Linothele sericata ( Karsch, 1879 )

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 : 183-184

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5252/zoosystema2021v43a10

publication LSID

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2763DA07-4D8F-4CA2-BB63-E5BC26470296

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4721109

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0386CD35-FF8A-FFB7-746E-FC0B45BB90B9

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Linothele sericata ( Karsch, 1879 )
status

 

Linothele sericata ( Karsch, 1879) View in CoL

( Figs 1 View FIG ; 19 View FIG C-E)

Trechona sericata Karsch, 1879: 545 .

Diplura bitaeniata Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 114 . — Bücherl et al. 1971: 121, fig. 8. n. syn.

Diplura nigerrima Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 115 . — Bücherl et al. 1971: 121. n. syn.

Linothele megatheloides Paz & Raven, 1990: 79 View in CoL , figs 1-12. n. syn.

Linothele sericata View in CoL – Pedroso et al. 2008: 366.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Trechona sericata : Holotype. Colombia • ♀; Bogotá; Lindig leg.; ZMB Arach-2082 examined by photographs.

Diplura bitaeniata : Holotype. Colombia • ♀; Bogotá; Irmão Nicéforo Maria leg.; lost .

Diplura nigerrima : Holotype. Colombia • ♀; Bogotá ; Irmão Nicéforo Maria leg.; lost.

Linothele megatheloides : Holotype. Colombia • ♂; Choco, Tutunendo ; 27.VII.1983; N. Paz leg.; AMNH.

Paratype. Colombia • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Colombia • 1 ♂, 2 ♀, and 3 undet.; Quibdó-Medellin , between km 178-134; 85m a.s.l.; 20.II.1983; N. Paz S. leg.; AMNH _ IZC 00327625 View Materials 1 ♀ *; Sasaima, Cundinamarca ; 2005; A. Stirm and D. Weinmann leg.; NHRS-KASI 000000035 1 ♂ F1 and 1 undet. F1; same data as for preceding; NHRS-KASI 000000034 2 undet. F2 (first instar); same data as preceding; NHRS-JUST 000000675 2 ♂ F2; same data as preceding; SMNK 1 ♀ F2; same data as preceding; SMNK 1 undet.; Antioquia, Rio Clara ; 900m a.s.l.; 27.VII.1983; F. Coyle leg.; tropical evergreen forest; AMNH _ IZC 00327615 View Materials 4 undet.; same data as for preceding; AMNH _ IZC 00327621 View Materials .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Bogotá, Colombia.

DISTRIBUTION. — Tutunendo to Bogota, Colombia.

DIAGNOSIS. — Females of Linothele sericata can be distinguished from those of other species in the genus by the combined presence of flexible apical articles of the PLS, presence of maxillary cuspules and absence of vesicles on the spermathecae stalks. Males differ from those of all other species in the genus by the presence of a keel on the embolus. Also see Paz & Raven (1990).

DESCRIPTION (FOLLOWING Paz & Raven 1990)

Male

CL = 10.83. CT = 13. MC = 28-30. Coloration: “Carapace red brown, striae marked by black reticulations along edges; caput brown with donut-shaped darkened ring medially; chelicerae, and legs red brown. Dorsum of abdomen brown with two lighter colored longitudinal bands, venter brown.” Clypeus: narrow.Sternum, labium and maxillae: Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 12). Leg formula 4123. Preening-combs absent. Leg tarsi pseudo-segmented. Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS flexible, see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 7). Palpal organ: “bulb pyriform with small subtegulum; embolus broad with scooped tip.”, see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 8). Megaspine and MP: see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 6).

Variability

CL = 9.6-10.8. CT = 11-13. MC = 28-59. [(PL*100)/BD = 327]. [(IML*100)/MAD = 581].

Female

CL = 13.7. CT = 12. MC = ~60. Colouration: “Carapace orange brown with brown mottling on caput and interstrial ridges; chelicerae and legs red brown. Dorsum of abdomen brown with medial pallid area, venter brown.” Sternum, labium and maxillae: see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 10). Clypeus: narrow. Leg formula: 4123. Scopula divided. Preening-combs absent. Leg tarsi pseudo-segmented. Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS flexible, see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 9). Spermathecae: consisting of two stalks, “each with long lobe apically enlarged with a shallow apical invagination.”, see Paz & Raven (1990: fig. 11).

Variability

CL = 12.3-16.0. CT = 12-14. MC = 45-88.

REMARKS

The holotype of Trechona sericata is a dried and pinned specimen, which seems to be in fragile condition. For this reason, photographic examination by the curators is clearly to be preferred and the ZMB team was so kind to send us images of the holotype, allowing for a proper diagnosis. As stated by Pedroso et al. (2008), we confirm the specimen described as Trechona sericata by Karsch (1879) is a misidentified Linothele . Karsch was not able to observe a prolateral lyra on the maxillae, since the specimen was already dried when he examined it ( Karsch 1879: 544). The type specimen shows maxillary cuspules, two rows of teeth on paired tarsal claws, divided scopula, and flexible apical segment of the PLS; a combination of features that can only be found in Linothele .

The type material of Linothele megatheloides has not been studied and identification is based on the very detailed description by Paz & Raven (1990), alongside examination of the additional material (AMNH_IZC 00327625) mentioned in the first description. L. megatheloides n. syn. is recognized a junior synonym of L. sericata on account of the presence of maxillary cuspules, flexible apical segment of the PLS (at least twice the length of the medial segment), the homogeneous colouration described by Karsch (1879), as well as the type locality close to the one of L. sericata . For information on other synonymies established here refer to remarks at L. longicauda .

As observed in lab-reared specimens, younger living females, immature males of L. sericata and even early instars bear distinct patterns on dorsal (see Paz & Raven 1990: fig. 9) and ventral opisthosoma. In older females, patterns can become indistinct and the opisthosoma of the spider appears almost black. Early instar specimens of Linothele sericata (CL = 2.3- 2.7) bear fewer cheliceral teeth (CT = 7-9), fewer maxillary cuspules (MC = 15-17) and only few scopuliform setae on anterior leg tarsi.

NATURAL HISTORY

According to Paz (1988), L. sericata build large sheet webs ending in a tubular retreat at the base of tree trunks, in which several different symbionts and cleptoparasites may be found. The reproduction strategies of the species have been well documented by Paz (1993).

ZMB

Germany, Berlin, Museum fuer Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universitaet

AMNH

USA, New York, New York, American Museum of Natural History

SMNK

Germany, Karlsruhe, Staatliches Museum fuer Naturkunde Karlsruhe

ZMB

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (Zoological Collections)

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

SMNK

Staatliches Museum fuer Naturkunde Karlsruhe (State Museum of Natural History)

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Dipluridae

Genus

Linothele

Loc

Linothele sericata ( Karsch, 1879 )

Drolshagen, Bastian & Bäckstam, Christian M. 2021
2021
Loc

Linothele sericata

PEDROSO D. R. & BAPTISTA R. L. C. & FERREIRA P. S. F. 2008: 366
2008
Loc

Linothele megatheloides

PAZ S. N. & RAVEN R. J. 1990: 79
1990
Loc

Trechona sericata

KARSCH F. 1879: 545
1879
Loc

Diplura bitaeniata Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 114

BUCHERL W. & TIMOTHEO DA COSTA A. & LUCAS S. M. 1971: 121
Diplura bitaeniata Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 114
Loc

Diplura nigerrima Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 115

BUCHERL W. & TIMOTHEO DA COSTA A. & LUCAS S. M. 1971: 121
Diplura nigerrima Mello-Leitão, 1941a: 115
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