Lepthercus mandelai, Ríos-Tamayo & Lyle, 2020

Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky & Lyle, Robin, 2020, The South African genus Lepthercus Purcell, 1902 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) phylogeny and taxonomy, Zootaxa 4766 (2), pp. 261-305 : 282-285

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4766.2.2
publication LSID	urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BA570D47-FE77-446C-B000-9208C9A6E957
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3803492
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F11B20-FFCB-FF90-8EE8-3A8BFCA1D1B1
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Lepthercus mandelai
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lepthercus mandelai sp. nov.

( Figs. 2D View FIGURE , 12 View FIGURE A–J, 13A–D, 24) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4095EBFE-6144-47FF-A13F-8A2E4CE3396B

Material examined. Type material: Holotype ♂. SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Province, Amatola mountains, Hogsback, Never Daunted Guest House (32°35.6′S 26°55.8′E, 1250m), 20-23.iv.2013, Haddad, C., J. Neethling & R. du Preez. leg., ( NCA 2014 /415B) GoogleMaps . – Paratype. SOUTH AFRICA: Same data as holotype, 3 ♀♀ ( NCA 2014/415A).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case in honor of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, first president of the democratic, post-apartheid South Africa.

Diagnosis. Males of L. mandelai sp. nov., can be recognized from all species in “Group dregei” by a copulatory bulb with a rounded tegulum, and the embolus with a small apical keel ( Fig. 12G View FIGURE ). Females can be differentiated by the shape of their spermathecae, with a slightly curved stalk and circular receptacles ( Fig. 13D View FIGURE ), similar to L. lawrencei sp. nov., but differs in the straight stalk; also can be recognized by the low number of cheliceral denticles (12), similar to L. dregei .

Description. Male holotype (NCA 2014/415b, Fig. 12 View FIGURE A–J). Total length 11.30. Carapace ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE ): length 4.96, width 3.83, with lateral marginal bristles, with a little pubescence. Cephalic region: length 3.12; clypeus short with 6 bristles on the edge, 5 long bristles in front of the OQ. Fovea: width 0.44, short, almost straight (slightly recurved). Ocular measurements: AME 0.13, ALE 0.21, PME 0.13, PLE 0.14, OQ length 0.41, 0.72 width; AME– ALE 0.06, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.13, AME–AME 0.10, OMP–OMP 0.31. Chelicerae ( Fig. 12C View FIGURE ): length 2.61, width 1.39, with dark dorsal-anterior bristles, intercheliceral tumescence small, well-marked and with setae ( Fig. 12C View FIGURE ). Fang groove with 10 promarginal teeth and 30 denticles (1:2B). Labium: length 0.38, width 0.79, with 3 small cuspules. Maxillae: length 1.56, width 0.76, with about 74 minuscule cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face slightly curved, soft area small with long uniformly distributed hairs. Sternum ( Fig. 12B View FIGURE ): length 2.47, maximum width 2.14. Abdomen ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE ): length 4.58, covered with dark hairs and bristles. PMS: length 0.62; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.11:0.86:1.14; total length. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 4.53, 2.45, 3.29, 3.62, 2.79, 16.68. II: 4.10, 2.19, 3.14, 3.25, 2.68, 15.36. III: 3.50, 1.76, 2.24, 3.13, 2.16, 12.79. IV: 4.57, 2.60, 3.73, 4.37, 2.25, 17.52. Palp: 2.25, 1.22, 1.54, —, 0.65, 5.85.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1 d (centrals), 2-2-2 D; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-2-2 V, a long cuticular spur, slightly curved outwards, with an apical long and curved spine ( Fig. 12I, J View FIGURE ); metatarsus, 1-1-0-1 R V, 1:3 basal posterior swollen with small dark setae ( Fig. 12J View FIGURE ); tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-2-2 D; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1 P (1:2B), 2-2-0-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-2-2-2 D; patella, 1-1-1 P (shorts), 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 2-2-1-2 D, 2-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-2-2 D; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P (1:2A), 2-2-2 V, 1-1 R; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 2-2-1-2 D, 2-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp ( Fig. 12D, E View FIGURE ): femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 3-1 P, 1 V, (width/length: 0.42); tarsus, 0.

Scopulae: Metatarsi: I-II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment, with some long and fine setae; III, sparse (1:3A), divided by narrow band of setae; IV, sparse (1:2A), divided by a wide band of setae. Tarsi: I-II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment; III, dense, uniformly distributed; IV, sparse, uniformly dis- tributed and divided by a narrow band of setae. Trichobothria: Tibiae: I 10-10; II 9-10; III 8-9; IV 11-11. Metatarsi: I (5)1(1)1(4)1(5)1; II (4)1(2)1(3)1(4)1; III (4)1(2)1(3)1(5)1; IV (4)1(3)1(3)1(6)1. Tarsi: I-IV 14. Preening combs: metatarsus: III, 4 P V. Copulatory bulb: small, embolus abruptly acuminate with a small apical keel ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE F–H), spermatic duct slightly curved. Color: Overall brown–reddish, sternum dark. Abdomen brown dark with 3 posterior light bands; spinnerets light yellow.

Female paratype (NCA 2014/415A, Fig. 13 View FIGURE A–D). Total length 16.05. Carapace ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE ): length 6.36, width 4.68, with small marginal bristles. Cephalic region: length 4.23, clypeus small (almost absent) with 9 marginal bristles; numerous small bristles in front and back of the OQ. Fovea: width 0.70, almost straight (slightly procurved). Ocular measurements: AME 0.15, ALE 0.29, PME 0.18, PLE 0.23, OQ length 0.39, width 0.53; AME–ALE 0.09, PME–PLE 0.02, AME–PME 0.12, ALE–PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.12, PME–PME 0.39. Chelicerae ( Fig. 13C View FIGURE ): length 4.16, width 2.58; with dorsal-retrolateral dark bristles. Fang groove with 7 promarginal teeth and 12 mesobasal denticles. Labium: length 0.59, width 1.31, dorsally slightly concave with 2 cuspules. Maxillae: length 2.35, width 1.05, with +110 cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face curved, soft with long uniformly distributed hairs, serrula present on anterior inner corner ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE ). Sternum ( Fig. 13B View FIGURE ): length 3.16, maximum width 2.81. Abdomen: length 7.62, with small bristles and hair in the dorsum. PMS: length 0.92; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.16:0.60:1.45; total length 3.21. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 4.72, 3.01, 3.14, 2.95, 2.10, 15.92. II: 4.35, 2.74, 2.76, 2.66, 1.99, 14.50. III: 3.59, 2.14, 1.90, 2.48, 1.70, 11.81. IV: 4.38, 2.56, 3.44, 3.54, 1.86, 15.78. Palp: 3.03, 1.94, 1.85, —, 2.09, 8.91.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 0; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 R, 1-1-2 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 V; tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 0; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1-3 V; metatarsus, 1-2-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1 d, 1-2 D (1:2A); patella, 1-1-1-1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 2-2-2 D, 2-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 0; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 R, 2-2-2 V; metatarsus, 1-1 P (1:2B), 1-1-1-2 D, 2-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp: femur, 0; patella, 1pb; tibia, 1-2 P, 1-3 V; tarsus, 2 V B.

Scopulae: Metatarsi: I–II, dense, uniformly distributed; III, sparse (1:2A), divided by setae; IV, sparse A. Tarsi: I–II dense, uniformly distributed; III, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae; IV, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by a wide band of setae. Trichobothria: Tibiae: palp 10-10; I 10-10; II 12-11; III 11-11; IV 13-13. Metatarsi: I (3)1(4)1(6)1; II (5)1(1)1(3)1(6)1; III (5)1(1)1(3)1(6)1; IV (5)1(1)1(3)1(6)1. Tarsi: palp 11; I 16; II 15; III 15; IV 16. Preening combs: metatarsus: II 2 P V; III 3 P V; IV 4 R V–2 P V. Spermathecae: as in Fig. 13D View FIGURE . Color: Overall brown–reddish (chelicerae darker), sternum dark. Abdomen brown dark with 3 posterior light bands, spinnerets slightly dark.

Distribution. Eastern Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE ).