Linothele cavicola Goloboff, 1994

Drolshagen, Bastian & Bäckstam, Christian M., 2021, A taxonomic review of the mygalomorph spider genus Linothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae, Dipluridae), Zoosystema 43 (10), pp. 163-196 : 169-171

Linothele cavicola Goloboff, 1994

Linothele cavicola Goloboff, 1994: 70 , figs 1-5.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Ecuador • ♀; Napo Prov., Cuevas de Jumandi ; 2-3.II.1983; A. & S. Roig leg.; MACN examined.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Cuevas de Jumandi, Ecuador.

DISTRIBUTION. — Only known from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS. — Linothele cavicola “differs from other species in the genus by having very few teeth on the STC and strong ventral setae on the tarsi. Those characters, as well as the great elongation of the legs, spinnerets, and body, are possibly associated with the cave habitat. The eyes are well developed. The pigmentation is normal, although the spider (in alcohol) appears slightly less sclerotized than other diplurines.” Goloboff (1994).

DESCRIPTION (FOLLOWING GOLOBOFF 1994)

Male

Unknown.

Female

CT = 11. MC = 36-40. Colouration in alcohol: Overall reddish brown; maculae absent. Clypeus: narrow. Sternum, labium and maxillae:see Goloboff (1994: fig.1). Leg formula:4123. Scopula divided. Preening-combs absent. Leg tarsi pseudo-segmented, see Goloboff (1994: fig. 2). Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS rigid. Spermatheca: consisting of two erect stalks bearing a single retrolateral vesicle in 1:3A, see Goloboff (1994: fig. 3).

NATURAL HISTORY

According to Goloboff (1994), L. cavicola is known from a single cave system, where the spiders “[…] apparently do not make webs”, but “[…] were found walking on the ground, or walls of the cave […]”.