Songthela huangyang, Li & Liu & Li & Xu, 2020

Li, Dengqing, Liu, Fengxiang, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2020, Two new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela from Hunan Province, China (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae), ZooKeys 937, pp. 1-19 : 1

Songthela huangyang sp. nov. Figures 2 , 3

Type material.

Holotype: China·1 ♂; Hunan Province, Yueyang City, Huangyang Group; 29.26°N, 113.15°E; alt. 85 m; 26 Jun. 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li leg.; XUX-2018-081 (matured on 22 September 2018 at HNU).

Paratypes: China·1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2018-080, 082, XUX-2018-083 (matured on 20 October 2018 at HNU)·1 ♂; Hunan Province, Yueyang City, Linxiang City, Xiacaojiachong Village; 29.51°N, 113.35°E; alt. 89 m; 24 Jun. 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li leg.; XUX-2018-056 (matured on 20 October 2018 at HNU)·1 ♀; Hunan Province, Yueyang City, Yueyang County, Gangkou Town, Gangkou Village; 29.18°N, 113.40°E; alt. 21 m; 25 Jun. 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li leg.; XUX-2018-059·1 ♂; Hunan Province, Yueyang City, Yueyang County, Gangkou Town, Yishan Village; 29.20°N, 113.26°E; alt. 55 m; 25 Jun. 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li leg.; XUX-2018-077 (matured on 20 October 2018 at HNU).

Diagnosis.

Males of S. huangyang sp. nov. resemble those of S. ciliensis , S. mangshan and S. pyriformis by the conductor with one apical spine, but can be distinguished from S. ciliensis and S. mangshan by the narrow base of the conductor (Fig. 3B, E ); from S. pyriformis by the thinner conductor apical spine, the contrategulum with the densely denticulate margin, and the narrower tegulum (Fig. 3D-G ); from the other Songthela species by the conductor base narrow with one apical spine (Fig. 3B, E ); and by the narrower tegulum (Fig. 3F ). Females of S. huangyang sp. nov. differ from those of other Songthela species by four receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, and the median pairs with obscure slender genital stalks (Fig. 3I, J, L, M ).

Description.

Male (holotype; Fig. 2E ). Carapace black brown and opisthosoma light brown in alcohol; fourth to sixth tergite yellow brown, remaining tergites dark brown; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; few fine 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; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and fourth the largest; eight spinnerets. Measurements: BL 9.29, CL 4.33, CW 3.94, OL 4.73, OW 2.79; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 14.73 (4.09 + 1.86 + 2.94 + 3.79 + 2.05), leg II 15.03 (4.10 + 1.81 + 2.83 + 4.02 + 2.27), leg III 16.36 (4.21 + 1.84 + 2.96 + 4.73 + 2.62), leg IV 21.05 (5.14 + 2.05 + 3.97 + 6.45 + 3.44).

Palp. Paracymbium with numerous setae and spines on the tip (Fig. 3A-C ); contrategulum with a densely denticulate margin (Fig. 3D ); tegulum narrow with a serrate marginal apophysis and a finger-like terminal apophysis (Fig. 3F, G ); conductor situated ventro-proximally from the embolus, its base narrow and fused with embolus, distal portion free, and sharply narrowing to a apical spine (Fig. 3A, B, E ); embolus with a wide and flat opening (Fig. 3C, D ).

Female (XUX-2018-082; Fig. 2D ). Carapace red brown and opisthosoma brown in alcohol; fourth to sixth tergite grey and brown, remaining tergites dark brown; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; few fine pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with eleven denticles; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and fourth the largest; eight spinnerets. Measurements: BL 14.15, CL 5.97, CW 5.46, OL 7.73, OW 6.55; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 11.05 (3.64 + 2.07 + 2.47 + 2.87), leg I 12.80 (3.95 + 2.33 + 2.47 + 2.61 + 1.44), leg II 12.40 (3.67 + 2.26 + 2.28 + 2.66 + 1.53), leg III 12.91 (3.53 + 2.31 + 2.26 + 3.13 + 1.68), leg IV 18.24 (4.76 + 2.67 + 3.31 + 5.03 + 2.47).

Female genitalia. Four receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, the median pair with obscure slender genital stalks, smaller than or similar to the lateral ones; the lateral receptacular clusters without genital stalks (Fig. 3H-M ); the posterior part of the genital area inverted trapezoid (Fig. 3H-M ).

Variation.

Males and females vary in body size. The range of measurements in males as follows (N = 4): BL 9.29-10.78, CL 4.33-5.07, CW 3.94-5.02, OL 4.43-4.73, OW 2.77-3.11; females (N = 3): BL 9.23-14.15, CL 3.55-5.97, CW 4.01-5.46, OL 5.36-7.73, OW 4.44-6.55. In addition, female genitalia show slight intraspecific variation: the genital stalks of the median pair are slender (Fig. 3I, J, L, M ), or four receptacular clusters are slightly sclerotized, perhaps because of the early stage of maturity of the specimen (Fig. 3H, K ); or the genital stalks of the median pair have the obscure ribbed distal portion (Fig. 3I, L ).

Etymology.

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

Distribution.

Hunan (Yueyang) Province, China.

GenBank accession number.

Holotype (XUX-2018-081): MT102213.

Figures

Figure 2. Microhabitat and general somatic morphology of Songthela huangyang sp. nov. (XUX- 2018 - 082, female; XUX- 2018 - 083, male) A microhabitat B, C the trapdoor with the door closed and open D, E dorsal view. Scale bar: 3 mm (D).

Figure 3. Male and female genital anatomy of Songthela huangyang sp. nov. A, D palp prolateral view B, E palp ventral view C, F palp retrolateral view G palp distal view H-J vulva dorsal view K-M vulva ventral view A-C XUX- 2018 - 081 (holotype) D-G XUX- 2018 - 083 H, K XUX- 2018 - 059 I, L XUX- 2018 - 080 J, M XUX- 2018 - 082. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A-M).