Songthela anhua Zhang & Xu, 2023

Zhang, Yan, Chen, Zhaoyang, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2023, Three new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae, Heptathelinae) from Hunan Province, China, ZooKeys 1154, pp. 17-31 : 17

Songthela anhua Zhang & Xu sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Type material.

Holotype: China · 1 ♂; Hunan Province, Yiyang City, Anhua County, Moon Hill Park; 28.39°N; 111.22°E; alt. 125 m; 7 September 2021; Z.Y. Chen, X. Xu, Y. Zhan, Y. Zhang leg.; XUX-2021-007 (matured on 25 August 2022). Paratypes: China · 1 ♂ 3 ♀; same data as for the holotype, alt. 127-144 m; XUX-2021-008, 012, 018 (matured on 25 August 2022), 019.

Diagnosis.

Male of S. anhua sp. nov. resembles those of S. tianzhu Chen, Li, Li & Xu, 2021, S. yuping Chen, Li, Li & Xu, 2021, and S. xiangnan Li, Liu, Li & Xu, 2020 by conductor with blade-shaped apical spine (Fig. 3C-E, H, I ), but can be distinguished from S. tianzhu by tegulum with smaller terminal apophysis and distinctly helicoid marginal apophysis (Fig. 3F, G ), by conductor with wider apical spine and several short teeth in prolateral view (Fig. 3B, C, E, H, I ); from S. xiangnan by wider apical spine of conductor lacking of bifid apex distally (Fig. 3C, E, H, I ), and by contrategulum with irregular dense dentate margin (Fig. 3C, D ); from S. yuping by tegulum with slightly narrower dorsal extension of terminal apophysis (Fig. 3F, G ); from those of S. longhui sp. nov. and S. zhongpo sp. nov. by conductor with slightly shorter and blade-shaped apical spine (Fig. 3B-E, H, I ), by tegulum with slightly narrower dorsal extension of terminal apophysis (Fig. 3F, G ); from those of other species of Songthela multidentata -group by conductor with blade-shaped apical spine (Fig. 3C-E, H, I ); from those of other Songthela species by middle part of conductor with several short teeth (Fig. 3B-E, H, I ).

Females of S. anhua sp. nov. can be distinguished from those of S. longhui sp. nov. and S. pluma Yu, Li & Zhang, 2018 by median receptacular clusters slightly larger than lateral ones, and middle genital stalks separated from each other basally (Fig. 3J, K ); from S. zhongpo sp. nov. by trapeziform anterior margin of bursa copulatrix, median receptacular clusters with slightly longer genital stalks (Fig. 3J-K ); from those of other species of Songthela multidentata -group by median receptacular clusters separated from each other basally and posterior margin of genital area wider and flat (Fig. 3J-M ); from those of other Songthela species by four receptacular clusters situated at the dorsal side of bursa copulatrix (Fig. 3J-M ).

Description.

Male (holotype; Fig. 1J ). Carapace black brown; opisthosoma yellow brown, with 12 black brown tergites attached a pair of thick bristles, the second to fifth larger than others and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 14 denticles of variable size; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; 8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 13.28, CL 6.42, CW 5.70, OL 6.19, OW 4.85; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 20.58 (5.80 + 2.53 + 4.25 + 5.27 + 2.73), leg II 19.69 (5.54 + 2.52 + 4.18 + 4.88 + 2.57), leg III 22.95 (5.56 + 2.69 + 4.28 + 6.95 + 3.47), leg IV 28.29 (7.32 + 3.03 + 5.69 + 7.97 + 4.28).

Palp. Prolateral portion of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised, with several setae and spines on the tip (Fig. 3A-C ). Contrategulum with an obviously triangular apophysis proximally and two irregular dentate edges distally (Fig. 3C, D ). Tegulum with a helicoid marginal apophysis, a dentate dorsal extension of the terminal apophysis, and a thumb-like terminal apophysis retrolaterally (Fig. 3F, G ). Conductor lamellar, fused with embolus ventroproximally, with a blade-shaped apical spine pointed to the one-third of opening of embolus proximally, and the middle portion inserted with several teeth (Fig. 3B-E, H, I ). Embolus largely sclerotized with a wide opening, several ribbed ridges, and with a twisted top in ventral view (Fig. 3B-E, G ).

Female (XUX-2021-008; Fig. 1G ). Carapace yellow brown and opisthosoma dark brown in alcohol, with 12 dark brown tergites attached a pair of thick bristles, the second to fifth larger than others and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 12 denticles of variable size; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 10.18, CL 5.16, CW 4.52, OL 4.43, OW 3.57; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 9.82 (3.37 + 1.81 + 2.41 + 2.23), leg I 10.97 (3.66 + 1.83 + 2.16 + 1.96 + 1.36), leg II 10.29 (3.21 + 1.79 + 1.86 + 2.06 + 1.37), leg III 9.71 (2.91 + 1.74 + 1.22 + 2.27 + 1.57), leg IV 14.37 (4.22 + 1.60 + 2.49 + 3.72 + 2.34).

Female genitalia. Two pairs of receptacular clusters situated on the dorsal side of the bursa copulatrix; the middle pair of receptacular clusters with long genital stalks and larger than the lateral ones, the middle stalks separated from each other; the posterior margin of the bursa copulatrix sclerotized; the posterior margin of the genital area wide (Fig. 3J-M ).

Variation.

Males and females vary in body size, cheliceral teeth, and spinnerets. Range of measurements in males (N = 2): BL 11.94-13.28, CL 5.59-6.42, CW 5.07-5.70, OL 6.08-6.19, OW 4.80-4.85; the number of cheliceral teeth varies from 9-14 (N = 2); there are 7 or 8 spinnerets. Females (N = 3): BL 10.18-11.51, CL 5.16-5.57, CW 4.52-4.84, OL 4.43-5.66, OW 3.57-4.04; the number of cheliceral teeth varies from 12-13 (N = 3); there are 7 or 8 spinnerets. In addition, male palp and female genitalia also show intraspecific variations: in males, the left palp is slightly different from the right palp, e.g. the tegulum of left male palp with three teeth basally in ventral view (Fig. 3B ), but they are missing in right male palp (Fig. 3E, F ); the number of teeth located in middle portion of conductor also varies between left and right palp (Fig. 3C, E, H, I ); in females, the relative position of the middle receptacular clusters situated on the dorsal side of the bursa copulatrix is slightly different (Fig. 3L, M ).

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.

Distribution.

Hunan (Anhua), China

Figures

Figure 1. Microhabitat (A-D) and general somatic morphology (E-J) of three new Songthela species E-G female H-J male E, H Songthela zhongpo Zhang & Xu, sp. nov. F, I Songthela longhui Zhang & Xu, sp. nov. G, J Songthela anhua Zhang & Xu, sp. nov. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figure 3. Male and female genital anatomy of Songthela anhua Zhang & Xu, sp. nov. A-C left palp A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view D-G right palp D prolateral view E ventral view F retrolateral view G distal view H conductor of left palp I conductor of right palp J, K vulva dorsal view L, M vulva ventral view A-C, H XUX- 2021 - 007 (holotype) D-G, I XUX- 2021 - 018 J, L XUX- 2021 - 008 K, M XUX- 2021 - 012. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A-G, J-M); 0.1 mm (H, I).