Lepthercus sofiae, 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 : 298-300

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.3803506
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F11B20-FFFB-FFAF-8EE8-3EBFFCA8D0C1
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Lepthercus sofiae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lepthercus sofiae sp. nov.

( Figs. 2K View FIGURE , 23 View FIGURE A–J, 24)

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D717E390-D4BE-4507-A1FC-7C567BEC818B

Material examined. Type material: Holotype ♂. SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape Province, Lily Vlei Nature Reserve, Gouna State Forest , N of Knysna (33°55’S 23°2’E), iii.1984, Koen, J. H. leg., ( NCA 97 /395) GoogleMaps . – Paratype. SOUTH AFRICA: same data as holotype, 2 ♂♂ ( NCA 97/395).

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape Province: Groeneweide Forest Station, NE of George (33°57′S 22°27′E), vi.1987, Koen, J. H. leg., 2 ♂♂ ( NCA 97 /291); Groeneweide Forest Station, Groenkop GoogleMaps , NE of George (33°57′S 22°27′E), vii.1986, Koen, J. H. leg., 7 ♂♂ ( NCA 97 /331); Lily Vlei Nature Reserve GoogleMaps , Gouna State Forest GoogleMaps , N of Knysna (33°55’S 23°2’E), ii.1984, Koen, J. H. leg., 1 ♂ ( NCA 97 /283); Groeneweide Forest Station GoogleMaps , Groenkop GoogleMaps , NE of George (33°57′S 22°27′E), v.1987, Koen, J. H. leg., 2 ♂♂ ( NCA 97 /244); Knysna GoogleMaps (Ara019) (33°57′S 23°3′E), 1.xi.2014, Swart GoogleMaps , R. C. leg., 8 ♂♂ ( NCA 2017 /1609); same data (33°55′S 22°44′E), 4 ♂ ( NCA 2017 /1611).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Sofia Casadey Bollati, the first author’s partner, for her continuing support.

Diagnosis. Males of L. sofiae sp. nov., can be distinguished from species present in “Group haddadi” by a metatarsus I with the presence of numerous short, strong setae ventrally 1:2A of the segment ( Fig. 23I View FIGURE ; cf. blunt spines in others), and by the higher number of maxillae cuspules (140). It can also be recognized by a very developed, almost square palp tibia ( Fig. 23D, E View FIGURE ) and by a more rounded bulb with two well marked keels on the embolus ( Fig. 23 View FIGURE F–H). Females are unknown.

Description. Male holotype (NCA 97/395, Fig. 23 View FIGURE A–J). Total length 13.90. Carapace ( Fig. 23A View FIGURE ): length 5.87, width 4.40, with lateral dark marginal bristles, with a little pubescence. Cephalic region: length 3.59; clypeus almost absent, with 7 bristles on the edge, 6 bristles in front of the OQ and 6 between the PME. Fovea: width 0.45, short, almost straight (slightly recurved). Ocular measurements: AME 0.17, ALE 0.31, PME 0.19, PLE 0.24, OQ length 0.47, 0.88 width; AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PLE 0.00, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.08, OMP–OMP 0.40. Chelicerae: length 2.55, width 1.55, with dark dorsal–anterior bristles, intercheliceral tumescence small, little marked with setae ( Fig. 23C View FIGURE ). Fang groove with 7 or 8 promarginal teeth and>30 mesobasal denticles. Labium: length 0.39, width 0.86. Maxillae: length 1.77, width 0.65, with about 140 cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face slightly curved, soft area long, with long uniformly distributed hairs, serrula present ( Fig. 2K View FIGURE ). Sternum ( Fig. 23B View FIGURE ): length 2.93, maximum width 2.31. Abdomen: length 5.42, covered with short hair. PMS: length 0.78; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.22:0.98:1.51; total length 3.71. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 3.46, 2.20, 2.97 (width/length: 0.47), 2.87, 1.79, 13.29. II: 3.77, 2.10, 2.46, 2.48, 1.80, 12.61. III: 3.60, 1.93, 2.15, 2.97, 1.69, 12.34. IV: 4.21, 2.22, 3.03, 4.04, 2.00, 15.50. Palp: 2.20, 1.07, 1.56, —, 0.90, 5.73.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1 d (centrals), 1-1 PA; patella, 1 PA; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-3-1 V, a short and robust cuticular spur, with an apical megaspine with a strong curved spine at the base of the spur ( Fig. 23J View FIGURE ); metatarsus, 1-1-2 V, presence of numerous short and strong setae (1:2A, Fig. 23I View FIGURE ); tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-1-1 PA; patella, 1-1 PA; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1 P, 2-2-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1-1 d (thick), 1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1-1-1 D-R; patella, 1-1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1-1 D-R, 2-3-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A, 1-1 D-R A; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 R, 2-2-2 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1-1 D-R, 2-3-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp ( Fig. 23D, E View FIGURE ): femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 PA; patella, 1 PA; tibia, 2 P, (width/length: 0.79); tarsus, 0.

Scopulae: Metatarsi: I, sparse, uniformly distributed, more abundant around the strong setae; II, sparse (3:4 A), more abundant in the anterior part; III–IV, absent. Tarsi: I-II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment; III, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae; IV, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by a wide band of setae. Trichobothria: Tibiae: I 9-10; II 11-12; III 10-11; IV 11-10. Metatarsi: I (3)1(1)1(2)1(5)1; II (4)1(2)1(5)1; III (5)1(0)1(2)1(5)1; IV (6)1(2)1(2)1(5)1. Tarsi: I 13; II 12; III 12; IV 13. Preening combs: metatarsus: II, 4 PV; III, 4 PV–4 RV; IV, 3 PV–5 RV. Copulatory bulb: long, with a curved embolus tapering gradually with 2 keels ( Fig. 23G, H View FIGURE ), spermatic duct curved. Color: Overall orange–yellowish (chelicerae darker). Abdomen light brown, with spots, spinnerets dorsally light yellowish.

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