, E ), but it can be distinguished from L. birmanicus by the relatively wider base of the contrategular process (cp) (Fig. 3 E vs fig. 13 E in Schwendinger et al. 2022), and from L. pinlaung by the cumulus (Cu) which has shorter spines (Fig. 3 A – C vs fig. 4 C in Aung et al. 2019). The female of L. kalaw sp. nov. can be distinguished from that of L. hpruso by the relatively wider posterior stalk ( PS) (Fig. 4 C vs fig. 3 B – E in Aung et al. 2019).

Description.

Male holotype. Carapace yellowish brown, with few short, scattered bristles; opisthosoma yellowish brown, with 12 brown tergites, close to each other, 2–6 th larger than others, 5 th largest; chelicerae robust, promargin with 13 denticles of variable size; labium and sternum yellowish brown, with few short setae on anterior margin and many long setae on elongated posterior margin; legs yellowish brown, with strong setae and spines. Measurements: BL 13.65, CL 5.94, CW 6.07, OL 8.00, OW 5.36; eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.54, PME 0.27, PLE 0.43, AME – AME 0.11, AME – ALE 0.15, PME – PME 0.08, PME – PLE 0.10, ALE – PLE 0.17, ALE – ALE 0.12, PLE – PLE 0.34, AME – PME 0.10; labium 1.06 long and 0.98 wide; sternum 3.08 long and 0.96 wide; legs: I 18.36 (4.81, 2.57, 3.87, 4.60, 2.51), II 20.24 (5.64, 2.56, 4.23, 5.07, 2.74), III 20.46 (5.64, 2.37, 4.42, 6.00, 3.03), IV 27.56 (6.97, 2.84, 5.57, 8.17, 4.01).

Palp: tibial apophysis (TiA) with 4 tapering setae of similar length (Fig. 3 C ); paracymbium (PC) with many setae situated on tip (Fig. 3 A – C ); cumulus (Cu) slightly elevated, with 8 tapering spines (Fig. 3 A – C ); subtegulum with weakly developed apophysis (Fig. 3 B ); contrategulum (CT) with arched projection distally, and large triangular process in prolateral view (Fig. 3 A, B, D ); tegulum ( T) fan-shaped with serrated edge and longitudinal ridges (Fig. 3 C, F ); paraembolic plate (PeP) narrow, sclerotized (Fig. 3 A, F ); embolus (E) with 4 distinct longitudinal ridges reaching tip in retrolateral view, and with several denticles along longitudinal ridges (Fig. 3 B – F ).

Female paratype ( XUX- 2019-062 ). Carapace yellowish brown, with few short, scattered bristles; opisthosoma brown, with 12 brown tergites, close to each other, with gray patches, 2–6 th larger than others, 5 th largest; chelicerae robust, reddish brown; promargin of cheliceral groove with 12 denticles of variable size; labium yellowish brown, sternum with several setae; legs with strong setae and spines. Measurements: BL 11.56, CL 5.82, CW 5.22, OL 6.23, OW 4.62; eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.07, ALE 0.56, PME 0.29, PLE 0.42, AME – AME 0.09, AME – ALE 0.15, PME – PME 0.06, PME – PLE 0.09, ALE – PLE 0.11, ALE – ALE 0.07, PLE – PLE 0.35, AME – PME 0.08; labium 3.00 long and 0.61 wide; sternum 1.19 long and 1.13 wide; palp 10.25 (3.62, 1.74, 2.36, 2.53), legs: I 12.78 (4.29, 2.03, 2.63, 2.37, 1.46), II 12.89 (4.17, 2.03, 2.56, 2.59, 1.54), III 13.42 (4.13, 1.84, 2.75, 2.78, 1.92), IV 19.33 (5.57, 2.32, 3.81, 4.91, 2.72).

Vulva: poreplate (PPl) slightly wider than long, with pair of large anterior lobes and pair of small anterolateral lobes; central dorsal opening ( CDO) circular, racemose receptacular cluster ( RC) slightly long; posterior stalk ( PS) axe-shaped; lateral margins of genital atrium (GA) membranous (Fig. 4 ).

Variation.

Females vary in body size. The range measurements of females (N = 8): BL 8.55–16.11, CL 4.48–7.20, CW 3.90–6.43, OL 4.18–8.56, OW 3.00–7.36. The number of denticles on the promargin of cheliceral groove varies from 11 to 14 (N = 8).

Etymology.

The species epithet “ kalaw ” refers to the type locality, Kalaw Township; it is treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Mandalay Region (Kalaw Township), Myanmar.

Figures

Figure 3. Male palp of Liphistius kalaw sp. nov. A, E prolateral view B ventral view C, F retrolateral view D dorsal view, red arrows show arched projection and triangular process of CT G distal view. Abbreviations: CT = contrategulum; cp = contrategular process; Cu = cumulus; E = embolus; PC = paracymbium; PeP = paraembolic plate; ST = subtegulum; T = tegulum; TiA = tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Vulva of Liphistius kalaw sp. nov. A, C dorsal view B, D ventral view. Abbreviations: CDO = central dorsal opening; GA = genital atrium; PS = posterior stalk; PPl = poreplate; RC = receptacular cluster; a = length of poreplate transverse; b = width of poreplate. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.