Conothele martensi, Decae & Schwendinger & Hongpadharakiree, 2021

Decae, Arthur E., Schwendinger, Peter J. & Hongpadharakiree, Komsan, 2021, Descriptions of four new trapdoor spider species in the subfamily Ummidiinae from Thailand (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Halonoproctidae), Zootaxa 4984 (1), pp. 300-323 : 305-308

Conothele martensi spec. nov.

Figs 4 A−L, 5A−M

Type material. THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province: Holotype ♂ (PS-003, in MHNG), Mae Taeng District, north of Mae Taeng , 19.1442°N, 98.9472°E, 450 m elevation, P.J. Schwendinger leg. 19.2.1987 . Paratypes: 2 ♂ (PS- 002A–B, 1 ♂: MHNG, 1 ♂: in THNHM) , 3 ♀ (PS-001A–C, 2 ♀: MHNG, 1 ♀: THNHM), with same data as for holotype.

Additional material examined. THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province: 1 penultimate ♂, 3 juvenile ♀, from the type locality, 10.12.1987. 2 ♀, Chiang Dao District, west of Chiang Dao, 400 m elevation, 3.10./ 10.12.1986. 1 ♀, Chiang Mai District, Doi Suthep, 580 m elevation, 28.11.1987. 1 ♀, Hang Dong District, near Ban Pong, 300 m elevation, 18.12.2013. 1 ♀, Doi Saket District, east of Doi Saket , 400 m elevation, 5.9.1987 (all P.J. Schwendinger leg.; all MHNG).

Notes. Additional Conothele females from elevations up to 1600 m in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Lamphun (not included in the type series) may also belong to C. martensi spec. nov.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of the renowned German arachnologist and ornithologist Prof. Dr Jochen Martens on the occasion of his 80 th birthday. Prof. Martens collected together with the second author (PJS) in Chiang Mai Province from late February to mid-March 1998. Name in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. Conothele martensi spec. nov. differs from all congeners for which sufficient information is available, except for C. isan spec. nov. and C. dequin Yang & Xu, 2018 , by the harpoon-shaped embolus tip ( Fig. 4L ; see also Fig. 6 L and Yang & Xu 2018: fig. 28). Males different from those of C. dequin by the thickened tarsi of the anterior legs ( Fig. 4C cf. Yang & Xu 2018: fig. 21). In both sexes different from C. isan spec. nov. by the profile of the carapace, with a relatively more strongly elevated cephalic part ( Figs 4B , 5B cf. Figs 6B , 7B ), by the morphology of the spermathecae, with the sclerotized median part twisted and the globular head directed forward ( Figs 5 F−K cf. Figs 7 F−H), and by the relatively reduced ventral patterns of spines on the anterior metatarsi and tibiae in males ( Figs 4 D−E cf. Figs 6 D−E). Field observations indicate differences in burrow architecture between C. martensi spec. nov. and C. isan spec. nov., with C. martensi spec. nov. constructing relatively longer burrows and thicker trapdoors.

Description. Male (holotype). Specimen preserved for 34 years in 70% ethanol in good condition ( Fig. 4A ). Left leg III detached, right palpal organ removed for study and stored in microvial. General colouration: carapace dark reddish brown; chelicerae uniformly brown; opisthosoma blotchy, with anterior to posterior transition from light to dark grey; ventral side of opisthosoma anterior of epigastric furrow, book-lung covers and spinnerets yellowish; legs brownish, ventrally lighter than dorsally, anterior legs slightly darker than posteriors; palp colour as that of first pair of legs; sternum yellow, with brown margin; labium and palpal coxae darker in colour than nearby body parts.

Morphology: Carapace coriaceous, slightly longer than wide (CW/CL = 0.9); cephalic part elevated, highest point halfway between eye group and fovea, thoracic part sloping down from fovea to posterior margin at an angle of approximately 30° ( Fig. 4B ). Ocular tubercle steep; clypeus very narrow; eye group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR = 0.49); AME slightly less than their diameter apart (disAME/diaAME = 0.56); PR slightly recurved. Chelicerae with weak apical rastellum; fangs with ventral serrations. Palpal coxae with eight and 10 cuspules in proximal half; prolateral-distal lobe absent. Labium glabrous in proximal half, carrying three distal cuspules; labiosternal suture wide and procurved. Sternum with fig-leaf-shaped central sigillum (as shown in Fig. 2E ). Palps leg-like, all articles aspinose, palpal tibia slightly inflated proximally (TibW/PTib = 0.4), palpal femur longer than tibia (PFem/PTib = 1.3). Palpal organ ( Figs 4 H−L) with bulbous part longer than wide (BuW/GL = 0.92); embolus long, slender, curved, slightly flexible and narrowing at about midpoint, the embolic narrowing best visible in prolateral and retrolateral view ( Figs 4I, K ), embolic tip harpoon-shaped ( Fig. 4L ). Legs I−II with slightly thickened yellow tarsi ( Figs 4 C−E) and with short lateral spines on tarsi, metatarsi and tibiae ( Figs 4 C−E), retroventral spine row on tibia I restricted to distal half of the article ( Fig. 4D ), absent from tibia II ( Fig. 4E ); few clavate trichobothria dorsally in proximal half of tarsi ( Fig. 4C ). Leg III with shallow, glabrous saddle-shaped dorsal depression in tibia, prolateral saddle crescent reduced, retrolateral saddle crescent absent ( Figs 4 F−G); spine groups present dorso-distally on metatarsus and tibia; patella with strong short spines prodorsally. Leg IV with weak spines on metatarsus; metatarsus IV longer than tibia IV (MetIV/TibIV = 1.1). PTC of anterior legs with a single proximal tooth, of posterior legs with one large and one small tooth. Leg formula 4123. Opisthosoma ovoid, with tiny wart-like sockets carrying short stiff bristles. Spinnerets as in female described below.

Measurements. TBL 10.6; CL 4.8; CW 4.5; CP 3.2; AR 1.05; PR 1.07; EL 0.52; diaALE 0.29; diaPLE 0.20; diaAME 0.16; diaPME 0.15; disALE 0.52; disPLE 0.75; disAME 0.09; disPME 0.39; SL 2.6; SW 2.4; LL 0.4; LW 0.9; palp 7.5 (0.9 + 2.2 + 1.5 + 2.9); leg I 11.2 (1.1 + 1.8 + 2.3 + 2.1 + 3.9); leg II 9.9 (1.2 + 1.5 + 1.9 + 1.9 + 3.4); leg III 8.9 (1.3 + 1.5 + 1.8 + 1.5 + 2.8); leg IV 11.7 (1.3 + 2.5 + 2.3 + 1.9 + 3.7); BuL 1.95; BuW 0.71; EmL 1.18.

Female (paratype; PS-001A). Specimen preserved for 34 years in 70% ethanol in generally good condition ( Fig. 5A ), with slight damage to pedicel; opisthosoma and right leg IV detached; spermathecae in separate microvial. General colouration: carapace, chelicerae, legs and palps yellowish brown; dorsal side of opisthosoma dark, with fine light grey speckles, ventral side, book-lung covers and spinnerets yellowish white; sternum yellow, with sharply outlined brown margin; carapace and sternum with vague grey shading.

Morphology: Carapace ( Figs 5 A−B) smooth, longer than wide (CW/CL = 0.8), otherwise as described for male. Ocular tubercle, eye group and very narrow clypeus generally as in male (EL/PR = 0.50), but AME further apart from each other (disAME/diaAME = 0.71). Chelicerae stronger than in male, with rastellum on low process and composed of a curved row of seven strong teeth bordering fang base; fangs as in male. Palpal coxae with 13−18 cuspules spread over proximal half of article; prolateral-distal lobe rudimentary. Labium with four distal cuspules. Palps: as described above for Ummidiinae ; palpal claw with two strong proximal teeth, one of them bifid, the other one unbranched. Legs I−II: as described for Ummidiinae above. Leg III with tarsus carrying a dense disto-ventral group of spines; metatarsus with dorso-distal group of very strong spines; tibia with short rows of spines along dorso-distal margin, saddle-shaped depression prolaterally bordered by a distinct saddle crescent, retrolaterally by an indistinct one ( Figs 5 C−D); patella with strong, short spines along distal margin on prolateral side; femur ventroproximally inflated; distinct opposing protuberances on dorsal and prolateral sides of trochanter and coxa. Leg IV with patella carrying a prodorsal-proximal group of short stiff bristles. PTCs as described above for Ummidiinae . Leg formula 4123. Opisthosoma with wart-like bristle sockets. Spinnerets: PMS closer to PLS than to each other; PMS digitiform, more than their diameter apart from each other, with apical spigot field; PLS thick, with three articles, proximal article as long as median + distal article combined, distal article dome-shaped; macrospigots distally on proximal article and on entire ventral surface of median article ( Fig. 5E ).

Spermathecae tripartite; posterior part lightly pigmented and narrow; median part strongly pigmented, inwardbent, twisted and distally widening; distal part lightly pigmented, globular, directed forward ( Fig. 5F ). Similar to spermathecae of C. linzhi from Tibet, of C. jinggangshan from Jiangxi, China ( Liu et al. 2019: figs 3G−J, 4G) and of C. baiyuensis from Guangdong, China ( Xu et al. 2017: fig. 1E).

Measurements. TBL 14.7; CL 5.2; CW 4.3; CP 3.6; AR 1.16; PR 1.18; EL 0.64; diaALE 0.36; diaPLE 0.29; diaAME 0.14; diaPME 0.20; disALE 0.54; disPLE 0.75; disAME 0.10; disPME 0.37; SL 3.0; SW 2.7; LL 0.6; LW 1.1; palp 8.4 (1.7 + 1.8 + 1.8 + 3.1); leg I 9.6 (1.0 + 1.2 + 1.9 + 2.2 + 3.3); leg II 8.2 (1.0 + 1.1 + 1.4 + 1.9 + 2.8); leg III 8.1 (1.2 + 1.1 + 1.4 + 1.7 + 2.7); leg IV 11.0 (1.3 + 2.1 + 2.0 + 2.0 + 3.6).

Variation. Males (n = 3): TBL 9.5−12.2; CL 4.8−5.6; CW 4.3−5.2; CP 3.2−3.7; AR 1.05−1.14; PR 1.07−1.20; EL 0.52−0.60; diaALE 0.29−0.37; diaPLE 0.20−0.29; diaAME 0.15−0.22; diaPME 0.15−0.20; disALE 0.52−0.57; disPLE 0.75−0.81; disAME 0.09−0.12; disPME 0.38−0.43; SL 2.6−3.1; SW 2.2−2.8; LL 0.4−0.8; LW 0.9−1.2; palp 7.5−9.1; leg I 11.1−14.0; leg II 9.9−12.3; leg III 8.8−10.4; leg IV 11.7−14.0.

Females (n = 3): TBL 12.6−15.6; CL 5.2−6.3; CW 4.3−5.3; CP 3.5−4.2; AR 1.04−1.26; PR 1.04−1.18; EL 0.57−0.72; diaALE 0.33−0.42; diaPLE 0.25−0.34; diaAME 0.14−0.17; diaPME 0.17−0.23; disALE 0.50−0.63; disPLE 0.72−0.77; disAME 0.10−0.11; disPME 0.31−0.39; SL 3.0−3.7; SW 2.3−2.7; LL 0.6−0.7; LW 0.8−1.1; palp 8.3−10.2; leg I 9.5−11.5; leg II 8.3−10.3; leg III 8.1−10.0; leg IV 10.5−13.0. Variation in the shape of the spermathecae of eight females is shown in Figs 5 A−M.

Habitat and biology. The type specimens were collected from earth banks on both sides of a road running through farmland. The road has subsequently been widened and the earth banks removed, therefore the type population was probably severely reduced or even wiped out. Burrows were up to 6.5 cm long and closed by a relatively thick (cork-type) trapdoor with a maximum length of 1.4 cm and a maximum width of 1.6 cm. Two of the males matured in captivity in Chiang Mai on 7.3. and 17.3.1987, less than a month after being captured. The beginning of the hot and dry season appears to be the mating period of this species.

At its type locality Conothele martensi spec. nov. occurs together with two other species of trapdoor spiders: Idiops pylorus Schwendinger, 1991 (Idiopidae) , and a second Conothele species which has a larger, darker body and a slightly longer (maximum 7 cm) burrow closed by a thinner (wafer-type) trapdoor. Unfortunately only females of this unnamed Conothele are available from this particular locality.

Figures

FIGURES 2A–F. Genus level diagnostic characters of Halonoproctidae. A–C Halonoproctinae genera (A Bothriocyrtum, B Cyclocosmia, C Hebestatis; note the pair of separated central sigilla and the presence of lateral sigilla [red ovals]). D–F Ummidiinae genera (D Ummidia, E Conothele, F Latouchia; note the fused central sigillum [red triangle] and the absence of lateral sigilla). Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 4A−L. Conothele martensi spec. nov., holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Carapace, lateral. C Left tarsus I, retrolateral. D–E Distal part of forelegs, ventral (D leg I, E leg II). F–G Left tibia and patella III (F retrolateral, G prolateral). H−K Right palpal organ, clock-wise rotated by 90° (H ventral, I prolateral, J dorsal, K retrolateral). L Harpoon-shaped embolus tip. ab—spine row absent, dh—spines in distal half of tibia only, ne—narrowing of embolus, rsc—reduced saddle-crescent, st—slightly swollen tarsus.

FIGURES 5A−M. Conothele martensi spec. nov., females (A−F paratype PS-001A; G paratype PS-001B; H paratype PS- 001D; I Chiang Dao, 400 m; J paratype PS-001C; K Doi Saket, 400 m; L Ban Pong, 300 m; M Doi Suthep, 580 m). A Habitus, dorsal. B Carapace, lateral. C–D Right tibia and patella III (C prolateral, D retrolateral; note tibia-saddle and reduced saddlecrescent). E Spinnerets, ventral. F–K Variation in the tripartite spermathecae of eight specimens (note twisted medial part and anteriad globular apical part). Abbreviatons: ms—macrospigots on proximal and median article of PLS, rsc—reduced saddlecrescent, sc—saddle-crescent, tw—twisted medial part of spermathecae.

FIGURES 6A−L. Conothele isan spec. nov., holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Carapace, lateral. C Tarsus of right leg I, retrolateral. D–E Distal part of forelegs, ventral (D leg I, E leg II). F–G Left tibia and patella III (F prolateral, G prolateral; note absence of saddle-crescent). H−K Right palpal organ, clock-wise rotated by 90° (H ventral, I prolateral, J dorsal, K retrolateral). L Harpoon-shaped embolus tip, retrolateral. Abbreviatons: ct—clavate trichobothria, dr—ventro-lateral spine rows on both sides of tibia, fr—full row of spines on tibia, it—inflated tarsus, sc—scopula.

FIGURES 7A−H. Conothele isan spec. nov., females (A−F paratype PS-007; G Tham Phra Namthip, 420 m; H paratype PS- 006). A Habitus, dorsal. B Carapace, lateral. C–D Left tibia III (C retrolateral, D prolateral). E Spinnerets, ventral. F−H Vari- ation in the tripartite spermathecae of three specimens (note bent medial part and mediad globular apical part). Abbreviatons: ho—bent medial part of spermathecae, ms—macrospigots on proximal and medial article of PLS, rsc—reduced saddle-crescent, sc—distinct saddle-crescent.