Luthela luotianensis ( Yin et al., 2002 ) Xu & Yu & Liu & Li, 2022

Xu, Xin, Yu, Li, Liu, Fengxiang & Li, Daiqin, 2022, Delimitation of the segmented trapdoor spider genus Luthela gen. nov., with comments on the genus Sinothela from northern China (Araneae, Mesothelae, Liphistiidae), Zootaxa 5091 (1), pp. 131-154 : 143-145

Luthela luotianensis ( Yin et al., 2002) comb. nov.

( Fig. 9A–D )

Heptathela luotianensis Yin et al., 2002: 18 (holotype: female, from Luotian, Hubei Province, China, 3048’N, 11524’E, collected by J.Z. Zhao and F.X. Liu on 22–23 October 1978, deposited at College of Life Sciences , Hubei University, type presumed to be lost).

Sinothela luotianensis: Xu et al., 2015a: 139 .

Material examined. 3 females (XUX-2012-079/080/082), Fengyi’ao Chinese chestnut plantation, Luotian County, Hubei Province, China, 30.750N, 115.397E, 123 m, collected on 8 July, 2012, by F.X. Liu, X.Y. Wang, and X. Xu .

Diagnosis. Females of L. luotianensis can be distinguished from those of L. badong sp. nov. by the bases of the middle stalks being separated from each other ( Fig. 9A–D ); from those of L. dengfeng sp. nov., L. handan sp. nov., and L. taian sp. nov. by the similar-sized receptacular clusters ( Fig. 9A, 9C ); from those of L. schensiensis and L. yiyuan sp. nov. by the bases of middle stalks separated from each other and slightly slender ( Fig. 9A–D ); from those of L. yuncheng sp. nov. by obviously incurved posterior margin of genital sternite ( Fig. 9B, 9D ).

Male. Unknown.

Redescription. Female (XUX-2012-079). Carapace reddish brown; opisthosoma brown, with brown tergites; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few long pointed hairs running over ocular mound in a longitudinal row; chelicerae robust with promargin of groove bearing 9–10 denticles of variable size; legs with strong hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth larger than others and the others small; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 12.95, CL 5.95, CW 5.20, OL 6.10, OW 4.85; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 12.70 (4.15 + 2.15 + 2.65 + 3.75), leg I 15.60 (5.05 + 2.65 + 3.05 + 3.05 + 1.80), leg II 15.65 (4.85 + 2.75 + 2.80 + 3.40 + 1.85), leg III 15.85 (4.65 + 2.70 + 2.70 + 3.75 + 2.05), leg IV 23.00 (6.25 + 3.35 + 4.00 + 6.15 + 3.25).

Genitalia: Posterior margin of genital sternite obviously incurved ( Fig. 9B, 9D ), two pairs of receptacular clusters, middle ones situated at anterior margin of bursa copulatrix with slender stalks, separated from each other basally, lateral ones situated at slightly dorsolateral position of bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 9A–D ).

Distribution. Hubei Province (Luotian)

Remarks. Females vary in body size: (N = 3): BL 12.95–17.45, CL 5.95–7.55, CW 5.20–7.55, OL 6.10–8.85, OW 4.65–7.05. Since the holotype was lost, we identified the newly collected specimens as L. luotianensis because: (1) the new specimens were collected at the type locality; (2) we compared the newly collected specimens with the original descriptions and illustrations provided by Yin et al. (2002), and found that the body size and the receptacular clusters of newly collected specimens are similar to those of the holotype.

Intraspecific genetic distance ranges from 0% to 0.4% based on the K2P substitution model and COI nucleotide sequences (N = 7, including juveniles). The GenBank accession code of XUX-2012-079 is KP229881 .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Female genital anatomy of Luthela luotianensis (Yin et al., 2002) comb. nov. A, B, vulva dorsal view. C, D, vulva ventral view. A, C, XUX-2012-080. B, D, XUX-2012-082. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.