Latouchia jihe sp. nov.

Figs 1 A, B, 2 A, G, 3 A, G, 4

Type material.

Holotype • ♂ (HAL-2023-010, matured on 1 Dec. 2023), China, Jiangxi Province, Fuzhou City, Dongxiang District, Jihe Tower, 28 Aug. 2023, 28.20°N, 116.62°E, elev. 194 m, X. Xu, Y. Zhang, Y. X. Li, J. Y. Yuan leg. Paratype • 1 ♀ (HAL-2023-032), China, Jiangxi Province, Shangrao City, Guangxin District, Zhengfang Town, Lou Village, 30 Aug. 2023, 28.69°N, 117.90°E, elev. 135 m . • 1 ♀ (HAL-2023-033), China, Jiangxi Province, Shangrao City, Dexing City, Fenghuanghu Scenic Area, 31 Aug. 2023, 28.92°N, 117.60°E, elev. 71 m . • 1 ♀ (HAL-2023-036), China, Jiangxi Province, Shangrao City, Dexing City, Sizhou Town, Yejiazhuang Village, 31 Aug. 2023, 29.03°N, 117.63°E, elev. 118 m. X. Xu, Y. Zhang, Y. X. Li, J. Y. Yuan leg.

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished from all other Latouchia species, except L. davidi (Simon, 1886), L. pavlovi Schenkel, 1953, and L. stridulans Decae, 2019, by presence of stridulatory ridges on the retrolateral surface of the chelicerae in both sexes (Fig. 1 A, B). Male of L. jihe sp. nov. can be distinguished from L. pavlovi by embolus with slightly wider opening (Fig. 4 E vs Fig. 5 G) and embolic apex with slightly smaller triangular apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 4 G vs Fig. 5 F); from L. stridulans by embolus with larger opening (Fig. 4 E – H vs figs 19–22 in Decae 2019). Females of L. jihe sp. nov. differ from L. stridulans and L. pavlovi by relatively slender stalks and knob-shaped spermathecae (Fig. 4 I – K vs fig. 18 in Decae 2019 and fig. 1 in Song and Hu 1982), and from L. davidi by longer stalks (Fig. 4 I – K vs fig. 11 in Decae and Caranhac 2020).

Description.

Male (holotype, Figs 1 A, 2 A, 3 A). Carapace dark brown. Cephalic region smoothly elevated. Eight eyes arranged in two rows: anterior eye row procurved, posterior row straight. Chelicerae dark brown with a series of stridulatory ridges on the retrolateral surface (Fig. 1 A), promargin with seven teeth, retromargin with six teeth. Fovea procurved and deep. Sternum light yellow with glabrous sigilla. Labium and maxillae light brown, labium with one cuspule, two maxillae together bearing 31 cuspules along proximal edge (Fig. 3 A). Opisthosoma brownish-black.

Measurements: BL 8.93, CL 4.68, CW 4.49, OL 3.94, OW 3.01; Eye group, EL 0.49, AR 0.87, PR 0.89, AME - AME 0.11, AME 0.17, PME - PME 0.26, PME 0.12, ALE 0.21, PLE 0.21; MaxL 1.62, LL 0.68, LW 0.77; SL 2.49, SW 2.29; leg I 12.51 (3.96, 1.89, 2.93, 2.00, 1.73), leg II 11.10 (3.05, 1.78, 2.09, 2.39, 1.79), leg III 10.61 (3.06, 1.65, 1.92, 2.25, 1.73), leg IV 13.53 (4.20, 1.71, 2.77, 2.99, 1.86). Patellae and tibiae of legs I and II with long, straight, strong spines; spines slightly thicker on leg I (Fig. 13 A, B).

Palp. Palpal bulb simple and elliptic in ventral view; embolus thick at base and gradually tapering toward the tip, apex twisted with narrow lanceolate opening; small, triangular apophysis at tip in retrolateral view; prolateral and retrolateral superior keels well developed (Fig. 4 A – C, E – H).

Female (HAL-2023-032, Figs 1 B, 2 G, 3 G). Carapace brown. Cephalic region smoothly elevated. Eight eyes arranged as in male. Chelicerae similar in colour to carapace, with a series of stridulatory ridges on retrolateral surface (Fig. 1 B); promargin with seven teeth, retromargin with five teeth. Fovea procurved and deep. Sternum light yellow with distinct, glabrous sigilla. Labium and maxillae brown; labium with three cuspules; two maxillae together bearing 35 cuspules along proximal edge (Fig. 3 G). Opisthosoma brown with pale, regular blotches.

Measurements: BL 18.24, CL 6.39, CW 5.99, OL 9.23, OW 6.73; Eye group, EL 0.67, AR 1.07, PR 1.08, AME - AME 0.12, AME 0.15, PME - PME 0.33, PME 0.15, ALE 0.34, PLE 0.30; MaxL 2.51, LL 1.15, LW 1.14; SL 3.90, SW 3.79; palp 9.66 (3.50, 1.91, 2.10, 2.15), leg I 11.17 (3.71, 2.40, 2.51, 1.44, 1.11), leg II 10.40 (3.48, 2.30, 2.05, 1.39, 1.18), leg III 10.23 (3.34, 2.28, 1.90, 1.35, 1.36), leg IV 14.76 (4.61, 2.69, 2.81, 2.57, 2.08).

Vulva. Paired spermathecae knob-shaped and slightly inward; entire lobes and distal ¾ of stalks densely covered with glandular pores; basal stalks gradually widened and pore-less (Fig. 4 I – K).

Variation.

Females vary in body size and the number of cheliceral teeth. Measurements for females (N = 3): BL 10.13–18.24, CL 4.41–6.39, CW 3.89–5.99, OL 5.21–9.23, OW 3.72–6.73. Cheliceral teeth: 6–8 (promargin) and 5–7 (retromargin). Spermathecae with spherical (Fig. 4 I, J) or ellipsoidal (Fig. 4 K) lobes.

Genetic distance.

The mean and maximum intraspecific genetic distances for L. jihe sp. nov. are 3.46 % / 3.36 % and 4.62 % / 4.44 %, respectively (K 2 P / p - distance). The minimum interspecific genetic distance is 16.92 % / 15.11 %, between L. jihe sp. nov. and L. yinggen sp. nov. (Table 1). The interspecific genetic distances between the holotype of new species and five known Latouchia species are shown in Table 2. Specimen information for genetic analysis based on COI is provided in Table 3.

* Sequences from GenBank.

Discussion.

Morphologically, L. jihe sp. nov. is most similar to L. pavlovi, which was originally described from Qingdao, Shandong Province on 6 July 1933 (Schenkel 1953) based solely on a male. The holotype of L. pavlovi, deposited at the “ Museum Hoangho-Peiho ” in Tientsin (currently corresponding to Beijiang Museum in Tianjin), is presumably lost. Based on information and photographs of a topotype male (Fig. 5) kindly provided by Kun Yu (Hebei University), L. jihe sp. nov. can be distinguished from L. pavlovi as detailed in the diagnosis.

Etymology.

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

Distribution.

Jiangxi Province (Fuzhou, Shangrao).