Linothele curvitarsis 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 : 171-174

Linothele curvitarsis Karsch, 1879

( Figs 6 ; 17 A-E; 19 A, B)

Linothele curvitarsus Karsch, 1879: 546 . — Raven 1985: 74, 75.

Diplura soricina Simon, 1889b: 189 . n. syn.

Linothele soricina – Raven 1985: 74. — Dupérré & Tapia 2021: 268 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Linothele curvitarsis : Holotype. Venezuela • indet.; Caracas ; Golmer leg.; ZMB Arach-458 and Arach-458a (preparation of tarsal claw) examined.

Diplura soricina : Lectotypes (as designated by Dupérré & Tapia 2021). Venezuela • 1 ♂, 4 ♀, 2 undet.; Caracas , Colonie Tovar and San Esteban ; M. E. Simon leg.; MNHN ( 339 ) examined .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Venezuela • 1 ♀ *; near Choroni ; 2006; D. Reimann leg.; NHRS-KASI 000000033 • 3 ♂ F1, 1 undet. F1; same data as for preceding; NHRS-KASI 000000032 • 1 ♂ F2, 1 ♀ F2; same data as for preceding; SMNK .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Caracas, Venezuela.

DISTRIBUTION. — San Esteban to Caracas, Venezuela.

DIAGNOSIS. — Males and females of Linothele curvitarsis can be distinguished from those of most other species of Linothele by their flexible apical segments of the PLS ( Fig. 6E ) and the presence of a mid-dorsal pattern on the opisthosoma ( Figs 17A, B, D, E ; 19A, B ). Males furthermore differ from those of L. sericata by their emboli bearing no keel ( Fig. 6A, B ). Females of L. curvitarsis can be distinguished from females of L. paulistana by the presence of maxillary cuspules ( Fig. 6G ) and from those of L. sericata by their spermathecae stalks bearing several distal vesicles ( Fig. 6H, I ).

DESCRIPTION

Male (after male type of D. soricina )

CL = 7.4. CT = 12. MC = 19-27. Colouration in alcohol: Prosoma, chelicerae, legs and pedipalps brown; opisthosoma with distinct pattern, mid-dorsally consisting of quadrate spots anteriorly, which become more rectangular posteriorly, or can be interconnected, forming longitudinal lines, laterally with several spots, ventrally with longitudinal lines and spots; maculae absent. Clypeus: narrow. Leg formula: 4123. Preening-combs absent. Leg tarsi pseudo-segmented. Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS flexible. Palpal organ: [(PL*100)/BD = 271], see Figure 6A, B . Megaspine and MP: [(IML*100)/MAD = 263], see Figure 6C, D .

Variability

CL = 7.1-9.6. CT = 10-12. MC = 19-31. Colouration alive ( Fig. 19B ): As in alcohol, but carapace covered with golden setae and patterns more distinct. [PL(100)/BD = 250-271]. [(IML*100)/MAD = 300-383].

Female

Colouration ( Figs 17 A-E; 19A): as for male. Clypeus: narrow, see Figure 6F .Sternum, labium and maxillae: see Figure 6G . Leg formula: 4123. Scopula divided, see Figure 5A, B . Preeningcombs absent. Leg tarsi pseudo-segmented. Spinnerets: apical segments of the PLS flexible, see Figure 6E . Spermathecae: consisting of two retrolaterally bent stalks bearing several vesicles at 1:5A, see Figure 6H, I .

Variability

CL = 8.1-10.2. CT = 11-14. MC = 25-34.

REMARKS

The type of Linothele curvitarsis is accompanied by a preparation of the epigastrium with no detectable spermatheca. Linothele soricina is recognized a junior synonym of L. curvitarsis on account of flexible apical segments of the PLS, the distinct pattern of immatures and females on opisthosoma, and its type locality which is partly consistent with the type locality of L. curvitarsis . Dupérré & Tapia (2021) designated a male lectotype and a single female paralectotype. Following ICZN 74.1.3 all specimens of the syntype collection, except for the lectotype, are to be considered paralectotypes.

A juvenile (F1) in NHRS was examined: CL = 7.9. CT = 9-10. MC = 18-20. As this specimen is clearly conspecific to other specimens in NHRS, we were able to observe the maximum range of variability for CT (± 5). The immature holotype of L. curvitarsus was smaller CL (5.5), but had more CT (11) and MC (30-32).

NATURAL HISTORY

According to D. Reimann and B. Striffler (pers. comm.) the spiders settle in coastal forests of Venezuela, where they can be found under stones or between buttress roots. The species seems to be synanthropic. It takes about one year for males and one and a half years for females to reach maturity. Males mature from July to October. Usually they produce less extensive, but more three-dimensional webs than other species of the genus. The tubular retreat, where the spider stays during the day, ends in a funnel-web which is approximately 30-40 cm in diameter.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Linothele curvitarsis Karsch, 1879: A-D, Diplura soricina Simon, 1889, n. syn. male (MNHN (339)); E, L. curvitarsis female (NHRS-KASI 000000033); F-I, Diplura soricina female (MNHN (339)); A, left palp, prolateral view; B, left palp, retrolateral view; C, right tibia I and metatarsus I, retrolateral view; D, right tibia I and metatarsus I, ventral view; E, spinnerets,ventral view; F, eye tubercle, dorsal view; G, maxillae, labium and sternum, ventral view; H, I, spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 17. — Patterns on opisthosoma in Linothele Karsch, 1879: A-E, L. curvitarsis Karsch, 1879; F-H, L. macrothelifera Strand, 1908; I, J, L. septentrionalis n. sp.; K-M, L. spinosa n. sp.; A, L. curvitarsis indet. holotype (ZMB Arach-458), dorsal view; B, C, L. curvitarsis male (NHRS-KASI 000000032); B, dorsal view; C, ventral view; D, Diplura soricina Simon, 1889 female (MNHN (339)), dorsal view; E, Diplura soricina male (MNHN (339)), dorsal view; F, L. macrothelifera imm. male (MCZ-76020), dorsal view; G, H, L. macrothelifera undet. (MCZ-76021); G, dorsal view; H, ventral view; I, J, L. septentrionalis n. sp. female holotype (MCZ- 76012); I, dorsal view; J, ventral view; K-M, L. spinosa n. sp. male holotype (NHRS-KASI 000000036); K, dorsal view; L, ventral view; M, L. spinosa n. sp. female paratype (NHRS-KASI 000000037), dorsal view. Not to scale.

FIG. 19. — Specimens of Linothele Karsch, 1879 in life: A, B, L. curvitarsis Karsch,1879; C-E, L. sericata (Karsch, 1879); F, L. spinosa n. sp.; G, L. gaujoni (Simon, 1889); H-J, L. fallax (Mello-Leitão, 1926); A, adult female; B, adult male; C, adult female; D, adult male (both distal articles of PLS are broken); E, undet. juvenile; F, adult female; G, adult female; H, adult female; I. adult male; J, juvenile female. Not to scale.

FIG. 5. — Different scopulation within Linothele Karsch, 1879:A, B, Diplura soricina Simon, 1889 female (MNHN (339));C, D, Uruchus gaujoni Simon, 1889 female (MNHN-AR-AR4951 (B4348)); A, tarsus I and metatarsus I, lateral view; B, tarsus I, ventral view; C, tarsus I and metatarsus I, lateral view; D, tarsus I, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.