Linothele paulistana (Mello-Leitão, 1924)

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 : 180-181

Linothele paulistana (Mello-Leitão, 1924)

( Fig. 12 )

Diplura paulistana Mello-Leitão, 1924: 185 ; 1926: 310. — Bücherl et al. 1971: 122, fig. 11.

Diplura annulifila Mello-Leitão, 1937: 3 , fig. 4. n. syn.

Linothele paulistana – Raven 1985: 74. — Silva-Moreira et al. 2010: 31 — Kury et al. 2018: 557.

Linothele annulifila – Raven 1985: 74.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Diplura paulistana : Holotype. Brazil • ♀; Sao Paulo, Santos ; W. Bristowe leg.; MNRJ MNRJ 55 (personal collection of Mello-Leitão #84 and #884) probably lost.

Diplura annulifila : Holotype. Brazil • ♀; Santa Catharina, Jaraguá ; 30.I.1935; Godofredo Ruce leg.; IBSP formerly IBSP 3453 (personal collection of Mello-Leitão No.99) examined by photographs, lost .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Sao Paulo, Brazil.

DISTRIBUTION. — Santa Catarina to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

DIAGNOSIS. — Linothele paulistana may be distinguished from other species in the genus by the combined presence of flexible apical segments of the PLS ( Fig. 12A ), but absence of maxillary cuspules ( Fig. 12B ).

DESCRIPTION

Male

Unknown.

Female

CT = 7(?)–14. MC = 0. Colouration in alcohol: prosoma, chelicerae, legs and pedipalps brown; opisthosoma dorsally and ventrally without distinct patterns; maculae absent. Clypeus: narrow. Sternum, labium and maxillae: see Figure 12B . Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS flexible, see Figure 10A . Spermatheca: see Figure 12 C-E.

REMARKS

The original description of D. paulistana by Mello-Leitão (1924) mentions 14 cheliceral teeth, whereas the second description (1926) mentions only 7. For some reason Mello- Leitão described different specimens as L. paulistana and marked them as “sp. n.” in both descriptions (Mello-Leitão 1924, 1926). In the first description (Mello-Leitão 1924), it is assigned collection number #84 of Mello-Leitão’s personal collection, whereas in the second description (Mello- Leitão 1926) it is assigned #848. None of the descriptions, nor following works on the species mention the presence of maxillary cuspules. Both descriptions mention “flexible” apical segments of the PLS. Bücherl et al. (1971: fig. 11) illustrated the spermathecae, which overall resembles that of the holotype of D. annulifila and which we found to bear no maxillary cuspules. The holotype of D. paulistana could not be located in the collection of the MNRJ, where it should be deposited; Silva-Moreira et al. (2010).

Before the type material of D. annulifila was lost in the fire of 2010, A. Brescovit (IBSP) provided images of the holotype (all lacking scales) of the holotype of D. annulifila . The preparation of the spermatheca was broken and the holotype clearly lacked maxillary cuspules. All legs were disarticulated with some leg tarsi appearing less flexible, with only few medial cracks. As the images were not highly resolved, many characters have to be reconsidered. Mello- Leitão (1937) reported a length of 9.0 for the cephalothorax of D. annulifila .

D. annulifila n. syn. is recognized a junior synonym of D. paulistana on account of the absence of maxillary cuspules and patterns, but presence of flexible apical segments of the PLS, alongside their close type localities.

NATURAL HISTORY

Unknown.

Figures

FIG. 12. — Linothele paulistana (Mello-Leitão,1924): A-E, Diplura annulifila Mello-Leitão,1937,n. syn.female holotype (formerly IBSP 3453);A, spinnerets,ventral view; B, maxillae, labium and sternum, ventral view; C, spermathecal component 1, dorsal view; D, spermathecal component 2, dorsal view; E, spermatheca (arrangement of component 1 and 2 as it was seen), dorsal view. Not to scale.

FIG. 10. —. — Linothele longicauda (Ausserer, 1871): A-C, L. cousini Simon, 1889, n. syn. female syntypes [MNHN, AR 4938 (B338)]; A, metatarsus III, ventral view; B, C, spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B, C, 0.5 mm.