Labahitha ryukyuensis (Ono, 2013) comb. nov.

Tricalamus ryukyuensis Ono, 2013: 16, figs 1–11. Holotype male (NSMT-Ar 9930) and paratype males and females (NSMT-Ar 9931–9935) from Kamara, Okinawa-shi, Okinawa Prefecture (Okinawajima Island), Japan, 22 May 2011, T. Naka leg., deposited in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, not examined.

Notes

The structure of the male palp (drop-shaped bulb with a keel-shaped paraembolic lamina; Ono 2013: figs 1–3) and somatic morphology indicate this species belongs in Labahitha and is a close relative of L. oonopiformis, L. garciai and L. nicobarensis, thus we propose the new combination.

Diagnosis

Males are similar to those of L. oonopiformis, L. garciai and L. nicobarensis by the teardrop-shaped bulb with a keel-shaped paraembolic lamina. They differ by the more slender palpal tibia, the less globose base of the bulb (Ono 2013: figs 1–3) (vs palpal tibia shorter and stouter, bulb base globose). Females are more similar to those of L. oonopiformis, L. garciai and L. gibsonhilli by the large membranous base of the receptacles and well-developed median receptacle; they differ in having the median receptacles smaller than the laterals (Ono 2013: fig. 9) (vs median receptacles subequal in size or larger than the laterals).

Description

See Ono (2013).

Natural history

Ono (2013) reports that specimens were collected in delicate webs with a central tubular retreat in inclined ground in the edge of a forest. One egg-sac had approximately 40 eggs.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality (Okinawajima Island, Japan) (Ono 2013) (Fig. 1).